TAPIOCA(Big sabudana pearls steamed and deep oil fried pitha)

Sagoo sijha(STEAMED) and chhana(FRIED) manda====
sagoo is considered as a healthy staple diet
in odisha even it is given during pregnancy to generate milk
in fasting time we take as a staple diet as it keeps stomach cool
it doesnt form any gastronomical tendency 
so considering all these beautiful aspects and best qualities of sagoo made sagoo pithas in different way....

We had navratri just few days back
keeping fast and having no onion garlic stuff for 9 days 
sabudana compelled me to think about the  innovative recipes of sagoo.....
Being a foodie and great odia food lover  i always look for some 
odia new recipes and try to bring some changes and turn and twists
in odia recipes which can be loved by every one...
there is a proverb"idle mind is devil's workshop"
so my witty mind always works never stops for a minute =D 
everyday thinks to bring some changes in food which can be taste the best......
first the fried manda pitha recipe will be rolled on===

  


the ingredients are required for this oil fried manda===
2 big cups Tapioca / big pearls of sagoo
1 cup grated coconut
jaggery to taste
1/4th teaspoon green cardamom powder
salt to taste
oil for deep frying

method to make it more yummy====

first soak Tapioca pearls for 5 to 6 hrs

strain it in strainer and leave it in strainer for 15 to 20 mns

as not a single drop of water will be remained inside

grind and make a smooth dough of it 

here is the pic of perfect dough and neither you have to add water nor to cook to make this dough perfect just add pinch of salt and mash it properly....

now in a wok add grated and jaggery and green cardamom powder together
fry it in low medium flame till it changes  its natural colour and becomes little brown....
take small portion of dough and make ball 
and do it accordingly 
and take each ball and make a cover like
put little stuffing inside and cover it again from each side and 
give a ball shape again to it...
 heat your wok with refined oil
and deep fry them..
but remember it will not turn into brown as other manda pithas turn into..
almost its color will remain intact as white

now let me move to the steaming part of this same sagoo with
almost the same procedure but the only difference is above one is deep fried in oil but the bottom one will be steamed in idli mould or in any mould ......
but the making process is same...

KADALI BHANDA BARA

plantain flower tikkis

plantain stem and plantain flower play a vital role in odia kitchen...
in every one's garden there must be a plantain tree in odisha..
we odia people make different recipes of plantain stem and plantain flower
like we make tikkis, patua,besara batibasa out of flowers
and even make rai,batibasa,bara,and pithaubhaja out of plantain stem too...

my husband is fond of banana stem and banana flower dishes
so i have to cook differently these two
here i have prepared banana tikkis
though it plays a difficult role while cleaning it but equally plays a yummy roll in taste
because taste buds ask for to have more and more

ingredients required------
one banana flower
salt to taste
pinch of turmeric powder
spices used as per your choices
1 chopped onion(here i have avoided onion as navratri fasting is on)
1 teaspoon ginger grated
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon garlic paste(here i have avoided)
1 teaspoon ruchi curry powder which one is local product masala in odish
1 tbl spoon chopped cilantro
1/4 th teaspoon red chilly powder
2 tbl spoon besan
1/4th cup rice
2/3 tbl spoon of oil for shallow fry ...

method to go forward ---

first separate the discarded thing from flower as it is shown in 3rd pic
soak the edible parts in water with 1/2 tbl spoon of salt for 10 mns
after 10 mns just mash them with your hand
and drain out the water
again soak them in water  and salt for 10 mns more
again the same procedure to be followed..
finally just boil it with water salt and turmeric
when it is to be boiled properly you soak rice in water
and after 10 mns make a smooth paste
when the flower part is properly cooked just strain it in strainer and keep in running water
so that its little bitterness which might have remained definitely goes away...
then now the interesting part which is will be tempting to eat..
in boiled flower add all the spices mentioned above along with little salt
rice paste and besan..
make small small tikkis or bara shape
shallow fry them in oil on tawa because it doesn't need to deep fry
as possible as to avoid oil...
and serve those yummy tikkis with any type of sauces....

MUGA KANTI

Odisha is a state with  full of heritage,culture ,beautiful sculpture etc etc....
each state has beautiful art monument etc ...
like cuttack is very famous for its silver filigree  work
Dhenkanal is very famous for Docra work
pipili famous for its applique many more...
Exactly in food each  place of odisha has different taste of different food....
I can say Odisha is a foodie state
people love food and love to feed others too... (ATITHI DEBO VABAH)

This is the recipe which is very traditional recipe of odisha called muga kanti
it is  a pitha.... it is delicious and it will give a good relief as sweet dish after having a perfect meal..

ingredients required for this yummy dish====

2 cups moong dal / split green gram
1/2 cup jaggery/gur
1/4th teaspoon green cardamon powder
oil for frying
ghee for greasing the plate

method=======

first soak moong dal for half an hour

wash and make a smooth liquid paste of it

add jaggery,green cardamon powder in the batter ...

then put this batter in low flame

and keep stirring continuously with a laddle as no lumps will be formed...

when you will notice it turns into little semi solid just pour them on a greased plate

leave it for 15 mns or till it comes to room temperature..

cut them into pieces...

and again heat refined oil in a wok

and fry these cut pieces in oil

serve them hot or wait till it comes to normal temperature then only serve..

but it is yummy in taste.....

AMBULA RAI

"Ambula Rai"

earlier what people were doing probably house wives they eat their lunch with khata(pickle or any type of sour ingredient)whether it is tamarind or dry mango or kandhia because it happens most of the time guests arrive at home after the lunch hour without any information and their arrival is very sweetly accepted by the ladies of the family  because in our Indian society women's happiness is attached with the persons with whom they have got married..... Normally in our society Guests are like God so if they come they will be treated like family...so its very obvious  if they reach before lunch then the ladies of the families have to sacrifice their portion ....... because they wont let the guests go without  food.....
and later the ladies of that house have to do some thing about their own food .....

Ambula rai is one of the very delicate recipes of odisha which is loved by every odia even loved by the people out of our state odisha...
it is a non cooked dish  of odisha but very delectable in taste....

I have assembled the ingredients for this non cooked recipe===
5/6 dry mangoes
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 th teaspoon whole cumin
1/2 green chilly
1/2 cup yogurt
2 strings of curry leaves
1 tbl spoon grated coconut
salt to taste
1/2 tbl spoon sugar
1/4th tbl spoon whole wheat flour

How to make this ===
first soak dry mango pieces in water for 8 hrs
the next moment just drain out water
make a smooth paste of mustard seeds,whole cumin and green chilly
add this masala paste in soaked dry mango
add salt,sugar,grated coconut in soaked dry mango
and cover it ......
and leave it for 4 to 5 hrs
so that the raw taste of masala paste will be adjusted in ambula...

serve with chilled or normal room temperature with plain rice or anything..
The 9 ingredients can make a recipe heavenly taste....

"MOHAN BHOG/MEETHA SOOJI/SOOJI HALWA

mohan bhog is a very traditional sweet dish of odisha
surprisingly this is a sweet dish which is prepared in almost all states in our country but
spells in different names.......

ingredients are required for this ====
2 cups semolina/sooji
2 cups milk
1/cup pure ghee
1/ cup sugar
1/4th teaspoon green cardamon powder
salt to taste
cashew is optional for decor
2 bay leaves

method====
heat ghee in a wok add bay leaves
add semolina
fry in low flame till it becomes little golden brown
add sugar and again fry in low medium flame
then slowly add milk and in low flame keep stirring
till it becomes completely dry..
finally add cardamon powder and switch off the gas...

BADAM CHITAU

"BADAM CHITAU PITHA"
A very authentic pitha of our state of odisha
it is offered to Goddess laxmi during the manabasa gurubar
the festival which falls during the month of December
and this particular pitha is prepared in every households in odisha at the time of "chitalagi amabasya"
which falls  during "shravana month krushna pakshya amabasya tithi"
The main ingredients of this pitha are
rice,coconut salt
and coconut ,jaggery stuffing is optional
it is best eaten with hot milk and sugar
here i have brought a little twist to our regular chitau by adding peanuts
so i called it badam chitau

ingredients required for badam chitau====
1 cup rice
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1/4th tea spoon eno sachet
how to make it =====
first soak rice and peanuts together for around 2 to 3 hrs
again make a smooth paste out of it...
add 1 and half cup of water in it...
add eno sachet
and mix it well...
and leave it for 10 to 15 mns
then heat a iron kadhai..
grease oil...
pour 1 ladle of batter
cover it with a steel or aluminium plate
put hand full of water around the plate
and bring your gas flame to simmer
leave it for 2 mns...
then uncover it and take out the pitha...
accordingly make one by one.....
then dip them in hot milk and serve with any bhaji....

"TAMPA"
as i have said in my old posts odisha is a very beautiful state and with having beautiful districts...
every district has lots of changes in food and each has unique taste of food...
here now let me share with you an awesome instinct sweet dish of south odisha called Tampa

ingredients required for this sweet delicacy of south odisha=====
2 cups millet/mandia
1/2 cup pure ghee
1/2 cup grated coconut
salt to taste
jaggery/gur to taste
2 cups boiled milk
green cardamon powder 1/4th teaspoon

method to proceed=====
first heat a wok with ghee
add millet and
keep stirring in low flame
as the base wont burn
add jaggery
keep stirring till the raw smell of millet disappears and a beautiful aroma comes up
add slowly coconut and milk together
and again keep stirring till it becomes little semi liquid
add green cardamon powder for flavour
grease a stainless steel plate
pour this semi liquid batter on that plate
leave it for 15 mns
then cut and give them into shapes accordingly....

TRI COLOUR MANDA PITHA

"TRI COLOUR MANDA PITHA"
A new avtar to our traditional sukla manda
sukla manda is very popular in coastal and in western odisha too...
it is offered to Goddess Laxmi during particular pujas like sudasabrata and margasira gurubar

Today i thought what to make for our independence day celebration as i am little focused on our traditional recipes ......
so this idea came to my mind to give make over to these manda pitha
but it tastes awesome....
i was little nervous and curious too how it will be the taste
but after i finish this task tasted this so yum in taste....

as i am little more concerned about my family i tried my best to avoid any type of artificial ingredients like food color etc.....
so here i tried my best how to convert this pitha into saffron/yellow and green
then i thought why not to use cilantro paste and squash paste....

For saffron or yellow colour.... normally we dont get easily anything in vegetables like orange colour
so had to use red pumpkin for to bring the color of orange and have used cilantro paste for green and white as normally we use for this manda pitha that is rice powder...
ingredients are required====
2 bunches of cilantro
50 gms of red pumpkin/squash
i have used 400 gms of rice powder for this three ones
for stuffing normally we use grated coconut ,jaggery and green cardamon and cottage cheese
but here as my family loves more vegetables so i added aloo stuffing inside......
for stuffing====
 i used 150 gms of boiled potato
1 chopped tomato
1 chopped onion
1/4th lemon
1 ttea spoon of ginger garlic paste
any curry powder of your choices
here i have used the local product curry powder ruchi
few curry leaves
1 tbl soon of oil
1 teaspoon of whole jeera
salt to taste
method for stuffing====
heat a wok with oil
add jeera
when it starts to splutter add chopped onion
keep sauting as the raw smell of onion disappears
add ginger garlic paste ,salt and chopped tomato
again keep sauting till the il gets separated...
then only add curry leaves and mashed boiled potato
and curry powder..
again keep sauting in low flame for few seconds
then the stuffing ready and switch off  your gas
now its time to make the dough=====
though its not a difficult job but it needs little patience
first i made yellow dough
for this i took red pumpkin and made a fine paste
added 1 cup more water
salt to taste
little sugar and allowed it to get cooked the pumpkin for 2 mns then brought this gas flame to low
and slowly added the rice powder and kept stirring as no lumps will be formed and it will convert into a solid dough...
secondly i made green doughh====
take 2 bunches of cilantro
chop them finely
made a smooth batter of it
squeezed lemon
added salt into it and 1/2 glass of water,sugar and cook them in low medium flame
when it gets boiled slowly add rice powder in lw flame as no lumps will be formed
then keep it aside....
exactly the same way make white one
i boiled 2 cups of water and allowed to boil them with only salt
when it starts to leave bubbles add slowly rice powder and keep stirring as no lumps will be formed....
finally stuffing ready and dough also ready
now take little dough out of each color one by one
make small small balls....
put little stuffing inside and cover it from each side and make like balls
steam them and serve with any curry.....

"MOONG DAL DOSA WITH COCONUT AND PLANTAIN STUFFING"

In odisha pople love to have varieties of pitha o pana
people of odisha crave for pithas.....
so many ideas come to their mind how to make varieties
and now a days people are suffering many common diseases like diabetic blood pressure etc
so here i have made the moong dal dosa of two varieties...
one for normal people....
and the second one is particularly sugar patient .....
being a sugar patient and a perfect foodie  always look for changes in food...

 for moong dal dosa i have used only moong dal with husk....
i took approximately 3 to 4 cups whole moong dal
soaked in water overnight....
next morning made a dosa batter of moong dal....
ingredients for coconut stuffing i have used...
1 cup grated coconut
2 tbl spoon jaggery or sugar
1/2 teaspoon green cardamon powder
in a wok fry coconut ,jaggery, green cardamon powder together..
till the raw flavor of coconut gone and till it becomes little brown as it is shown above in pic....
for plantain /raw banana stuffing i have used ====
 3 raw banana..
handfull of green peas..
1 chopped onion
1 big size tomato...
1 tbl spoon ginger garlic paste
1/4 th teaspoon red chilly powder
1 teaspoon any product of masala powder as
i have used local product ruchi curry powder...
first boil plantain
and mash them with little salt
in a wok heat 1 and 1/2 tbl spoon refined oil
add 1 tea spoon whole mustard seeds
when starts to splutter
add chopped onion
 ginger garlic paste
and chopped tomato
salt to taste
pinch of turmeric....
keep sauteing till masala and oil gets separated
add mashed boiled banana
and keep sauting for mns in low flame
plantain stuffing is ready...

make moong dal dosa as you make normal dosa
stuff in the middle and serve .........

   

GHORA MANDA

"GHORA MANDA"

Odisha is a beautiful state with 30 districts..
each district has its own style of cooking  though the process is almost same...
this is a pitha which gives immense pleasure after having this...
i feel like it melts in my mouth means it is so so soft and yummy....
this is a special delicacy in our western odisha...... like sambalpur ,Bargarh ,bonai,sonpur etc.....
Being a part of coastal odisha i only knew about that sukla manda which is also offered to Goddess laxmi during our some specific pujas like "sudasa brata, mahalaxmi puja" but later i came to know about this beautiful delicate pitha of our western odisha called ghora manda which is also offered to maa laxmi during this puja time too....
i got this recipe from my two dear friend sujata and sweta....

the ingredients required====
Basmati rice is good but not available you can use your normal rice 2 cups
salt to taste
1cup grated coconut
1tbl spoon roasted sea same seeds
1 tbl spoon roasted peanuts
1 tbl spoon of jaggery/sugar(normally these pithas are tastier when you use jaggery)..

 method to make this yummy delicacy====
for stuffing--fry grated coconut,seasame seeds,roasted peanuts,jaggery together till the raw smell of coconut disappears and till it becomes little brown.......
soak rice for 2 to 3 hrs
then make a silky batter  like finest
add water till its consistency becomes watery type...
add salt.....
switch on your gas....
put this rice bowl on gas stove in low flame
and continuously keep stirring as no lumps will be formed.....
it really needs patience ......
and cooking is such an art which needs lots of patience ,skill of art and some creativity
keep stirring till it becomes little thick but not it should nt be seem like solid dough...
then switch off the gas...
in a thali put little cooked rice mixture with your ladle
then put little stuffing
again put little  rice  mixture on it and press uniformly with your palm as no peaks will come out...
accordingly use all the cooked rice batter like this way...
and leave it for half an hour.....
when it gets completely  cool
then slowly lift one by one and serve with any curry.....

"CHUDA MANDA"
Being an odia i love every kind of pitha to eat and to make too
in Odisha there are many festivals celebrated all over year....
there is a saying in odisha
"bara barsa re tera puja"
means in a year of 12 months we celebrate 13 pujas =D =D
because many pujas we love to celebrate
and ujas means there will be must made pithas...
pithas are loved by almost each and every odia...
normally we make manda pithas in two different method
one is steamed one which is made of rice flour though the stuffing is almost same..
and the another one is fried one .....
here i have given a little twist to our regular manda pithas...
chuda/chweda/poha/beaten rice itself a binding agent...
here i share an easy recipe which can be done by everyone...
in general fried manda's dough is made of semolina/sooji or wheat flour
which is cooked to formed into a solid dough
next we mash them with the help of little water
but here you dont need to take that much pain ....
the ingredients required ====
1/2 kg beaten rice
1 tblspoon sugar
1/2 tbl spoon fennel seeds
1 tbl spoon wheat flour or refined flour
1 tbl spoon jaggery
2 tbl soon of amul powder
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/4 th teaspoon green cardamon powder
oil for frying
salt to taste....

this is the dough which i have made
method to proceed in the making of this pitha====
first soak poha in water for 10 mns
then squeeze it.... what i did here....i just strained them in a big strainer and kept as it is in strainer for half an hour.....
and keep it in a bowl
add amul powder..
fennel seeds,sugar
salt to taste
wheat flour in it...
mash them properly.......
For stuffing---
next you fry grated coconut with jaggery and cardamon powder in low medium flame till it becomes little brown ......
next you make small balls out of this dough and put stuffing like this...

then deep fry them in oil.......

IDLI
moong dal idli is something is very unique and tasty and spongy too
when every one was making rawa idli,urad dal dli then i thought why not to try with this beautiful grains which is very good for your skin and hair too.....
i tried this moong dal idli which came out with wonderful texture and yummy taste...
the ingredients which are required for this recipe =====
moong dal/green gram---2 cups
rice----1/2 up
grated coconut--1 cup
salt to taste
jaggery or sugar as per your taste
cardamon powder 1/4th teaspoon
eno 1/4 th teaspoon
peanuts 1 tbl spoon
roasted sesame seeds 1 tblspoon

method to proceed =======
first fry coconut ,jaggery,sesame seeds,and peanuts together in a wok
till it gives a beautiful aroma......
soak moong dal rice together in water for half an hour
if you have idli rice powder then you dont need to soak whole rice along with moong dal
after it gets soaked make a smooth batter or like idli batter
add salt and eno powder
mix them together and leave for 10 mns approximately
then make ike idlis in idli mould with putting stuffing in the middle....
it is very much delicious.....

Bela sijha manda
Bela sukla/sijha/steamed manda pitha
Bela or wood apple is a seasonal fruit
and very good for stomach....
regular drinking of bela or bael  keeps stomach out of any stomach related diseases
normally in coastal odisha  this pitha is prepared without bael pulp  in "sudasa brata"  and is offered to maa laxmi...we call it sukla manda and in western odisha it is called phuta or ghora manda but their style of preparation is little different though the recipes is almost same.....
but here i have given little twist to our normal manda pitha......it has always been my wish to experiment  in my kitchen....i love to create some new cuisines and to extend our odia cuisines instead of repeating the international and national cuisines  .....

ingredients required for this wonderful creation=====
rice powder-2 cups or you can soak rice for 1 hour then grind and make a smooth paste......
sugar/jaggery as per your taste
1 cup grated coconut
1/2 teaspoon green cardamon powder
2 cups wood apple pulp
salt to taste
first boil this pulp with salt ,jaggery when it starts to boil or
when you notice it starts to create bubble
bring your gas flame to simmer and slowly add rice powder or rice batter
continuously keep stirring as not a single lump will be formed
and till it becomes a smooth consistency like smooth dough.....
then switch off the gas....
start kneading this dough with taking very little water in your palm......
For stuffing=======
in a wok put grated coconut,jaggery/sugar,green cardamon powder
saute them in low medium flame till jaggery melts and comes out a beautiful smell out of this mixture....
make small balls out of this dough and gives shape to this each ball as something can be put into that.....
put little coconut stuffing into it and seal from each corner again back to that ball shape......
you make each ball out of dough like this...
finally steam them or you can steam in water too...