Omitar Khaar

   

Omitar Khaar is one of the most common and popular delicacies of Assam, very simple to cook yet extremely healthy. It is preferred during lunch rather than dinner.

            A few Assamese terminologies : Omita : Papaya

Khaar : The alkaline ashes of dried bark, peel and root of plantain tree.

            Method of making Khaar :  sun dry banana peels and trunks of banana plant and burn to collect the ash. Then pour water, keep over night, strain and store the clear brown liquid to use in curries. Khaar is believed to be nutritious, very common and is used in a variety of dishes all over the North Eastern part of India.

To cook Omitar Khaar you need :

Omita growing in my garden 

Omita

400gms raw Omita, cut into big pieces.

Masoor Daal(Lentil).

Rahar Daal(TuvarDaal or Red Gram).

Mung Daal(Peeled broken green gram).

Any of these 3 Daals mentioned above can be used for this delicacy, here I have chosen Masoor Daal.

1/2cup Masoor daal (usual cup), washed and soaked for 1/2 an hour.

1 and a 1/2 tblsps Khaar.This ingredient can be replaced by 1tsp Soda bicarb.

             1/2 tsp Mustard seed. 

2 whole Green Chillies. 

12pods Garlic crushed.

Little Ginger crushed. 

Salt, to taste.

1 tsp Oil.

1 tsp sugar (optional).

Heat oil, put in the Mustard seed and cover immediately, let it splutter.

 Put in the Chilly and half of crushed Ginger, Garlic. Fry a little, put in the Masoor Daal and Omita pieces. Fry a while adding Salt. Now pour 3 cups of water and cook covered.  Check once in a while and add more water if needed.
May be pressure cooked, three whistles. Let it cool. Pour out to a karahi and add Khaar. Accordingly if not cooked in a pressure cooker, when cooked add Khaar, Sugar and the remaining crushed Ginger + Garlic  and stir well.

Your Omita Khaar is ready to serve .... add a few drops of raw mustard oil to it and lightly stir before serving (optional).

Koldil Aru Murgi Mangxo

It's a favourite dish of the Assamese.
Some Assamese terminologies:

Koldil : Banana flower

Murgi Mangxo : Chicken

Aru : and

Masala : Spice

To cook this Assamese Delicacy, you need :

1 Koldil.

The above picture is of a Koldil. Keep taking off the layers, each layer will have some long thin flowers as shown in the picture.

 Take off the hard long stamens from each flower.Go on removing the layers this way until you find the very tender white portion, chop it very fine along with the flowers.

Fill a big bowl with cold water and rinse the chopped Koldil thoroughly. Do it 3 times. Keep aside and

 prepare the other ingredients.

400gms Chicken.

Paste of 2 Onions + little Ginger + 12pods of Garlic.

A few Green whole Chillies.

A few Bay leaves.

Julienne of 1 Onion.

1 tsp Turmeric. Salt, to taste.

1 heap tblsp of masala powder.Grind (dry) together : Caraway seeds(Shahjeera) + Coriander seeds(Dhania) + Tymol seeds(Ajwain) + Aniseed(Saunf) + Fenugreek seeds(Methi) + Cardamom(Elaichi) + Cinnamon(Dalchini) + Clove(Laung). 

This powder can be stored for months in an air tight jar to keep using in a variety of dishes.

 Chilly powder, to taste.

 3 tblsps Mustard oil.

Heat oil, fry all the ingredients leaving aside the powdered masala(spice), Chicken and Koldil.When half done put in the Chicken along with the powdered masala.

  Stir well and cook covered in low heat. 

When Chicken is half cooked add Koldil, stir well and cook covered in low heat. Remember not to add water.

 Chicken and Koldil can be added together.

Koldilor logot Murgi mangxo is ready.

Serve with rice, roti or luchi(puris).

Kothalor Aanja

Kothal (Jackfruit) Aanja (curry)
Kothal is eaten as a fruit when ripe and as vegetable while tender. For this recipe use a kothal which is very tender. 

1 small, around 500 to 7oo gms, very tender Kothal.

Peel and cut Kothal into big pieces.

Make a paste of 2 big Onions + little Ginger + 12pods of Garlic. 

A few Green Whole Chillies.

A few Bay leaves. 
2 Potatoes halved 

1 tsp Chilly powder.

4 tbsp Mustard oil.

Julienne of 1 big Onion 

1tsp Turmeric. Salt to taste. 1tsp Garam masala powder(powdered Cinnamon + Cardamom + Clove). A few whole Cardamoms. 1 tsp each powdered Jeera and Dhania

Cook (blanch) Kothal pieces with little water, adding Salt and Turmeric for 10 mnts. Strain and keep aside.

Heat oil fry kothal till little golden, keep aside (this step is optional).
Heat oil, fry all the ingredients for a while, leaving aside Kothal.

Add Kothal and Potato pieces, fry for some more time till masala is blended well. Now add water, cover, cook and keep stirring in between on a low heat till done. Or can be pressure cooked.
Pour out to a karai and check salt. Let gravy thicken. Kothalor Aanja is ready.

This Assamese Delicacy tastes superb, can be served with rice, roti or loochi (pooris).

Kolposola aru Murgi Mangxor Aanja

Kolposola(tender trunk of Banana plant) aru(and) Murgi Mangxo(Chicken) Aanja(curry) which means, Chicken curry with tender trunk of banana plant.

                                                                      
                                                                   To cook this delicacy you need :

                                                                    500gms Chicken, cut into pieces.

                                                                                         Kolposola

                                               Keep removing the layers till you find the very tender part.

3to4 cups of Kolposola, chopped fine. Only very tender part of the inner layers should be used.

Paste of 1Onion + little Ginger + 8pods of Garlic. Green Chilly can be added chopped or paste. A few Bay leaves.

2tsp Turmeric. Salt to taste. 1tsp Garam masala (powdered Cardamom + Cinnamon + Clove). 

2 to 3 tbsps oil. Assamese cuisine tastes best with Mustard oil.

Heat oil, put Bay leaves and paste, fry adding Salt, Turmeric. When half done put in the Chicken,  Kolposola and powdered masala, keep stirring. Cook covered all the while in low heat till cooked. Do not add water. Check salt. 
This is a yummy dish to eat with rice, roti or luchi (puri).

Oma Khaji

Oma Khaji

Oma Khaji is the most popular and favourite starter of the Bodos, served with the local Bodo brew called Jow.

To cook Oma Khaji you need :

500g fresh Oma Bedot (Pork).

Diced Oma Bedot

4 to 5cups of chopped Thalet Posla ( tender trunk of banana plant). Take only the very tender layers.

Paste of 1big Onion, little Ginger and 10pods of Garlic. A few Bay leaves. Chopped Green Chilly to taste. A bunch of fresh chopped Coriander.

2tsps turmeric. 2tsps ground Cardamom+Cinnamon+Clove. Salt to taste. 2tblsps oil.

Pressure cook Oma Bedot adding little salt, turmeric and a cup of water. Make sure it's not over cooked, should be rather half cooked. Remove and keep aside.

Heat oil and fry all the ingredients including the cooked Oma Bedot, leaving aside only the chopped Coriander. Cook covered on a moderate heat stirring occasionally. Do not add water.The Thalet Posla should be cooked well and some of it should be dissolved.

Add chopped Coriander when done and stir well. Your Oma Khaji is ready to eat.