Odisha Mo Odisha

Some may call its Shrimp biryani but I call it Shrimp Pulao. Why? Because my friend, Biryani is not made with Shrimps (ever). Neither is it made with Vegetables or Paneer or Fish by the way. Biryani is something that my definition is made with meat. So let's just call this recipe Shrimp Pulao.  Anyways, this shrimp recipe is easy & flavorful and with  the correct amount of spices, it is a one pot kid-friendly wholesome meal.  The flavors are very close to what I usually use for Biryani but you can easily make changes to suit your taste buds (or your family's).  What I used My dependable Instant Pot 6 Qt. Duo 1.5 Lbs of medium frozen shrimp - Shelled & De-veined (Defrosted & marinated with salt + turmeric) 2 cups Basmati Rice - Washed nicely & soaked in water for about 15 - 20mins.  2 cups Water 2 tbsp Ghee Whole Garam Masala - 2 green cardamoms + 1 black cardamom + 1 bay leaf + 8-10 pepper corns + 1 star anise + 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 tbsp Ground Ma...

 The concept is super simple.  You want to eat vegetarian food which should... Be One-Pot which can then be put in the Dishwasher Use frozen vegetables so that I don't have to chop them Take very very less time to cook Be flavorful with typical Indian flavors Not have Gluten because it is not good for me to have gluten at night (causes Migraine) Be good for kids & grown-ups equally. That is when you take out the ever so dependable Instant Pot 6Qt, thaw some frozen organic mixed vegetables like carrots, peas, beans & corn kernel, wash up some basmati rice.... and Lo & Behold... Your One-Pot Light Gluten Free Dinner is READY. What I used 1 cup Basmati rice 2 cups of Frozen vegetables 1/2 red tomato chopped 2 tsp Neutral oil or Ghee 1 tsp cumin seeds + whole garam masala (Cardamoms + Cinnamon stick etc) 2 tsp Pulao masala 6 Qt. Instant Pot Wooden spoon/spatula Process Wash the rice thoroughly until water runs clear & keep them soaked until they are ready to be use...

 Some days are just so lazy that they inspire you to do one-pot meals which is full of the right combination of Carbs + Veggies + Fat right in a Pressure Cooker. Those are the days when your hands & legs have given up totally. Those are the days when your mind has stopped thinking about food. Those are the days when the creativity has reached it's fullest content. When that happens to you, try this recipe. It is a super quick recipe because I used Organic Frozen Vegetables & Yes, I used my good old Indian Hawkins Pressure cooker for this recipe (as the title suggests).  This recipe is Gluten Free & gets done in like 15 minutes or so and is best enjoyed with some simple Raita  & Pakudi or Papad or may be a sprinkle of thin sev. Take your pick. It's a lazy day/night so do your best. You deserve a little downtime.  What I used 1 cup Basmati Rice Washed & soaked in water (till we are ready to use it) 1.5 cups organic Frozen Vegetables. I have the pre-...

 Do you remember any wedding that you went to which had amazing desserts? Any reception or wedding party where you enjoyed a bowl full of kheer rather than the actual main course meal?  I do. I remember very vividly my brother-in-law's wedding in Winter 2010 where the rice kheer (In Odiya we call it Kheeri) was to die for. Whoever knows me will know that I do not have a sweet tooth. I don't prefer sweets. Given the choice between sweet & savory, I will always pick savory. BUT... this kheeri was so yummy & the more it sat in the fridge, it tasted yummier.  After some asking around, I found that the trick was the whole milk & milk powder that was used & the kheer was cooked on low heat for a very very long time and it had the perfect mix of rice + mik etc etc. Well all these statements were not really helping me because no one (I repeat NO ONE) knew the exact measurements.  So I tried & tested this recipe almost every year during the winter break (B...

 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.) Add caption 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...

 Recently I made Chicken Patra Poda , a traditional Odiya dish using "Besara" which is a special Odiya Masala paste made out of Mustard Seeds.  As usual, I had made extra. Here are the two special recipes that I made with the left over marinated chicken from Chicken Patra Poda recipe.  Approach was simple.  Look inside the Pantry/Refrigerator for available ingredients --> since chicken is the protein, search for a staple carb --> Pick rice, noodles, paste, vermicelli or veggies.  I picked boiled noodles (which were left over from some other noodles dinner) & then cooked rice (left over again).  For Chicken Besara Noodles... Heat a non-stick pan & add 1 tsp mustard oil. You do not need more because the marinated chicken has oil in it.  Once oil is hot, add the marinated chicken (Click here to see what the marinade contains) & cover & cook till the chicken is cooked through. This will take 12-15mins. Mix in between just to ensure t...

 I know, I know... Vegetable Biryani is not a thing. It's a made-up name. It's a fake. It's dishonesty. It's not supposed to be called Biryani. BUT... But, it does taste & smell heavenly, just like the age old Biryani. YUMMM !!! Traditionally, Biryani is made with some kind of meat, red meat in specific. It is a Mughal recipe idea which started off during some war where the king asked the main chef of the camp to create something that has the perfect combination of nutrition & taste and which'd keep the warriors full & energetic and also something that'd stay longer being packed for the road (or something like that).  The head chef, then created the ever so popular Biryani - Layers of soft & tender meat marinated (& thus cooked) in heavenly smelling spices and white fluffy long grain rice with the freshness of lemon & mint and the calming effect of yoghurt and the richness of the saffron.  No, I am sorry, I have not used so many things in...

Growing up in Odisha, we were very close to the religious aspect of the state. Lord Jagannatha is the main deity who is worshipped all over the state. Other than him, his other " avatars " are also worshipped like " Shree Krushna ", " Vishnu " etc. In the Hindu religion, it is known & agreed that there are mainly FOUR temples which are " Dhaam "s ( Dhaam : Where the actual lord resides, where the lord's home is). One of the four dhaams is  Jagannatha Temple in Puri, Odisha. Puri is an ocean side city in Odisha located on the Bay of Bengal (East Odisha). Other than the religious aspect, this city is famous for its great seafood selection, scenic drives along the bay & of course Mandira Bhoga (temple food). Jagannatha Temple in Puri is known for its prasad. Lakhs of followers from in & out of Odisha come to the temple every single day & enjoy the food cooked by the temple cooks who prepare the food for prasad every day...

Hello & welcome to Pakhala Series on Odisha-Mo-Odisha Blog. Today's Pakhala Episode is brought to you by the many Odiya families in the bay area who we hand out with & celebrate Pakhala Party every summer.  This summer is going to be different because we won't be able to meet but we will be with each other in spirit while we all eat Pakhala Bhata & enjoy Summer of 2020. Today's Pakhala Thali has.. Pakhala Bhata Alu Bharta Saaga Bhaja Macha Bhaja Potala Pakudi Chingudi Bhaja Chingudi Checcha Veg Besara Fry

Hello & welcome to Pakhala Series on Odisha-Mo-Odisha Blog. Today's Pakhala Episode is brought to you by the Das sisters.  In today's Pakhala Thali.. we have.. Pakhala Bhata (Of course) Potala Alu Bahia Slices of Potala (Pointed gourd) & potatoes stir fried with salt+turmeric+cumin-coriander powder Baigana Bharta Mashed Pan grilled egg plant with raw onions + garlic + salt + green chillies Macha Bhaja (Fish Fry) Amba (Mango)