Chakuli Pitha, Aloo Bhaja & Ghuguni - A Traditional Odia Breakfast

Odisha ,the land of Lord Jagannath, has a very rich religious culture and this is reflected in the food as well. Odia cuisine is very simple yet delicious, prepared in little or no oil which not only enhances the taste, but makes them very healthy as well. In our day to day busy lives we often skip a healthy breakfast. Chakuli Pitha, Aloo Bhaja and Ghuguni  is a very common breakfast recipe in Odisha. Every person belonging to this state must have tasted this recipe at least once in his or her lifetime. Chakuli Pitha is prepared using rice flour, white lentils(Biri) , refined oil (preferably ghee or mustard oil), and salt.This flat pancake is full of nutrition and best enjoyed with aloo bhaja, ghuguni or white peas curry, dalma or just sugar/jaggery or sweet chutneys.

Odisha's identity is never complete without the mention of Pithas. Though Pithas are primarily made during festival times in homes, this Chakuli Pithas  which are a rice based  flat pancakes are routinely prepared and served in Odia homes as breakfast in any normal days.  

Many people confuse this with the South Indian dish Dosa. It is however different from Dosa in texture and other aspects. Dosa is a crispy and  large solid dish eaten along with spicy or sour Sambhar or Chutney. Whereas Chakuli pitha is a non-crunchy, soft, small and thin pancake best enjoyed with sweet chutneys , dalma, aloo bhaja, ghuguni etc. Chakuli Pitha are of two varieties primarily , The Saru Chakuli( Thin pancake)  and the Budha Chakuli( Thick Pancakes).The origin of Saru Chakuli can be traced back during the early 4th century BC when Buddha had tasted the Chakra apoopa from two merchants coming from Kalinga Kingdom to Magadha. Saru Chakuli can be seen at various restaurants of Odisha. It can also be made at home and can be tasted as a breakfast item or snack item in the evening. 

Cuisine: Odia 

Serves : 4

Preparation Time : 30 Minuites (Approx)
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients for the Chakuli Pitha:

• 1 cup white lentils
• 2 cup rice
• Salt as per taste
• Water as required
• 1 to 2 tablespoon Mustard Oil 

Let's Learn How to make Chakuli Pitha:

• Soak white lentil and rice in water overnight. Then filter out the extra water and grind it to make a fine paste.For grinding add water which covers the lentil and rice. 

• Keep aside the mixture for 4 to 5 hours for fermentation. Add salt and water to the paste for making the batter a little thin. Make sure the batter doesn't get too watery. 

• This is the usual method of preparing the Chakuli Pitha, But I like to have it fresh so I just keep the batter covered for 30 minutes after grinding and then use it .

• Mix the batter well and place a pan on the stove. Heat a non stick tawa  on a medium flame.

• When the pan gets heated, add 1/2 tea spoon oil and spread it all over the pan.

• Take a small bowl of batter and spread it all over the pan in circular shape. After a while  check the lower side of the pitha. Once the lower side turns brownish, flip it to other side.

• When the pancake (pitha) is cooked well from both the sides, switch off the stove. Repeat the procedure for all the pithas (pancakes).

• Serve hot with Aloo Bhaja, Ghuguni and Jaggery on sides. 

Ghuguni  ( dried Yellow/ green/ white Peas) is a modest cuisine from the eastern part of the Country. In Odisha it is served as an accompaniment to a number of dishes like Bara, Aloo dum, Samosa, Aloo Chop , Chakuli Pitha etc. It is also used as a curry to be served along with Roti or Paratha. This is an awesome and easy to make curry which is rich with protein and cooked with less oil making it healthy too. This recipe is also popular in other eastern States like West Bengal, Bihar and Assam.

Ingredients For Ghuguni ( Dried White Peas Curry)

• 1 cup white  Peas 
• 1 medium sized Potato 
• Salt as per  taste
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder 
• 1 Medium Size finely chopped Onion 
• 1 teaspoon Ginger  Garlic paste 
• 1 Medium sized finely chopped Tomato
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin Powder 
• 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder 
• 1 teaspoon Garam Masala 
• 2 tablespoon Oil 
• 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds 
• 1 green chilli finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Let's Learn How to make Ghuguni:

Preparation Time : Overnight / 6 hrs

Cooking Time: 30 mins

• Soak the white peas overnight or minimum 3 to 4 hours.
• Peel off the potatoes and cut into pieces.
• Pressure cook the soaked Yellow Peas and Potatoes for 2-3 whistles with a pinch of turmeric powder and 1 tsp salt.Open the lid of the Pressure cooker after it is cooled down and the gas has been released.
• Heat a Pan with  oil.Add the cumin seeds to the heated oil and when it starts to splutter ,add the Chopped onions, green chillies and saute till golden brown.
• Add the Ginger-Garlic Paste and saute till the raw smell goes away .Add the chopped tomatoes and saute it till the tomatoes are mushy and the oil is released.
• Add turmeric powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Garam Masala, Red Chili Powder and saute it.
• Now add the boiled white peas and potatoes to it. Mash some of the potatoes which will add a thickness to the gravy and makes it of great taste as potato goes along with every cooking stuff.
• Add salt according to the taste.Now add some water and let it simmer for 2-3 mins with the lid. Turn off the gas and garnish with coriander leaves.

Odiya Style Sauteed Potatoes (Aloo Bhaja)

Cuisine: Odia

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 nos of Potatoes cut into very Thin Strips       
• 1/4 teaspoon Panch Phutan
• 2 nos of Dried Medium Red Chilliies
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 tablespoon Mustard Oil 
• Salt to Taste

Lets Learn how to make Aloo Bhaja:    

• In a Pan, Heat Oil, Add the panch Phutan & Red Chilli.Let the Seeds splutter & as the Chilli turns Smoking Red, add Turmeric Powder & Sauté.
• Add the Potato Pieces Fry till the Potatoes on High Flame for about 30 Seconds,Cover & Cook on Low Flame till Tender.
• Add Salt & Stir for about a Minute.
• Serve Fresh & Hot with Thin Chakuli pithas.

 

Sending this recipe to the 21st Foodie Monday Blog Hop theme #Regional Breakfast 

KANIKA - FAMOUS ODIA SWEET RICE

Odisha is a beautiful state and has so many varieties of choices for veg and non veg lovers. Panch Phutan is a very important flavoring used in all the curry and gravy preparation in Odia Cuisine. Mustard oil is very important in the cuisine but ghee occupies an important place in the cuisines mostly prepared during festivals.

Kanika is a pulao recipe which is prepared during festivals in Odisha. It is a perfect example of spiced and sweet recipe. The presence of spices gives the recipe a special flavor. The aroma of Desi ghee makes this recipe a very exceptional one. This dish is a part of Chhapann Bhog – 56 offerings (Maha Prasad) in the Puri Jagannath temple. These dishes are made without onions and garlic. The spices used in this dish make it very aromatic.

Cuisine: Odia
Preparation time – 30 minutes
Cooking time – 20 minutes
Difficulty level – easy

Serves:2

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup basmati rice
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoon desi ghee
• 3 to 4  pepper
• 2 to 3 cloves
• 2 green cardamom
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small pieces of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon Cashew nuts for garnishing
• 1 tablespoon Raisins for garnishing
• 1 tablespoon milk
• a generous pinch of saffron

Let's Learn How to make it: 

• Wash and soak the Basmati rice for 30 minutes. Drain the water and spread it on a clean cloth and keep under a fan so that no water remains in the rice. Smear turmeric on the rice and keep aside.
• Place a heavy bottomed pan on the stove. Add one spoon of desi ghee and when the ghee gets heated, add the cashew nuts and raisins into the pan.
• Roast them till they turn golden brown color and then remove the nuts from the pan.
• Now pour one more spoon of ghee into the pan then add pepper, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, green and black cardamom into the pan. Sauté for few minutes. Add the rice and fry on medium heat till the rice turns a little brown.
• Add warm water and salt into the pan. Add the saffron infused milk ,mix well and cover with a lid.
• Cook on a low flame till the rice is half cooked and then add the sugar and cook till the rice is fully done.Switch off the stove.Garnish with fried cashew nuts and raisins.
• Serve along with Dalma and Sagaw Bhaja or any curry of your choice.

 

Note: The turmeric adds the yellow color to this dish  but along with the turmeric I have also used a pinch of saffron for its aroma and color.

Mushroom Cooked in Tangy Mustard Paste a.k.a Chatu Besara

 The  Odia food is quite simple as its people. It’s not very spicy, it’s like home-cooked food — delicate and tasty. Odia food is sublime yet tasty. The use of mustard and Panch Phutan(perfect mixture of cumin, mustard, fennel, fenugreek and kalonji – used in tempering vegetables and dals)  is quite common in most of the dishes. Besara is an authentic Odia dish prepared with mustard paste. Cooking mushroom in mustard garvy is a very common dish prepared in many odia households.

Chatu Besara is a yummy nutritious vegetable dish mostly popular in the state of Odisha . The primary ingredients required to prepare this dish mainly comprises of mushroom,mustard paste, turmeric powder, tomato, etc. Chatu Besara is very healthy as the main ingredient mushroom is enriched with vitamins and minerals. It fights cancer, lowers blood glucose, reduces the risk of gout, and keeps the heart healthy. Mushroom also plays a key role in building immune system. Owning to mushroom's various nutritional values; this dish is also relished in other parts of India. Chatu Besara is easy to make and can be prepared even at home. 

Ingredients

• 500 gms – Locally grown Mushrooms(preferably Pala chatu i.e oyster mushroom but of course buttom mushroom can be used as they are available all through out the year)

• 1 – Large potato cut into small cubes
• 2 tbsps – Mustard Oil
• 1 -  Large Toamtoes finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp – Turmeric powder
• ½ tsp- red chilli powder
• 1/4tsp – Panch Phutan
• Salt -  To taste
•  Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

For mustard Paste:

• 2 tbsps - Black mustard seed
• 4 to 5 - Green chilies
• 4-5 pods - Garlic

Let’s Learn How to make Chatu Besara

• Clean the mushrooms and shred them  into small pieces. Keep aside. Peel the potato and cut into small pieces.

•  Soak he black mustard seeds along with the garlic and green chilies for 30 minutes.  Grind this in to a fine thick paste by adding little water.

•  In a pan add 2 tbsp oil and fry  the cut potatoes till almost done and light brown in colour. Keep aside. Sauté the mushrooms till half done and keep aside.

•  In the same pan add Panch Phutan and once they started to crackle add chopped tomatoes and 1 to 2 slit green chillies. Saute for a minute. Then add mushrooms. Saute on high heat for 1 to 2  minutes.

• Add fried potatoes, turmeric powder , red chilli powder and fry for 2 more minutes. Lower the heat and  add the mustard paste. Saute for 2 more minutes. Add salt and required amount of water. Let it come to a boil. Cook for 5 more minutes.

•  Transfer to a plate and garnish with coriander leaves and Serve with pain white rice. 
•  Note: This curry is a bit spicy and tangy. So you could adjust the amount of chilli and tomato as per your preference.

Banjara Murgh

Banjara literally means Gypsy. Banjara Murgh is cooking the chicken in gypsy style where the spices are not ground into a smooth powder but pounded coarsely using a pestle. This dish is heavily influenced by the Nomadic way of lifestyle . The freshly pounded spices gave it a real authentic flavor. The dish is simple, easy to make, has a nice thick gravy, and really tasty. I have made a lot of changes in the recipe and made it very simpler for anyone to adopt. The specialty of this dish is that you donot have to stand and cook. This is a one pot chicken dish where everything is mixed together in raw form and cooked on a slow fire till done.

            This particular dish is a modern adaptation of a traditional style of ODIA cooking called BATIBASA which literally means putting everything in a earthen bowl called BATI in Odia and cook in the slow fire of the  chullah which is just sufficient to cook the dish. This method of slow cooking gives the dish a smoky flavour that it is hard  to replicate in the modern kitchen  . Once put in the fire the dish is never stirred .

            Batibasa can be done with any vegetables, small fishes and it is usually cooked with mustard and chilli paste. But as per our modern day to day preferences I have changed the traditional cooking technique to suit our modern palette.

Banjara Murgh

Ingredients

§  500gms chicken pieces

§  2 tablespoons mustard oil

§  1 large  onions – sliced

§  1 tomato sliced

§  4 whole green chillies

§  1 Bay leaf

§  2-3 pieces mace

§  1 black cardamom

§  2-3 green cardamom

§  1 stick of cinnamon

§  8-10 black peppercorns

§  1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste or you can crush them

§  1 teaspoon coriander powder or you can roast and crush

§  1 teaspoon cumin powder or you can roast and crush

§   ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

§  1 teaspoons red chilli powder

§  4tbsp hung curd

§  salt to taste

Let’s Learn how to make Banjara Murgh:

• Wash and clean the Chicken pieces and keep aside.
• Grind the mace, green cardamom, cinnamon, black cardamom, black peppercorns together to make the garam masala.
• You can crush the ginger and garlic separately and keep aside. But if you want to use ginger garlic paste , you can use it.

• In a Pan add the chicken pieces along with the sliced onions, tomatoes, bay leaf, ginger garlic  paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, salt, chilli powder, green chillies , mustard oil and hung curd. Mix well with your hands.
• Now put this pan covered on a slow heat for minimum 20 to 25 mts or till chicken becomes tender and the gravy thickens.

• Garnish with freshly ground Garam Masala  and serve hot.

My Note:

• You can use Ginger Garlic Paste in place of crushed ginger and garlic. Here is a simple guide to make Ginger Garlic paste. Take equal quantity of Ginger and Garlic and remove their skins and wash them properly. 

• Grind them in a grinder without adding water till smooth. The ginger and garlic released their own juice , so it will not be difficult to grind them. But if you want you can add a tsp of water to it.

• This paste can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight jar upto a week.

Dahi Bara Aloo Dum - The Quintessential Street Food of Odisha

The millennium city of Cuttack is famous for various reasons -  silver filigree work, Historical Barabati fort, Famous Barabati stadium among others. Besides this, Cuttack is famous for one more thing and that is the ‘Dahibara-aloodum’. The name itself conjures up thousands of memories and for anyone who’s everbeen to Cuttack or hails from the same, needs no intro to this legendary street food – Dahi Bara Aloo Dum and Guguni, mostly known as “Dahi Bara Aloo Dum”.

“Aloo dum Dahi bara”, A wholesome meal in itself is said to be the staple food of Cutkis, a name synonymous with the people of Cuttack. People love to have it for breakfast, lunch and it is considered an all- day snacks item. It provides timely carb in the form of potatoes, which replenish energy and the butter-milk given at the end of the snacks is a relishing drink to beat the scorching summer. While the tangy flavor of the dahi bara revives the taste buds! Typically, it is served with ghuguni (A spicy Curry made of chick peas) and garnished with sev, onion and coriander leaves. 

The savory tartness of the dahibara perfectly complements the spicy aloodum and ghuguni and all of it wonderfully comes together with the crunchiness of the onions and the bhujia sev.

This local delicacy is so popular that hardly anyone, whether a local person or a visitor from outside, misses the chance to taste it. From early morning till late in the night one can find the vendors selling the dahibara across the city.Dahibara of Cuttack is so famous that people from faraway places, come to the city just to have a taste of it. People residing in far off places like Sambulpur, Paradip, Rourkela, Balasore, Berhampur and many other such area carry this item to their places.

But despite its iconic status within the state, it’s a irony that it hasn’t received the limelight it truly deserves. Many people outside Odisha hardly knows about it. It is a privilege when my fellow bloggers decided on the theme for our weekly event FOODIE MONDAY BLOG HOP as street Food , my happiness knew no bound as I am very confident that not only this famous street food of Odisha  can stand tall , it may exceed many iconic street foods in their lovability quotient. For a beautiful compilation of 25 Indian street foods every desi foodie simply must try, do click on the link www.folomojo.com/25-indian-street-foods-every-desi-foodie-simply-must-try/. So here is my dish for the Third " FOODIE MONDAY BLOG HOP" event dish on the Theme" STREET FOOD".....Dahi Bara Aloo Dum - The Quintessential Street Food of Odisha

My own childhood memories associated with this famous street food is the excitement at seeing the vendor selling Dahi Bara Aloodum in his drummed container and serving it in a thola ( container made out of sal leaves).After reading all this, you must be thinking … Is it possible to prepare this dish at home? The answer to this question is, yes of course! So here goes my interpretation of the famous street food of Odisha…… Aloo dum dahi bara. 

Dahi Bara

  

Ingredients

Serves:4

• 1 cup - Whole Urad Dal
• 1 tsp - Baking soda
• Oil for frying

For the dahi

• 1 cup - Yogurt
• 1 cup - Water
•  Salt to taste
• Cumin and red chili powder

For the tempering

• 1 Tablespoon - Oil
• ½ tsp - Mustard seeds
• 2   nos - Dry red chillies
• 1 sprig curry leaves

Let’s learn how to prepare Dahi Bara:

 

• Soak the urad daal in water overnight. After the dal is perfectly soaked (it will feel light and puffed up), grind to a smooth batter. Keep it aside for 2 to 3  hrs for fermentation in a dark, warm place. If you are short of time, you can add baking powder and salt to it and mix well. Leave it for 1hr.

• From the batter make small balls or baras. Slightly flatten them. In a frying pan heat oil. Fry the Baras till golden brown. Soak the fried vadas in salted water till soft and fully soaked. After this take them out of salted water and keep aside.

• In a small vessel, mix the yogurt and water together. Add salt and roasted cumin and dry red chilli powder to it. Put the soaked Baras in it.

• Now heat 1 teaspoon of oil in the frying pan. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chilies and let them splutter. Pour this mixture on the Dahi Bara. 

Ghuguni

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of dried peas soaked overnight in water
• 1 large tomato finely chopped
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp of cumin seeds
• 1tsp of cumin powder
• 1 tbsp of coriander powder
• Fresh coriander leaves
• 1tspRed chilli powder to taste
• 2 Green Chilies
• ½ tspTurmeric powder
• 1tsp garam masala
• 2-4 tsp cooking oil
• Salt to taste

Let’s learn how to prepare Ghuguni:

• Soak the dried white peas in water for 3 to 4 hours. Boil the soaked peas with some salt till soft.
• Put 2 tbs of oil in a frying pan and put the cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add green chillies, finely chopped onions and sauté till onions becomes brown in colour.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté till the raw smells of the garlic goes away. Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté till it becomes mushy and oiul comes out of it. Add a tsp of water to prevent burning.
• Now add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder to it and continue to sauté for one more minute.
• Add the boiled peas, little water and salt and cook for 10-15mts on slow flame or till you achieve the desired consistency of the gravy. Here the gravy should not be too watery nor too dry.
• Add the garam masala and the chopped coriander leaves and keep it aside.

Aloo dum

Ingredients:  

• 250 gms small Potatoes
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 1 large tomatoes finely chopped
• 2 dry red chillies
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 2 tsps Red Chili Powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp Ginger,Garlic Paste
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1tsp Garam Masala
• salt

 

Let’s learn how to do the Aloo Dum:

• Boil the Potatoes in enough water. Cool the boiled Potatoes in cold water, and peel the skins of the potatoes.
• In a pan, add oil, and the cumin seeds and the dry red chilies. Once it splutters, add the finely chopped onions and fry till it turn brown.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smells of the paste goes away.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté till oil comes out of the gravy.
• Add the coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and sauté for one more minute. 

• Add the boiled and peeled potatoes and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Then add some water to it. Cook on slow flame till the gravy thickens and the  Spiced Gravy soaks into the very core of the Potatoes, and these turn brown. Then add Garam Masala to it and  remove it from stove.

Now comes the final show time of assembling the Dahi Bara Aloo Dum and Ghuguni.

Ingredients:

• Dahi Bara
• Aloo Dum
• Ghuguni
• Chopped Onions
• Chopped Coriander leaves
• Chopped green chillies
• Cumin red chilli powder

In a bowl, place 2-3 dahi vad as and a little bit of dahi. Then scoop in some aloo dum followed by  ghuguni. 

• Garnish the dish with chopped onions, chopped green chillies, sev, chopped coriander leaves and top it with some black salt and cumin red chilli powder.
• Now dig into it and savor every bite of this street delicacy of Odisha .