MORINGA-ALOO BESARA BHAJA

Besara is an authentic, odia cuisine prepared using mustard paste as the main ingredient. It is the most preferred part of chappan bhog at the Puri Jgannath. Though besara was traditionally cooked with mixed indigenous vegetables but, now-a-days it is also prepared with other vegetables. Some changes have also made in the ingredients over the years like using onion and garlic. There are different version of besara like dry or gravy version. The dry version or bhaja (fry) usually taken with pakhala (water rice) in odisha during summer, while gravy version makes a wonderful combination with steamed rice.

Try this simple,easy and quick recipe and accompany this with some dahi pakhala to enjoy this summer to its fullest.

INGREDIENTS:

• Drumstick, 3 inch pieces (10-12 pieces)

• Potato, (10-12 wedges)

• Panch phoran (mustard seeds, cumin seeds, kalongi, fennel, fennugreek seeds), 1/2 tbsp.

• Sliced onion, 2 cups

• Dried red chilli, 2-3

• Mustard paste (2 tsp.mustard seeds, 5-6 garlic cloves and 1-2 green chilli)

• Turmeric powder, 1 t1/2 tsp.

• Mustard oil

• Salt to tatse

• water

PROCEDURE:

• Boil water with some salt.

• Add drumstick pieces and potato wedges to it for 2-3 mins (just enough to absorb some salt while still hard).

• Strain water and keep them aside.

• Heat a kadai, Add mustard oil.

• Add panch phoran, wait till crackles.

• Add onion slices, saute.

• Add drumstick and potatoes. saute.

• Add turmeric powder, salt. saute and cover.

• cook on low flame untill 98% cooked.

• Add mustad paste, mix.

• Cook till the mustard paste looses its rawness.

• Do not over cook as it will give a better taste.

• Switch of the flame and adda few drops of mustard oil for aroma and flavour.

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