Monday, September 6, 2010

UCHHE (KARELA) CHA-CHADI WITH POTATO AND BODI AND A PATOL ( PARMAL) SIDE DISH

This dish is exclusively for my Vege and Vegan friends, Jain friends and temple dish friends...(Non veges are also permitted to cook and eat ).
The other day SOMEONE demanded an explanation " When most of your Blog friends are vegetarian, why do I see that you are publishing non-vege dishes all the time, entertaining the minority , non vege friends??? Now get down to business and give some vege dishes which you cook every day...". But I am not allowed to give an explanation even if it is demanded. What best I can do or expected to do is to follow it as a command , else I will be barred from entering the kitchen for few days to months, depending upon the degree of the offence. It is like going to jail.
So I am giving 2 dishes at one go. The 1st one is a traditional Bong dish, I love to eat. The 2nd one is a southern fusion, experimental dish. It came out very well.
RECIPE , UCHHE CHA-CHADI 
There are many versions of this recipe, one can use few other vegetables. I will be using Potato and BoDi ( Udad dal dumplings, dried and stored). The flavor comes from the seasoning of Panch PhoDon and dry red chili. Bit of mustard paste , turmeric are added and at the end 1 tsp of mustard oil.
INGREDIENTS
Uchhe ( Karela, bitter gourd) 3 ( about 8 inch long) , cut to 1 inch long and 1/4th inch thick slices. ( leave the core)
Potato 1 large, cut to 25-30 X 8mm X 8mm pieces ( approx) 
BoDi small 12 No or large 6 No
Mustard powder 1 heap tsp , slurried in water with 1 level tsp turmeric. ( you can use 2 level tsp mustard paste) and 1/2 tsp chili powder ( optional). NOTE. It will be quite tasty even if you don't add mustard paste , so don't worry , if you don't have or don't eat Mustard paste)
Green chili 2-3

for seasoning 
Panch PhoDon 1 tsp ( if you don't have this , use 1 tsp of Methi seeds,  Fennel and cumin mixture.
Dry red chili 1 
salt 
Mustard oil 2 tbsp and 1 tsp for garnishing ( garnishing is optional and you can use any other oil) 
PROCESS
Mix salt with the cut Karela and leave aside, till water comes out. Squeeze and give a wash, squeeze. Keep aside.
Heat 1 tbsp of oil and stir fry the BoDis to light brown remove and keep aside.
Heat 2 tbsp oil and stir fry the karela so that some of them become brownish. Remove fried Karela and keep aside.


Heat and give seasoning and add the Potato and green chili 
Sauté for 5 -6 minutes.

Add the karela and keep frying for few minutes.
Add Turmeric, mustard paste , salt and little water, add the fried Bodis broken into piece, reduce flame and cook covered. ( stir from time to time and add little water if dries up).

When Potato is done, add 1 tsp raw mustard oil , (optional), mix and remove.
This dish is good for eating with rice or roti.

THE PATOL ( PARMAL) SIDE DISH ( patol Cha-chaDi with a southern touch)
I just tried a deviation from above spicing and it was good.
INGRESIENTS
*Patol ( parmal) 6 pieces ( I had that many ), scrapped and cut to small pieces. ( 1/2 inch) ( you can use other vege too, like ridge , snake gourd or Zucchini etc
*Oil 1 tbsp  ( more the merrier)
Green chili 2

coconut grated 1 tbsp.
Sugar 1/2 tsp ( this is for taste and not for sweetening)

spice ( make a slurry and soak for 10 min)
Coriander powder 2 tsp 
Cumin powder 1/2 tsp
Turmeric 1 level tsp
chili powder 1 level tsp ( more or less)
Seasoning
Mustrad 1/2 tsp
Cumin 1/2 tsp
dry red chili 1 broken
Udad dal 1 heap tsp
Curry leaves 10 
( I have not used strong spices like garam masala and methi, fennel etc. You can add more coriander powder , it is a very weak spice and good for thickening)


PROCESS
Heat 1 to 2 tbsp oil, give seasoning of cumin, red chili followed by Mustard and Udad dal. Add curry leaves and immediately add the cut parmal and green chili..
Sauté for 5-6 minutes or when some pieces starts browning due to frying.


Add the spice slurry, salt and fry. Add  sugar.
Add grated coconut, add little water and cover. 
The parmal should be done and water should dry out leaving the oil.
Eat with rice or Roti, paratha



33 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi,

Thanx for following me on my dental and recipes blogs!!!

The recipe you have posted is quite new to me...would like to try it out when i find time!

Sameena@

www.myeasytocookrecipes.blogspot.com

nandini said...

This looks divine... We make karela at home too, this addition of potato is new to me... Always short of ideas when it comes to making veggies ... thnks for the recipe.

sangeeta said...

Both the recipes look great .
i am going to cook karela ASAP though i have a slightly spicy badi right now.

One of my bong friends told me once that the smaller variety of karela is called ucchhe , is that true or any karela is ucchhe..

Gauri Gharpure said...

i am tempted to try the karela recipe.. really interesting..

Devasena Hariharan said...

i like the bitter gourd and potato fry..

Akila said...

hi,

karela looks fantastic and mouthwatering..

http://akilaskitchen.blogspot.com

Ushnish Ghosh said...

Dear sangeeta
You are absolutely right. Uchhe is a tiny variety of Karela but of the same botanical family. In Bong the big one is called KAROLA and small one Uchhe...I recall in my childhood days in Orissa the smaller ones were in abundance and big ones were delicacies and very expensive,
Can you believe, I saw Uchhe in CR park market and wanted to buy but the price was many times higher than the normal Karela....The Uchhes might have some emotional attachment but not worth the price...they taste the same as Karela.
Have a nice week

Nandinis food said...

The karela fry is very mouthwatering! I'm sure its bitterness must be reduced (although I buy the medium sized ones)! Ehehehehe, I must say that vessel is quite rare.

Anonymous said...

hi, nice blog. my first time here.

both the uchhe and patol are my fav veggies and they come up high on my comfort food list

nice pics and simple way of writing. like you are chatting with people.

will come back again.

Shanthi Krishnakumar said...

Looks gorgeous and love the karela part of frying. On the whole its a wonderful side dish. And, I was thinking you as a woman and happy to know that a man is cooking with great interest. Thanks for enjoying the Akkaravadisal.

Jaya M said...

Ushnish Da,
uche chorchori and patol chorchori dui to hi besh bhalo lagche..tobe ami ekto uche dike hoye jachi..eyikhane beshi bhag frozen korola khete hoye ..taste ekdom bhalo lagey na amaar ..fresh vegetable diye shorsho bata diye khete besh bhalo lagbe..
regards

Home Cooked Oriya Food said...

Both the dishes look amazing.. Love the story before it even more...

Adelina said...

May I book you for my husband in my next life? I hope you are coming back, and if not, good for you- but man, do I love your recipes! Interesting, new dish again!

aipi said...

Ahh..finally a vegetarian recipe from you :)) I like the bodi in the karela sabji..will try it.
like the parwal/patol sabji too but fresh parwal is very difficult to find here in the local grocery stores:(..it is one of my fav veggies..
btw saw your comment on my post. not being much of a chicken eater I can still tell the Garlic butter will go very well with smoked chicken :))

Take care,
Aipi

US Masala

Unknown said...

Ushnishda, duto recipe i darun....ma ei rokom kore nana rokomer uchhe diye ranna koren...dekhei khete ichhe korchhe...

Ushnish Ghosh said...

Dear Adelina
While appreciating your great sense of humour, I must say, this is the best complement that I have ever received on my fake cooking ....
God bless you and you have the same hubby, children, friends ( blog friends like me ) life after life....
Happy cooking and have an exciting week ahead

veena said...

hi
first time here,
never knew that karela can be cooked in such a tempting way!!!!!glad to follow you

Alessandra said...

Dear Ushnish,

great step by step instructions! I answered to your post on Only Recipes, if you have time to go and lok at it.

Have a great time in Italy!

ciao
A.

Indrani said...

ushnishda, ami 2 times er age apnar blog-e esechlam, but every time I faced some flash player problem, which took undefined time to open , so had to stop, any way, uchche charchadi ta darun dekhte hoyeche bari diye, banabo ekdin, ami banai majhe majhe, tabe anek din banai ni, Patol with southern touch, excellent idea, must be yummy....

Madhu said...

You really do cook well. I just love the way you present these recipes.

Namitha said...

Potato and karela looks so wonderful together. Never tried this combo ever..
Heard about patol from another Bong blogger friend :-)and it looks yummm

Satrupa said...

The Karela Alu n Bodi combination is divine. Luv it.

Thanks a lot for leaving your kind words on my blog. It means a lot to me. I am glad to know about your connection with Odisha and your love for Odiya food. I hail from Bhubaneswar .... n my maternal grandparents native is Athgarh :)
Looking forward to learn more from your kitchen.

Cheers n Happy Cooking,
Satrupa

http://satrupa-foodforthought.blogspot.com

Urmi said...

Korolar chochodi to amar bhishon priyo. Amar to dekhei khete ichhe korchhe. Dal bhat r karola chochhodi bori diye thakle r kono kichhur dorkar lagena. Khub sundor baniyechhen r shushadu lagchhe.
Ami bhindi kalo jeere diye baniyechhi. Khub shohoj r kheteo darun lage golmorich er jonno jhal jhal shaad.

Padhu Sankar said...

First I must thank you for the lovely words on my blog .It motivates me to do even better.Both the dishes look yummy and thanks for posting vegetarian recipes

Gouri Guha said...

Ushnishda, both the recipes are good. I hate ucche but love potol. I cook ucche with aloo, everyone at home relishes it and I eat a small quantity...measured in a teaspoon. on the other hand I love aloo potol bhaja.

Sushma Mallya said...

Both the dishes looks delicious,...

Jaisy James said...

thanks for ur message in my blog. potato with bittergurd. never tried this, will try soon

Hamaree Rasoi said...

Dear Kaku

Chachadi looks mouth watering. Thank for sharing step by step method of preparation.


Deepa
Hamaree Rasoi

Anonymous said...

Hi Ushnish,
I first ate this at my in-laws house.My grandmother in law is a chachadi specialist:)
Yours is mothwatering with lots of veggies.I m glad to have found your site coz I am in continual pursuit of authentic bengali recipes to cooki for my husband :)
Sinfully Spicy

Suman Singh said...

I love both the veggies and both the dishes looks delicious and yummy..feel like having some now with hot roti's..thanks for the recipe..will definitely going to try this one sometime soonish!

Unknown said...

Hello Ushnishda, Both the recipes sounds great..my hubby is a great fan of karela, in any form he will have it..never treid this combo..will try this next time..Btw where r u now??

Have a wonderful day!!

Vikis Kitchen said...

Never tried bitter gourd and potato together. I like the bitter gourd only when fried like this:) Yours look tempting.

SE said...

Wow...this looks so mouthwatering !!I should try this combo of karela and potato..thanks

And thank you so much for the comments..wish you a happy Ganesh Chaturthi too !!