Sasmita a semi-dry masala dish using some assorted fried vegetables, a must for any special celebration in Odia households.
Each festival or any special celebration calls for a special recipe/dish throughout the world. Some of these are prepared in the traditional way which has been handed down from generation to generation. Odisha, one of the eastern states of the Indian subcontinent has also an array of special celebration dishes. And this Chhanka Tarkari is a must kinda recipe to be made in almost all celebrations.
Chhanka Tarkari!
The word Chhanka in Odia means to fry. So basically many assorted vegetables are cut into similar shapes and fried in batches. After that cooked in a masala paste.
The recipe can be prepared in both onion-garlic as well as without onion-garlic versions. Here I have shared the onion-garlic method of Chhanka tarkari.
Don't be confused with CHHANKA TARKARI and GHANTA TARKARI as same !! Most of the ingredients (particularly vegetables) are same in both chhanka tarkari and ghanta tarkari. But in chhanka tarakari all the vegetables are first fried in oil and then added, whereas in ghanta tarkari the chopped vegetables are added directly. Ghanta tarkari is always prepared without onion garlic, whereas chhanka tarakari can be prepared in both onion-garlic and without onion-garlic. Also a nut paste is used in chhanka tarkari whether it is of onion-garlic or without onion-garlic version.
How one can make this Odia Mix Veg?
The nuts used here (charmagaz and cashew) are first soaked with enough water and then a smooth paste is prepared.
After that fry all the vegetable cubes in batches followed by paneer cubes and badi and kept on a plate lined with tissue paper.
To the same pan with remaining oil (if no oil is left in the pan after frying the vegetables, then add 1 tbsp oil) add all the whole spices and allow to splutter over low-medium heat. Saute the chopped onions till translucent.
Then add ginger-garlic paste, chopped tomatoes, and saute everything till the raw smell goes away and everything looks a little mushy. Next add the red chili powder, turmeric powder and saute for few seconds. Now add the cashew-charmagaz paste and saute till oil starts to separate from the masala.
At this point, add all the fried vegetables and gently mix everything. Now add the fried paneer cubes, peanuts and again give a gentle mix. Pour 1/2 cup water, cover the pan and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes over low heat. When the vegetables are well cooked, turn off the heat and add some fried badis. Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves and serve as a side dish with steamed rice, paratha, poori, etc!
Dietary note :
✔ Celebration Dish
✔ Main course
✔ Vegetarian
✔ Side dish
And, yes !!! If you like the recipe shared here and give it a try at your place then do share in INSTAGRAM by tagging #firsttimercook. I would be so happy to see and surely share in my INSTA stories 😊😊
Chhanka Tarkari | Odia Mix Veg
Ingredients
- 1 cup Potato (cubes)
- 1 cup Pumpkin (cubes)
- 1 cup Carrot (cubes)
- 1 cup Cauliflower (medium florets)
- 1 cup Been (1 inch chopped)
- 1 cup Capsicum (cubes)
- 1 cup Pointed gourd (potala/parwal) (cubes)
- 1 cup Drumstick (2 inch)
- 1 cup Yam (cubes)
- 1 cup Paneer (cubes)
- ¼ cup Peanut
- Badi (dry lentil dumpling) few
- 3-4 no. Onion (finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
- 2 no. Tomato (finely chopped)
- 8-10 no. Cashew nuts
- 2 tbsp Charmagaz (melon seeds)
- ½ tbsp Red chili powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 2-3 no. Whole red chili
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 1 no. Bay leaf
- 2-3 no. Clove
- 1 no. Black Cardamom
- Coriander leaf (finely chopped) for sprinkling
- Oil as needed
- Salt as needed
Instructions
- Soak charmagaz and cashew in a small bowl with enough water. Keep aside.
- Now heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat.
- When oil is hot, fry all the chopped vegetables in batches and keep on a plate lined with tissue paper.
- After that, fry the paneer cubes followed by badis and transfer to the plate.
- Now, to the same pan add bay leaf, cloves, black cardamom, whole red chilies, cinnamon stick and allow to splutter over low-medium heat.
- Then add chopped onions and saute till translucent.
- Meanwhile make a fine paste of soaked cashews and charmagaz, keep aside.
- Now add ginger-garlic paste, chopped tomatoes and saute everything till raw smell goes away and everything looks little mushy.
- Next add the red chili powder, turmeric powder and saute for few seconds.
- Add the cashew-charmagaz paste and saute till oil starts to separate from the masala.
- At this point, add all the fried vegetables and gently mix everything.
- Now add the fried paneer cubes, peanuts and again give a gentle mix.
- Pour 1/2 cup water, cover the pan and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes over low-heat.
- When the vegetables are well cooked, turn off heat and add some fried badis.
- Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves and serve as a side dish with steamed rice, paratha, poori etc !
Notes
- We don’t like the peanuts to be fried. So I have added the peanuts to the curry directly. If you want, then first fry the peanuts and then add.
- Kasoori methi can be used instead of coriander leaves here.
- Choose any vegetables as per choice. But always cut all the vegetables into similar shapes which makes the cooking process faster.
- Adjust the spiciness as desired.
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Thank you for sharing this delicious regional recipe.