All the cookbooks and Masterchef episodes in the world cannot beat one particular source – mom’s recipe. Inevitably, mothers share that one little tip or secret ingredient that no other cookbook or YouTube video shares and that makes all the difference. Would you agree that is why so many people in the world swear by maa ke haath ka khaana? When it comes to cuisine from my home state of Odisha, I definitely give my mother a buzz. And she never disappoints by adding a little masala or changing the process slightly for a recipe I may have looked up on the internet. An office colleague who was holidaying in Odisha fell in love with a dish called besara. He asked me for the recipe so they could make it at home. And I asked my mother for the truly authentic Odia-style besara. This recipe is what she shared, along with her comments, tips, and tricks.
Giving the vegetarian as well as the non-vegetarian versions here.
Prepare the sorisha masala by grinding them all together. Keep aside. Add a little oil to the pan and roast the vadis till golden in colour (Don’t burn!) Keep aside.
Cook the vegetables with turmeric powder, salt, and about 3 cups of water. (You may vary the mix of vegetables as per your preference but the ones mentioned above are the ones traditionally used. You may use a pressure cooker or if you prefer the longer method, cook them in a pot on a medium flame till done.)
Wash the fish well, marinate for 10 minutes with ½ tsp chilli powder, a pinch of turmeric, and a pinch of salt. In a frying pan, put 3 tbsp of oil and fry the fish on medium heat until brown on each side. Keep aside.
In another pan, heat the remaining oil. Add phutan and wait for it to splutter. Add sliced onion and fry until golden in colour. Add the sorisha masala and stir. Add tomatoes and fry for 3-4 minutes. Add water, turmeric, and salt to taste.
Add the vegetable or the fish, whichever curry you are making. Add the aambula soaked in water (if you are cooking the curry with fish). Cover the pan and let it boil for 5 minutes.
A minute before it’s done, add the roasted vadi. Don’t manhandle them, they shouldn’t crumble inside the curry! Garnish with coriander leaves.
Refrigerate
