Suji Kakara Pitha, Jagannath Rath Yatra special Suji kakara Pitha, Odisha Recipes

Lord Jagannath temple is one of the famous temple in India. It is located in Puri in the state of Odisha.  My hubby worked in Odisha for 10 year (before transferring to chennai), so I got an opportunity to visit Puri Jaganath Temple many times and to know the importance of Rath Yatra & Maha Prasad offered inside the temple. Today Jagannath Rath Yatra started, so I thought to post famous Odisha special recipes. I gathered some information about Rath Yatra, follow the link to know more about Rath Yatra🙏.
About Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra 
   
     Today I am posting Odisha special Suji Kakara Pitha. It is sweet recipe which is crispy outside and stuffed with sweetened coconut. It is easy to prepare with less ingredients. I first tasted it in Talcher(Odisha). I had it as breakfast along with bara(vada) and ghuguni. It was very tasty 😋, missing those days where I had lots of fun with my friend shruthi 😍.  Okay I am not going back 😉, let's start the recipe..

    Odisha special Suji Kakara Pitha 


Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Cook Time : 20 minutes  

Serves - 10 to 12 kakaras
Recipe Category: Odisha Special
Recipe Cuisine: Odisha
Author: Aruna


Ingredients 

Suji/semolina/upma rava/ - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Coconut - 1 cup(scraped/grated)
Sugar - 1/2 cup + 2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp(or 2 pinches)
Cardamom /elachi powder - 2 tsp
Cashew nuts & raisins - as per wish
Ghee - 2tsp(optional)
Oil - to deep fry

Instructions

1) Take a pan add coconut and sugar.

 2) Mix the above on low flame till the consistency become thick, then add cardamom powder and mix it for 2 more minutes. And take it into plate.

3) Now take a pan add 2 cups of water, 1/4 tsp Salt, 2 tsp sugar.

4) Add suji in hot water and mix it well without any lumps.

5) Mix the suji well, it will take 2 - 3 minutes. 

6) Transfer the suji on plate and spread it. Let it cool a bit.

7) Add ghee to the dough.

8) Knead the dough well without any lumps.

9) Grease you hands with oil and pinch small amount of dough 

10)  Flatten the suji dough with your palm, it should be thick in the middle and thin in corners. So that the stuffing would not leak in oil. You can stuff only coconut mixture or coconut + dry fruits. 

11) Fill the coconut stuff in the middle and grease the corners with water. (don't grease more water). Here I am stuffing only coconut for one sujj ball(just to show you).

12) Close all the corners properly like shown below.

13) Give the dough small ball shape.

13) Then press in the middle of the suji ball and flatten it and keep it in plate. 

14) Repeat the above process, now I am adding cashew nut pieces and raisins along with coconut mixture, close it and give shape. 

15) Repeat the process for remaining suji. 

16) Heat oil in a pan for deep fry, add suji balls one by one carefully. 

17) Fry the kakara's well by turning both sides on medium flames. 

18) Once the kakara's turns golden brown on both the sides take it into plate. 

 19) Repeat the above steps and fry remaing suji balls and take it into bowl. 

 Yummy, crispy & tasty Suji Kakara Pitha is ready to serve 😋. 

You can have it as breakfast or snacks.

Note

◆ Adding dry fruits is optional. 

◆ Yo can also prepare plain kakara pitha without any stuff. 

◆ You can give any different shapes to the dough like traingle, oval etc., 

Tips

 ● Dough should be thick in the middle while stuffing coconut. 

● Kneading the dough without any lumps is an important to get good kakara's. 

Hope this recipe helps you in preparing crispy and tasty suji kakara pitha. 

Also check my other sweet recipes

Moong dal kheer

Almond Mango Sandesh

Dates and Dry fruits burfi
Kaju katli

Maramarla ladoo

Almond semi ya payasam

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Also drop your feedback, it gives motivation to prepare new recipes 😍🤗.

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ArunaSaraschandra 😊

Puri Jaganath Rath Yatra

Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri 

Every year Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra is celebrated on Ashadha Shukla Paksha Dwitiya (second day in bright fortnight of Ashadha month).  It is believed that every year Lord Jagannath wishes to visit his birthplace Mathura for a few days. To fulfill this desire of his, this Yatra is conducted each year from Jagannath temple to Gundicha temple.

Procession during Rath Yatra

The wooden idols of the three deities, every year, are taken from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple. These idols are placed in decorative chariots, and are accompanied by chants and conches, which can be heard all around. Before the Yatra commences, the idols are bathed with 109 buckets of water, which is Snana Pornima. These are then placed in isolation till the day of procession, as it is believed that they are ill. This event is called Ansara. On the day of the procession, the holy ritual of Chhera Pahara is performed by the royal successor of Orissa. At this time, hordes of locals and devotees flock around the temple area.

    During Chhera Pahara, the deities are brought from the temple by the King and are placed on the chariot. Before keeping them, the king himself sweeps the chariot with a broom that has a gold handle. He later decorates the chariot with flowers with his own hands. The ground on which the chariot will move is also cleaned by him, after which sandalwood is sprinkled on it.

  Through this ritual, it is proposed that everyone is equal in the eyes of the Lord. Jagannath temple is accessible only by Hindus but on the day of the Rath Yatra, people of all faiths can visit the temple. The 3 deities remain at the Gundicha Temple, their aunt’s place for a span of 9 days. Later, they are back to their home. This return journey is called the ‘Bahuda Yatra’.

     On reaching the Jagannath Temple in the evening, they wait outside. On the next day, the idols are adorned with new clothes as babies. This event is called Suna Vesa. After this day, the deities are placed again into the sanctum sanctorum, marking an end to the Rath Yatra of Jagannath Puri.

The Chariots in Ratha Yatra

The prime attractions of the Rath Yatra of Jagannath is the elaborate Chariots. The preparation of the chariots starts on the day of Akshay Tritiya. There are 3 main chariots, pulled by hands using long ropes, which are 50 meters in length. It is believed that pulling this rope is like adding to your good Karma, and doing penance for your bad deeds.

45.6 feet in height, Lord Jagannath’s Chariot is called Nandighosa and has 18 wheels. The chariot of Lord Balaram’s is 45 feet in height, comes with 16 wheels and called Taladhvaja. Similarly, Devadalana is Goddess Subahdra’s chariot, which has 14 wheels and come with a height of 44.6 feet. Artists decorate these chariots in a beautiful manner with the help of designs, motifs and paints.

As the procession starts, the chariot of Lord Balram is pulled, followed of Goddess Subhadra and that of Lord Jagannath at last. The distance between the two temples is just 3 km but the whole enthusiasm of the tourists and the devotees clubbed with chants and drum beating, takes a few hours. For the next 9 days, devotees can seek blessings of the Lords and the Goddess.

During the return Yatra, the Bahuda Yatra make a halt at the Mausi Maa Temple. Here the deities are served Poda Pitha, a sweet pancake. It is believed that this pancake is the poor man’s food and the Lord is fond of it.

Jagannath Rath Yatra or the Chariot festival is known to be one of the oldest and also the grandest procession festival, which is celebrated every year in India. It also finds its mention in Puranas of Hinduism such as Padma Puran, Brahma Puran and Skanda Puran.

(Gathered information from wiki and Indian holiday site). 

Kadai Paneer, how to prepare restaurant style Kadai paneer

Restaurant/Dhaba style Kadai paneer is one of the popular paneer recipes, it's spicy in taste. Kadai paneer is packed with fresh grounded masala called Kadai masala, along with onion tomato paste and diced capsicum. Fennel(saunf) seeds adds good flavor and taste to the . You can prepare Kadai paneer as dry, semi dry or gravy. Today I prepared semi dry Kadai paneer. Few of friends asked to post this Kadai paneer recipe😊.  As the paneer is cooked in heavy bottomed Kadai or wok  so it is called as Kadai paneer. Kadai paneer goes well with naan's, roti's or with any flavored rice. I prepared Kadai paneer for Kashmir Pulao, but ended having it with roti's at night.

Also check other paneer and pulao recipes..

Paneer butter masala
Khova paneer
Stuffed capsicum with paneer & potato
Coconut milk pulao
Kashmir pulao

  Restaruant style Kadai paneer

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cook Time : 20  minute
Serves : 2
Recipe Category: gravy / side dish
Recipe Cuisine: North Indian
Author: Aruna

Ingredients 

Paneer - 150 gms
Butter - 2tsp
Onions - 2 (diced)
Capsicum - 2 (diced)
Green chillies - 2
Salt as per taste
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Fresh cream - 2 tsp
coriander leaves - 2 tsp

For Kadai masala

Coriander seeds - 1 big tsp
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel(saun) seeds - 1 tsp
Pepper - 10

For onion tomato paste

Onions - 1 big( roughly chopped)
Tomatoes - 2
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 6 cloves
Cashew nuts - 6(optional)
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - a pinch

Preparation 

To prepare dry spice Mix :

* Take a Kadai add all the ingredients mentioned under Kadai Masala. 

* Dry roast them in low flame till you get nice aromatic fragnant.

* Let them cool and grind it into coarse powder. 

To prepare Onion Tomato Paste :

* Take a Kadai add 2tsp of oil, add ginger  & garlic saute it for a second. Then add onions fry it by adding a pinch of salt, add tomatoes and cashew nuts fry it. No need to cook it long time. Fry till onions and tomatoes become soft. 

* Let  them cool and grind it to fine paste without adding water. 

Fry paneer pieces

* Cut the pieces into cubes and fry it on non-stick pan till you get golden color on both the sides and take it into plate. Frying paneer is optional, you can also use it without frying. 

Method

1) In the same Kadai add 2 tsp of butter  add green chillies and saute it for a second. 

2) Add capsicum fry it for a second then add onions fry it.

3) Add red chilli powder and turmeric powder in the oil fry it. 

4) Mix the powders along with capsicum and onions and fry it. No need to cook capsicum too smooth. 

5) Now add prepared onion tomato paste. Fry it well without adding water on flames for 3 minutes. 

6) As we already fried tomatoes and onions it do not  take much time to cook. 

7) Add prepared Kadai masala to the above and mix it well. 

8) Mix the above well and fry it for 2-3 minutes without adding water and on low flame. 

9) Now add 2 tsp of fresh cream and mix it well. 

10) Add garam masala powder salt mix it well and cook till the oil releases. 

11) Now add paneer pieces and little amount of water and cook it for 10 minutes on low flames. So that the paneer pieces will get the masala flavor. 

12) Add coriander leaves to the above and mix it well. Take the gravy into bowl and garnish with onions. 

Restaurant style Kadai Paneer is ready to serve. I had it with Chapathi 😋😋. 

Note

◆ You can add red chillies while frying Kadai masala. 

◆ Adjust pepper according to your taste. As it gives strong taste to the gravy. 

◆ Adjust the spices according to your taste as Kadai paneer taste bit spicy. 

Tip

●  Use Fresh masala so that the your will get aromatic fragnace to the gravy. 

● Using  butter is optional but it enhances the  gravy taste. 

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ArunaSaraschandra 😄

  

Homemade butter, how to make butter at home

Butter is also known as venna in Telugu, benne in kannada,venney in Tamil, makkhan in hindi. Making butter at home is very easy if  you have more cream at home. I usually collect cream daily when I boil milk and prepare butter. With that butter I prepare ghee. It's good to use homemade butter and ghee which is pure without any preservatives. It is very easy to make butter, yes need to follow some process 😃. Process is very simple, just you need to store(collecting) cream. You can use butter to make biscuits, cakes, sandwitches, roti's  and for butter muruku etc., I frequently use butter to make ghee. You can use mixer,food processor or chuner( kavvam in Telugu). Butter can be prepared in different ways. Today i used churner to make butter. I like the sound while churning 😍. Today I am going to share the way which i frequently use. I am going to explain you making butter from scratch. Hope it helps you 🤗.

(Tried to capture something but  something else captured 😆 , still i liked it 😍)

How to make butter at home

Preparation Time : 20 minutes
Cook Time : nill
Serves - 1 cup
Recipe Category: home made
Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Author: Aruna

Ingredients

Milk cream
Churner/mixer/blender
Ice cold water
Plain yoghurt/curd - 1/4 tsp

Procedure

* Boil the milk on low flames.

* Let it cool to room temperature. And keep it in refrigerator for 4-5 hrs. Then collect the cream (meegada in Telugu).

* Add 1/4 tsp of curd to the collected cream and store it in refrigerator.

* Collect the cream in the above way for a month or 15 days depending on the cream that you are getting from milk. Store it in container and keep it in refrigerator after collecting cream.

* Once you have collected cream(1 or 2 cups), now prepare butter. Take cream from refrigerator and keep it out in a bowl till it comes to room temperature. I kept it for two hour.

* Now pour 2-3 cups of cold water and shake the cream by using churner.With in 5 - 10 minutes you will collect butter after churning.

* Liquid remaining in the bottom is buttermilk and butter will come up after churning. Now wash the butter 3-4 times with cold water untill the water is clear.

* Above pic taken after washing 3 times. Still water is not clear so washed again and drained entire water by pressing. Remove as much water you can and store it in container and keep it freezer.

Note

 ◆ You can use cow's milk, buffaloes milk or pasteurized milk. I used cow's milk and used 15 days cream almost 1 big cup.

◆ You can also prepare it using store bought fresh cream to make butter.

◆ You can use mixer or blenders to make butter.I will post making butter using mixer soon.

◆ You can also use ladle instead of churner (information given by my friend sirisha).

◆ Other variation is after collecting  the cream, add curd and keep it out for 5 hours and then make butter.

◆ You can store butter in frezzer for 1 month. 

Tips 

● Store butter in tight container so that ice won't collect on butter when you keep in freezer.

● Use big bowl while churning as buttermilk will splash.

● My mom use buttermilk that comes after churning for sun dried chillies(majjiga mirrapakaayalu in telugu) or for sun dried cluster bean.

Check my 
Paneer butter masala recipe
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Also drop your feedback, it gives motivation to prepare new recipes 😍🤗.

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Thanks for visiting my blog,
ArunaSaraschandra 😊

Pudina chutney with coconut , how to prepare mint chutney with coconut

This mint chutney is one of the basic recipe in chutney varieties. Idli, dosa, vada are daily routine tiffins for us South Indians. But we prepare many  varieties of chutney's that makes our routine breakfast tasty . We prepare pudina/mint chutney using different combinations like onions & tomatoes, mint & coriander, curry leaves+mint+ coriander etc., Today's my recipe is very easy with mint & coconut . This chutney goes well with Idli, dosa, vada, panniyaram/ Gupta ponganalu, adai and even with khichidi. 

Also check my other chutney and podi recipes :

Coconut chutney

Beerakaya Thokku pachadi

Raw mango moong dal chutney

Peanut powder

        
     Mint chutney with coconut

Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Cook Time : 10 minute
Serves : 3
Recipe Category: chutney / side dish
Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Author: Aruna

Ingredients

Mint/pudina - 1 cup

Coconut - 1/2 cup

Roasted chanadal/putnalu - 1/4 cup

Green chillies - 4

Tamarind - pinch

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Salt as per taste 

Oil - 1 tsp

For seasoning

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds/ jeera - 1 /2 tsp

Urad dal - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 spig

Red chilli - 1

Oil - 11/2 tsp

Hing - 1 pinch

Method

1) Take a pan add 1 tsp of oil then add green chillies, saute it till its raw smell goes. 

2) Add washed mint leaves in the same pan and saute it till the leaves just shrinks it's volume.

3) Now take fresh coconut pieces, roasted chanadal, tamarind, fried green chilli, salt, turmeric powder and mix it by adding small amount of water.

4) Now add fried mint leaves to the above grind it.

5) chutney is ready, for seasoning take a pan add 11/2 tsp of oil let it heat for a second, add ingredients mentioned under seasoning one by one. 

6) Add the above seasoning to the prepared mint Chutney.

 Tasty Mint chutney is ready to serve. Today i had this chutney with idli 😋😋.

Note

◆ Adding pudina at last while grinding gives you good flavour and texture. Do not grind chutney too smooth after adding pudina.

◆ Adding ginger is optional but it gives good flavour to the chutney.

◆ You can also add garlic if you like it.

Tips

● Cut green chillies into half or just cut in the middle. Otherwise it will split while frying.

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Also drop your feedback, it gives motivation to prepare new recipes 😍🤗.

Thanks for visiting my blog,
ArunaSaraschandra 😊