Chuda Ghasa, Dalma and Suji Khiri

Chuda Ghasa, Dalma and Suji Khiri

Slowly and steadily I reached at my 100^th blog post. It is a vital land mark for me. For this special occasion and also for Navratri I chose this combination of Chuda Ghasa, Dalma and Suji Khiri for my blog. This combination has a very special place in my family (both in laws and maiden family). 

Every puja and festival in Odia family's life can't be completed without Chuda Ghasa. Chuda means poha or flattened rice and Ghasa means mashed with grated coconut, ghee and sugar. Dalma means lentil and mix vegetables Odia curry and Suji Khiri means semolina milk pudding, which is the best combination for Chuda Ghasa. 

It will be a long post as it contains 3 recipes. Kindly read this with patience and cherish the beauty of Odia cuisine.

Here is the recipe

Recipe of Chuda Ghasa

Chuda-1 Cup

Grated Coconut- 1 Cup

Ghee- 1 1/2tbsp

Sugar- 2tbsp

Kaffir Lime - 1/2

Black Pepper- 10

Green Cardamom- 3

Clean the Chuda and put it in a blender jar and make a coarse powder. Also prepare a coarse powder of black pepper and green cardamom separately.

In a big plate add grated coconut, ghee and sugar and mash with hand. It will be a mushy and semi liquid stuff. Then add kaffire lime juice, black pepper and green cardamom powder to it and mix.

Then add powdered poha and mix with hands. Initially it will be bit moist but if you leave it for some time it will be dry. 

Chuda Ghasa is ready.

Recipe of Chana Dal Dalma

Chana Dal- 1 Cup

Pumpkin- 100gms (A medium piece)

Beans- 7 to 8

Potatoes- 2 (small)

Tomato- 1 (big)

Bay Leaf- 1

Ginger- 1 inch piece

Ghee- 1 tsp + 2 tsp

Panch Phutan- 1tbsp

(Authentic Odia 5 spices mix)

Whole Red Chili- 2

Salt to taste

Haldi- 1/2 tsp

Hing- 1/8th tsp

Cumin- 1tsp

Red Chili- 2

Coriander Leaves to Garnish 

Wash and soak chana dal for 45 mins.

Cut the vegetables in cubes except tomatoes. Don't peel the whole skin of the pumpkin. Keep some here and there, so that it won't get mashed. 

Clean and peel the ginger and crush.

Heat 1tsp ghee in a pressure cooker, add bay Leaf to the ghee and let it change colour. Then add crushed ginger and saute up to red. Then add the soaked dal and cut veggies and also salt and haldi and saute in high flame. 

When dal start to stick to the cooker then slow down the flame and add 2 cups of water. Again increase the flame. Now add tomatoes to it. And cover the cooker and cook up to 2 whistles (one in high and one in low). Allow the cooker open naturally. 

Heat Kadai, add jeera and red chilli to it and dry roast and make a coarse Powder.

Heat 2tsp of ghee in a Kadai and add red chilli breaking into pieces. When chili changed its colour add panch phutan and hing to it. Let the phutan crackle and add cooked tomatoes to it. Mashed the tomatoes with the help of the ladel and cook up to oil separates. Then add the cooked dal to it and let it boil.

Add the above spice powder and coriander leaves to it.

Recipe of Suji Khiri

Suji (rava)- 3tbsp

Milk- 750ml

Sugar- 4 to 5 tbsp

Green Cardamom- 2 to 3

Cashew Nuts- 8 to 10

Raisins- 10

A pinch of Salt

Ghee- 1tbsp + 1/2tbsp

In a heavy buttom pan add milk and keep it on gas and allow it to cook. Crush green cardamom to coarse powder.

In another kadai heat 1/2tbsp of ghee and add cashew nuts and saute. Then add raisins in the ghee and saute and keep aside.

In the same pan add 1 more tbsp of ghee and heat it. Add rava (suji) to the ghee and saute. It should be saute up to a beautiful smell but don't change the colour of the suji.

Add this fried suji to the already boiling milk and allow to cook. Let it cook for 6 to 8 mins.

Then add sugar and salt to it and allow the sugar to melt and again cook for 2 to 3 mins. Switch off the gas.

Then add green cardamom powder and fried cashews and raisins 

Rava tends to be thick very quickly, so try to keep the khiri bit liquidy.

Serving

Bring a plate and two bowls. Serve Chuda Ghasa on plate and serve Dalma and Suji Khiri in two bowls.