Odiya style ghanta tarkari or odia mixed veg. curry(ditiya ghanta)

GHANTA TARKARI OR MIXED VEG. CURRY is an authentic odia recipe where varieties of vegetables are cooked with soaked pulses and legumes with addition of some Indian spices.Due to the presence of so many vegetables, the nutrient content of this curry is high.

GHANTA TARKARI OR MIXED VEG. CURRY is one of the yummiest and the most popular recipe from state of odisha. Though this curry is made throughout the year, but the ghanta tarkari or mixed veg. curry which is prepared the next day of dwitbahana puja ( popularly known as ditiya osha) is something special. In this puja, people offer vegetables, sprouts and fruits as prasad to the deity and next day those vegetables and sprouts are cooked. This mixed veg. curry is popularly known as ditiya ghanta.

Mixed vegetable curries are popular all over the country, but everywhere it is prepared differently. However, it is fascinating how different one recipe is from another. Mixed veg curries of south India are totally different from those cooked in east, west and north. This difference arises not only from the cooking methods and use of masalas, but also from the choice of vegetables.

In odia ghanta tarkari, you can use any vegetable you like. Papaya, raw banana, yam, pumpkins, brinjals and any other vegetable available with you are cooked and lentils, sprouts and coconut added to it. You can add sugar or jaggery in it to enhance the taste.The process of making this dish is very simple and easy. However, chopping vegetables is time consuming. This odia ghant or odia mixed veg. curry is served with roti, puri and steamed rice.

Ingredients for odia style ghanta or mixed veg. curry:

1. Pumpkin ( kakharu) - 100 grams (cut in to small pieces)

2. Colocasia( saru) - 2(medium) ( peeled and cut into cubes)

3. Raw banana (kancha kadali)-1(peeled and cut into pieces)

4. Brinjal (baigana)-1 (cut into cubes)

5. Yam- small piece ( peeled and cut into cubes)

6. French beans- 4 to 5 (cut into pieces)

7. Spine gourd( kankada) - 3 to 4( cut into cubes)

8. pointed gourd( potola) – 3 to4 (cut into cubes)

9. Raw papaya-1 cup (cut into cubes)

10. Capsicum-1 (cut into cubes)

11. Carrot -1( cut into cubes)

12. Ridge gourd – 2 (peeled and cut into cubes)

13. Tendli- 5 to 6 ( cut into pieces)

(You can use any other vegetable you like)

14. Tomatoes- 3(medium)

15. Onion- 1(big)

16. Ginger – 1 inch

17. Garlic – 10 cloves

18. Sprouted green grams- ½ cup

19. Black chana, kabuli chana, yellow matar and white chana- 1 cup

20. Grated coconut- ½ cup

21. Coconut in small pieces- ½ cup

22. Coriander powder-2 tsp

23. Red chili powder – 1 tsp

24. Cumin powder – 1 tsp

25. Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

26. Salt

27. Garam masala powder – ½ tsp

28. Chopped coriander leaves- ½ cup

29. Sugar or jaggery – 1 tbsp(optional)

Preparations for ghanta tarkari:

1. Soak black chana, kabuli chana, yellow matar and white matar for 4 to 5 hours or overnight.

2. In a pressure cooker, add all soaked ingredients. Add some water and salt in it and let it cook until two whistles. Let pressure cooker be cool completely then open the lid and drain it from water. Keep it for later use.

3. Cut and wash all vegetables properly.

4. Peel and chop onion, garlic and ginger and make a paste out of it.

5. Chop tomatoes.

6. Grate half coconut and chop other half into small pieces.

How to make odia ghanta tarkari:

1. Heat two tbsp oil in a kadhi or pan.

2. Add all chopped vegetables and salt in it and fry.

3. Fry the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes and transfer it to a plate.

4. Now in the same pan or kadhai add 4 tbsp oil.

5. When the oil became hot, add bay leaves and cumin seeds in it. Let the cumin seeds crackle.

6. Then add onion-ginger-garlic paste and stir.

7. Fry the paste till it changes its colour and the raw smell goes away.

8. Then add chopped tomatoes and little salt. Fry the tomatoes till it becomes soft and mushy.

9. Now add all dry masalas like coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and turmeric powder. Mix well and fry nicely till the masala leaves oil.