Potala Rassa in Odiya Vegetarian Thali

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 There's no story today. It's a weekend & I got tired of being lazy so I cooked some yummy vegetarian Odiya recipes today for the family. I made it into a Thali & went all out to make it look pretty using a stainless steel tray (divided plate i.e.)

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    Menu was simple & did not take much time other than the Potala Rasa (Recipe below)

    Menu

    • White Basmati Rice
    • Green Papaya Daal (Yellow lentils cooked with green papaya & tempered with hing & jeera with desi ghee)
    • Potala Rasa (Recipe below)
    • Baigani & Kobi Pakudi (Eggplant slices & cauliflower florets --> dipped in spiced Besan mix --> Deep fried --> Yes.. It's Pakudi or Pakoda or Fritter whatever you want to call it)

    What I used for Potala Rasa
    • 1.5 Lbs of Potala (Pointed gourd) --> Washed --> Trimmed --> Cut diagonally 
    • Onion+Ginger+Garlic Ground Masala Paste - About 2 tbsp
    • Another paste made of 1/3 cup grated coconut + 10 half cashews + 1 green chillies + 1 ripe red tomato
    • 1/4 red onion - chopped
    • Mustard oil
    • 1 bay leaf + 2 cardamons + 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • Salt + Turmeric + Kashmiri chili powder + Cumin-Coriander powder
    • Garam Masala powder - About 1 tsp
    • Heavy bottom pan with lid (I used my stainless steel kadhai)
    • Stainless steel spatula (Helps in scarping if anything sticks to the pan)

    Process
    • Heat mustard oil in the pan & let it smoke up
    • Next add the Poatala pieces & fry on med-high flame until they have gained slight brown coloring in their edges
    • Take them out on a plate
    • In the same pan add bit more oil --> Splutter the bay leaf, cardamom & cumin seeds
    • Next add the onions & fry for 3-4mins till they brown
    • Next add the Onion+Ginger+Garlic paste & fry with sprinkles of water until raw smell is gone
    • Next turn the flame to lowest possible & add turmeric + Kashmiri chili powder + Cumin-Coriander powder and fry everything together
    • Next add the tomato paste (with cashews & coconut i.e.) and fry on low heat until all masala is combined & oil seeps out. This will take time as you have coconut & it needs to be cooked ONLY on low heat. 
    • When the masala is ready add the fried potala pieces & cover & cook with wee bit water until the vegetables are soft & shiny
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    • At last, add garam masala powder & give it a good mix and leave it covered until ready to serve. 
    • Serve hot with Rice & Daal.


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