With malice towards one and all.......

Let me start this post with a simple food quiz to check familiarity/awareness?
Dahibara/Dahiwada- familiar?
Alu dam- familiar?
Ghuguni/Patiala Matar/Matra- familiar?
 Most of you would I am sure have got a yes for the first three. Now for the clincher,
Dahiwada+ Alu dam+ Ghuguni all served as a snack combo- familiar?
How many Non-Odias got a yes to the last one? If you happen to be one then you are definitely in the minority. And I can safely assume that either you have good Odia friends and have been subjected to Odia hospitality or have travelled to Odisha more specifically to Cuttack where this used to the most popular snack. I say used to be because today it is no longer just a snack. It has replaced every possible meal. People start and end their day with this combo. You are never too full for ADDB(Alu dam dahi bara). For some strange reason the ghuguni gets underplayed. Maybe that makes the name a mouthful. So before, after, in between meals. When you are hungry and also after you are stuffed.

People from Cuttack are crazy about their ADDB(with all due respect I must add that I am using the shortened version for mere convenience). I know of people( and neither of them shall be named here) who pre-order a couple of plates( to friends/family members of course) while they are on their way to Cuttack. It needs to be their first meal (Maa ke hathon wala khana can wait a bit- Maa having lived long enough in Cuttack will definitely not mind).

And don't you dare dismiss this off as mere street food. The brand name plays a big part here. There are clear camps- the ones who like the  'Raghu' brand of ADDB and there are others who prefer brand ' Bhagi'. These are individuals who have been making and selling ADDB for generations. They enjoy semi-god like status and have facebook pages dedicated to them. Each camp defends their brand very strongly. Reminds me of the East Bengal- Mohan Bagan warring groups one came across in Kolkata- yes, the same level of passion and enthusiasm. And NEVER ever attempt passing one brand for the other( the loyalists are quick to identify the brand even visually when sent as a photograph- I can vouch for this). ADDB is carried from Cuttack to various parts of the country and across continents( this is no exaggeration). The die-hards insist that it is not the same as eating the ones made at home.

As for me I started with a lot of scepticism- dahi bara with alu dam( why not with the regular imli chutney as the rest of the country enjoys it). Let me quickly clarify that I did like all three and used to eat them separately with other accompaniments. So dahibara with imli chutney, alu dam with paratha/ puri and ghuguni again with paratha or puri or roti. I did not seen any sense in mixing all of them into this hotchpotch. When served I would politely eat it but never really did enjoy the taste. And then slowly over the years I grew to like it(maybe it is an acquired taste- you acquire it when you marry somebody from Cuttack). And now I am a complete convert. Though I am still not brand loyal( forgive me Raghu/Bhagi) but yes a trip to Cuttack does not seem complete without a plate of ADDB. Usually happens to be my first meal( but that must just be a coincidence).

I have also been making it quite regularly at home and have been introducing a lot of our friends to the combination. And today I strongly feel(okay you Cuttack people you can sneer) it is only a matter of time before ADDB gains popularity and starts selling as street food across the country. I would be happy to have played a small part in its journey.

Dahibara Aludam

Preparation time: 1 hour( soaking time 5/6 hours), Serves: 6 adults( or 2 Cuttakis)

Ingredients

For the Dahibara

White Urad Daa1: 1 cup, soak for 2/3 hours
Ginger: 1 tsp, finely chopped
Green chillies- finely chopped
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

For the Alu Dam

Baby potatoes: 300 grams

Whole Jeera(Cumin)- 1 tsp

Dhania( Corriander) powder: 1.5 tsp

Jeera(Cumin) powder- 1 tsp

Tomato- 2( grated)

Salt to taste

Garam Masala- a pinch

Oil- 2 tbsps

For the Ghuguni

Ghuguni Matar- 1 cup( also goes by the name Patiala matar or Matra)

Jeera/Cumin- 1 tsp

Dhania/coriander- 1 tsp

Ginger- 1 inch, ground to a paste

Garlic- 5 pods, ground to a paste

Salt to taste

Tomatoes- 2

Oil- 1 tbsp.

For the garnish

Onion- 1 , finely chopped
Green chillies- 2/3, finely chopped
Chilli powder- to taste
Roasted cumin powder- to taste
Cuttack mixture- 2 tsp per serve

Method

This requires you to make all the three parts separately and then assemble them together like a chaat.

Dahibara

• Grind the soaked Urad daal with a little bit of water to a fine paste. Add the salt, ginger and chillies and mix well.
• Heat some oil and drop the Urad batter into it like small balls( If you are a pro and can manage them with a hole in between- good show. I can't). Once the baras are done drop them into hot water and let them rest there for a while- about 10 minutes.
• Remove the baras, squeeze them between your palms and keep them on a plate.
• Mix the dahi with some water, salt, chilli powder and roasted and ground cumin and red chilli powder. Pour over the baras. Please note that this is of a much thinner consistency than the  North Indian version.

Aludam

• Boil the potatoes and remove the skin.
• Heat the oil and add the whole jeera to it. Once the Jeera browns add the boiled potatoes and fry them for a bit. Add the salt. Make a paste by mixing the Jeera and Dhania powder with a little bit of water and add. Next add the tomatoes and approximately about 2 cups of water. Finally add the garam masala

Ghuguni

• Boil the ghuguni and keep aside
• Heat the oil and fry all the masala. Add the boiled ghuguni.
• Adjust the water.

To assemble

• Layer the bowl or plate with some dahibara, then add the alu dam and ghuguni. Garnish with onion, green chillies, chilli powder, roasted jeera powder and mixture.
• Serve immediately
• Dig in

Take a bow at having mastered this elaborate dish. Make sure to thank Raghu, Bhagi and all the people from Cuttack.

Bon Apetit and Happy Cooking!

Basic Instinct

Given all the talk around food porn I thought a header like " Basic Instinct" was sure to grab eyeballs. While the post has to do with a primal need namely food and that too comfort food the attempt has been to amplify/dramatize. And isn't that what a lot of food writing/recipes are about- give it an unusual name, a twist here- a turn there and a you have a brand new avatar. Many a times these do help create interest in long forgotten or lesser know dishes. And in sharp contrast the recipe that I discuss below is a far cry from any such frills. Its strength and appeal lies in its simplicity. The kind of food that you reach out to when you are looking for warmth and nourishment from within. Dishes that use a minimum of ingredients and spices but yet taste fabulous. One bite and you are filled with nostalgia. You immediately( at least in your head) start to reminisce about Mom/Grand mom's cooking and happy, carefree times. Coming back in the good old days to that familiar aroma and knowing in your heart that 'all was well.'  

Dalma is staple in Odia households. Roti and dalma for dinner is possibly the most common menu you would come across and this cuts across socio economic classes. It is really easy to prepare, in three quick steps- boil daal, add vegetables and then the tempering. You are done. Retains an earthy flavour and tastes delicious. 

Dalma(Yellow lentil cooked with vegetables)

Serves 6, Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Arhar daal/toor daal)- 1 cup

Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

Ginger- 1/2 an inch- pounded

Mixed vegetables(you could use your own combination of vegetables but a mix of starchy and green ones work best- any four from the ones mentioned below)- chop all vegetables the same size.

         Potatoes- 2, quartered(large chunks)

         Brinjal- 1 large, cut into large pieces

         Parwal- 3/4 halved

         Pumpkin- Half a slice( about 1/2 cup when cubed)

         Broad beans- 2/3, chopped into large pieces

         Colocasia- 2, halved

         Green banana- remove skin and chop

Grated coconut- 1/2 tbsp.

Ghee: 1 tbsp.

Whole cumin(Jeera) - 1 tsp

Red chillies- 2/3

Roasted cumin and red chilli powder- 2 tsp( dry roast cumin and red chillies separately and coarsely grind them together. Store in an airtight jar and use as required- 2 tbsp of cumin with 3/4 red chillies)

Salt to taste

Method 

• Pressure cook the daal with 3/4 cups of water, salt and turmeric. You must end up with a fairly runny consistency.
• Transfer the cooked daal to a large kadai/wok. Bring the daal to boil. Add the ginger, vegetables - one by one starting with potatoes then followed by the others.
• Cover and cook for a while on low heat and then open and cook.There could be some scum on top, ladle it out.
• Once the vegetables are done, separately prepare the tempering/tadka. Heat the ghee, add the whole cumin seeds, once they sputter add the red chillies and sauté for a minute or two. Add this to the daal vegetable mix.
• Top with the grated coconut and the roasted cumin/chilli powder.
• Serve hot with plain steamed rice or hot chappatis.
• Enjoy.

There are modern day variations of Dalma with onions( one could sauté some onions in ghee and then add the pressure cooked daal to it) and tomatoes( add it with the other vegetables). But I love it in its purest satwik form. It also make for a complete meal and tops my list of one dish healthy meals. Best had freshly prepared and the taste lingers in your mind for hours afterwards.

Bon Apetit and Happy Cooking!