Spicy Potato for Samosa (Aloo Bhaja for Singada)

Ingredients:
2 Large Red Potato diced
1/4 of  Red Onion diced
1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 Tsp Cumin Powder
1/2 Tsp Coriander Powder
1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
Red Chili Powder to taste
Salt to taste
Oil

Preparation:
In a saute pan heat up some oil on medium heat then add Cumin seeds and mustard seeds.
Allow them to splutter, then add onion sand saute for few seconds until it starts to get transparent.
Then add potato and all the spices. Cover and cook until potato is done. It will take 15 to 20 minutes to cook.
You can use this as filling of Samosas, or you can simply have it with rice or chapati.

Samosa or Singada

Ingredients:
1 Cup All purpose flour
1 Tbs Vegetable Oil and more for frying samosa
1/2 Tsp Kalonji
Water as needed
Salt to taste
Spicy Potato or Aloo bhaja for stuffing

Preparation:
In a food processor put all purpose flour , 1 Tbs oil and salt give it a good mix until all the oil get well incorporated into the flour. You can mix this oil and flour on your hand by rubbing the flour with both of your palms.
Then transfer into a bowl add kalonji and mix it well.
Add water and knead into a smooth dough then wrap the dough in a plastic wrap keep aside for 10 -15 minutes.
Divide the dough into smaller portions. The roll the dough into thin oval shape.
Cut into 2 halves. Brush water along the diameter.
Overlap the two edges to make a cone. Place a tablespoon of the potato filling into the cone.
Brush water around the top edge and seal.
Deep fry the samosas on medium to med high heat until light brown.
Serve with tomato sauce or any chutney of your choice.

Mixed Masala Dal(Lentil Soup)

Ingredients:
2 Tbs Toor Daal
2 Tbs Mung Daal
1 Tbs Chana Daal
2 Tbs Urad Daal
2 Tbs Masoor Daal
1 Tbsp Oil
1/2 Tbsp Ghee
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 medium Onion , finely chopped
1-2 cloves Garlic, slightly crushed
Green Chilies to taste, finely chopped
1 large Tomato  finely chopped
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Cumin Powder
Red Chili Powder to taste
Water as needed
Lime/Lemon Juice  to taste
Salt to taste
Handful of Cilantro chopped for garnishing

Direction:
In a pressure cook add water, all dal, salt and turmeric, then pressure cook for 3 whistles.
In a pan, heat oil on medium heat.
Once the oil is hot add the cumin seeds and allow to splutter.Add asafoetida and wait for 10 seconds, add onion and green chilies and fry until gets translucent then add garlic saute for few seconds.
Add tomato and all the masalas fry until all gets cooked well.
Lower the flame and add cooked dal from the pressure cooker to the pan. Add clarified butter, lemon juice, coriander leaves and cover the dal. Switch off the flame after 5-7 minutes
Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Chitau Pitha (Rice and Coconut Pancakes)

Ingredients:
1 Cup Rice soaked overnight
1 Cup Shredded Coconut
Water as needed
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil as needed

Preparation:
Make a fine paste of coconut and rice. Add salt and leave it for 1 hr.
Add water to make a thin batter out of it.
Heat oil in a pan, pour some batter into it, and cover it.
After sometime remove from flame.
Serve hot with curry or chutneys or go wild have with chicken curry.

Chatu Bhaja (Grandmaa's Mushroom Fry)

Ingredients:
8 oz Portobello Mushrooms or Button mushrooms
1 Tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 Medium Red Onion thinly sliced
1 Tsp Turmeric powder
2 Tbs Mustard Oil(Use mustard oil only this gives a very nice taste)
Salt to taste

Direction:
With a damp cloth clean the mushrooms and cut thinly sliced.
In a pan heat up oil then add mustard seeds, after it gets crackled add onion and fry until the onion gets translucent.
Then add in the mushroom, salt and turmeric cover and cook .
When the mushrooms are done and the water dried up,then lower the heat and cook uncover for few more minutes.
This goes well with rice and dal.

Ridge Gourd Skin Chutney (Janhi Chopa Chutney)

My younger sister was doing her summer course in BBSR. One day my Khudi (Aunt) invited her for lunch and she made this chutney for her. When she knew it made of ridge gourd skin, she surprised. Then she came back home and told my mother and me about this. But that time I was not into all this cooking sooking. Because this is a typical Andhra recipe, my mother didn't know it and she never tried. After 7 years, I don't know how this dish stuck into my mind. I called up my khudi and got this recipe. And believe me after you try this you will never throw the skin away. You wont believe this skin can taste so good.

Ingredients:
Skin of 2 Ridge gourd
1 tsp Urad dal
2 tsp Chana dal
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tsp Sesame seeds
Half lemon size Tamarind
Few Curry leaves (optional)
2 Garlic pods
1 tsp of Jaggery
2 tbs of vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Green chilies to taste


Directions:
Wash the ridge gourds and peal the skin.
Now we are using only the pealed skin of ridge gourd.
You can use the ridge gourd for preparing Curry.
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, chana dal, urad dal and sesame seeds.Fry until they turn to golden color.
Add curry leaves,green chilies and fry for a while.Remove the ingredients into a bowl, let the ingredients cool down completely.
In the same pan add little oil and put the pealed skin of the ridge gourd (If the skin are very long then cut into small pieces) .
Add a pinch of salt.Close the lid and cook in a medium flame until the skins are completely cooked.
Now add the cooked skins, garlic pods, jaggery, tamarind, the fried dal mix and salt.  Now grind gently. Add water only if it is necessary. Take the chutney into a bowl.
Have it with rice, chapati, dosa. 

Masala Upma

Ingredients:
1cup semolina
2 cups water
Handful of frozen green pass
Half cup of green beans cut into 1cm long
Half a cup of cauliflower florets  cut into small pieces
Half a cup of carrots diced
1/2 tsp of grated ginger
1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
1/2 tsp cumin powder
Handfull curry leaves
Salt to taste
Oil

Preparation:
In a wok dry roast the semolina on medium to low heat until it starts to change its color and then transfer it in a bowl.
Now increase the flame to medium high and in the same wok heat up 3-4 tbs of vegetable oil.
When the oil gets hot add in the cumin seeds, wait until it starts to crackle then add grated ginger and saute for few seconds.
Now add curry leaves and allow its to splutter then add all the vegetables.
Saute those vegetables until completely done.
Now add the roasted semolina, cumin powder and salt, give all a good mix.
Now slowly add water to it while stirring it continuously.
After few minutes it will get thick in consistency.
Serve hot with aloo dum or guguni.

Panang Curry with Peanut Butter

Ingredient
1 lb boneless chicken thigh/ breast cut into thin slices
2 tbs Panang curry paste(Mae ploy brand)
1 1/2tbs Palm sugar/Brown sugar
2tbs Fish sauce

1tbs Peanut butter1/2 Medium Onion cut into thin slice
1 Red bell pepper cut into thin slice
1 can Coconut milk 
1/2 cup Water
1/2 of Small Lime

Handful of Roasted Peanuts

Preparation 

Do not shake the Coconut milk can, open the can and keep 2-3 tbs of thick part of coconut milk in a bowl which we will use to garnish.(Believe me this make a huge difference in taste so keep it aside in a bowl.)  Heat up a pan add 3tbs of the thick part of coconut milk and panang curry paste. In medium heat mix it until the mixture starts to leave oil or when you run the spatula trough the coconut milk it will take some time to get to gather. Again add 3tbs of coconut milk and stir for another 3-4 minutes.
Add chicken and rest of the coconut milk of can if needed add some water to the mixture.Here you have to be careful because the coconut milk can get curdled .Then add  brown sugar , peanut butter and fish sauce, give a good mix.

Bring the chicken into boil and half done.Add bell pepper and juice of the lime and also put that lime into the curry(This gives an excellent taste and don't worry you can just through the lime out when the curry is done.) and simmer it for few more minutes.
When the curry is done switch off the flame and add rest of the coconut milk you kept aside in a bowl. Finish it with roasted peanuts and serve hot with brown or white rice.

Aloo Dum or Potato Curry

Ingredients:
15-18 Baby Potatoes or 3 large potatoes peeled and cubed
1/2 medium size Onion, finely sliced
1 large Tomato chopped
1 tbs Ginger Garlic paste
1 tbsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Meat masala powder
Red Chili Powder to taste
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
½ tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp freashly ground Garam Masala powder
Oil for frying Potatoes
Salt to taste
Water


Preparation:
Deep fry the potatoes in vegetable oil and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add sugar, wait until sugar gets brown in color(this caramelizing of sugar gives very good color to the curry). Add cumin seeds and wait until it starts to splutter.
Then add onion and fry until gets translucent then add ginger and garlic and fry them on medium flame about 3 minutes or the raw smell of GG (ginger and garlic) goes away.
Mix in tomato and give it a good stir. Let it cook for 4-5 mins on medium flame.
Add red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, meat masala powder and mix them well. Fry until the oil oozes out from the mixture.
Then add 1 cup of water and bring the mixture to boil. Add fried potatoes and salt then reduce the flame to medium low and let the curry sit for 10-15 mins. Add garam masala powder give the curry a good mix and let sit for another 2-3 minutes.
Serve Aloo dum with steamed rice, chapati or puri Or make Dahi vada aloo dum (the famous odia chat)

Dahi Vada or Dahi Bara

Ingredients:
For Vada:
1 Cup Urad daal
Oil to fry
Salt to taste

For Dahi :
1 lb Yogurt
1 tsp Roasted Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Chat Masala
Red chili powder to taste
Salt to taste
Water

For Tempering:
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2-3 Dry whole red chilies
Pinch of Asafoetida
Handful of Curry leaves


Preparation:
For Vada 
Clean, wash and soak urad daal for 5-6 hours.
Grind it into smooth thick paste. Do not add too much water if needed add spoon by spoon. Remove the batter to a big bowl.
Now whisk the batter with your hand until the batter is light and fluffy.Take some water in a bowl and drop little batter into it. If the bater floats on the water then the batter is already gots fluffy and light.
Add salt to taste.
Heat oil in a pan and drop a spoonfuls of batter and fry till golden brown.
Take the hot vadas and put in cold water for 2-3 minutes.
Mean while make the yougurt mix.

For Yogurt :
Mix the yogurt and little water until it is smooth.Adjust the consistency of yogurt mixture to your choice. I want my yogurt little thinner consistency.
Add salt, red chili powder, chat masala and cumin powder.

For tempering:
In a frying pan, heat up oil add mustard seeds, when they splutter add red chili, asafoetida. remove the pan from heat then add curry leaves.After the curry leaves spluttered completely pour this tempering to the yogurt and  mix.

Its better to make the yogurt mix before frying the vadas.
So, now remove the vadas from the water squeeze gently in between your palms to drain out the water and pour the vadas now into the yogurt mix. Make the vadas in batches and repeat the process.

Serve the dahi vadas chilled or make Dahi vada Aloo dum(the famous odia chat).

Gajar Halwa

Ingredients:
2 lbs of Baby Carrots
1/2 cup of Milk or Water
1 can of Sweetened Condensed milk
1/2 cup Milk powder
2 Tbsp of Butter or Clarified butter
1/4 Cashew nuts or sliced Almonds
1/4 Tsp of Cardamom powder

Directions:
Add the carrots, butter and milk to a pressure cooker. Mix well and pressure cook on medium heat for 2 whistles about 7-8 mins. Turn off flame and let the steam release on its own.
Once the pressure cooker is ready to be opened, turn on flame again and keep it on medium and mash the carrot with a potato masher. Bring the carrot milk mixture to get dry and continue to cook for 10-15 mins until the mixture thickens and becomes a bit grainy.
Add the condensed milk and cardamom powder and mix well. Let it cook for another 5-7 mins. Adjust the amount of condensed milk to suit your sweetness levels.
Add milk powder, this helps to give a mawa like texture to the halwa.
Next add the roasted cashew nuts or choice of your nuts. Mix well.

Recipe Courtesy Bajias Cooking

Rasogolla in a Pressure Cooker

Ingredients:

2 liters full cream milk

2-3 tbs lemon juice/Vinegar

2 tbs semolina

4 cups water

2 cups and 4 tbs sugar

½ tsp freshly ground cardamom

Preparation:

Bring the milk to a boil over a medium flame. Stir occasionally to ensure the milk does not burn. When the milk begins to boil, add the lemon juice or vinegar and mix well.

When the curds begin to separate from the milk, turn off the fire and leave the milk aside for 10 minutes to let the curdling process finish.

Strain the cheese and wash it well under running water - to remove all the lemon juice from it.

Now put the cheese in a cheese cloth and hang for 1 hour to completely drain all the liquid from it. Or squeeze properly if you don't want to wait that long.

Put the drained cheese into a mixing bowl and begin to knead it. Continue till all the lumps are removed and the cheese is absolutely smooth. When this happens the cheese will begin to release its fat and your hands will feel greasy. The success of your Rasogolla making effort depends on how smooth you knead the cheese, so give it your best shot! I usually set the timer to 20 minutes and start kneading, first 10 knead the cheese then add the semolina and sugar to the cheese and knead for another 10 minutes.

Mix the sugar, water and cardamom powder in a pressure cooker and bring the mixture to a boil on high heat. Make sure the cooker is large enough to accommodate the finished Rasogollas, as they will expand to double their size while cooking in the syrup!

While the sugar syrup boils, divide the dough into small marble-sized balls and roll between your palms till smooth.

Gently add the balls to the sugar syrup and pressure cook on high heat for 2 whistles. Then lower the heat to medium low and let the cooker seat for 20 minutes.After 20 minutes switch off the flame and allow the Rasogollas to cool completely before serving them. They will have expanded to almost double their original size and will be delicate when hot. Chill for few hours before serving the Rasogollas.