Ondla jwng Nathur gwran

     Curry of ground Rice and Smoked Shrimp                                                                                                                                                                               Serves 4

Nathur gwran: Smoked Shrimp
Ondla: Curry made of Rice flour
Wngkhree: Curry
Gongar Dundiya: Long Coriander
Kharwi: Kol Khaar/Kola Khaar

Ondla is a favourite curry of the Bodos. It is delicious and healthy. Ondla is a basic dish which has hundreds of variations. Can be cooked with mainly fish, meat and plain vegetable at times too.

Ingredients: 
1. Rice 1 cup, (I prefer Joha Rice) soaked for an hour or so
2. Nathur gwran 2 cups, washed
3. Ginger 1 piece, ground coarsely
4. Garlic 6 to 8 pods, ground coarsely
5. Turmeric a pinch or half tsp
6. Green Chilli to taste, chopped
7. Salt to taste
8. Mustard oil 1 tbsp for the curry and 2 tbsp to fry Nathur gwran
9. Kharwi 2 tbsp (depending on the strength add more or less)
10. Gongar Dundiya 5 leaves, broken into two or three pieces
11. Water 2 glasses (may add more depending on how thick or thin you like your curry)

Method:
Take out rice from water and let water drain for half an hour. Grind rice into powder. Some love it  powdered fine and some love it little coarse. Keep aside.
Heat oil, fry Nathur gwran adding little salt and keep aside.
Heat oil and fry ginger, garlic, chilli, turmeric. Do not brown it.
Add about 2 glasses of water and let it boil. Add salt.
As the water boils, with one hand sprinkle ground rice and with the other hand keep stirring. Make sure no lump is formed. When the smooth gravy is made, add Nathur gwran. And finally add Kharwi, the main taste maker of Ondla wngkhree. Cook till Nathur is done, gravy is of perfect consistency, salt and chilli are checked. See that it is not too thick as gravy thickens when the curry cools down.
Add Long Coriander.
Serve when the curry cools down a little.

Chicken+Bamboo Shoot Ondla

Ondla is a favourite delicacy of the Bodos. It is a curry made of ground rice mainly cooked with meat or fish. A variety of herbs, shoots, leaves, edible flowers are added to this curry which enhances the taste making it one of the most delicious dishes of ethnic Bodo cuisine.

To cook this particular Ondla, I have used fresh Bamboo Shoots. A variety of Bamboo Shoots are available during the Summer months in Assam when new shoots of Bamboo sprout. Of course some varieties of Bamboo shoots are available round the year on the hills of other States of North East India. The tastes also differ.

 
How to clean and cut: Peel off the outer layers till the very tender part is found. Wash whole before slicing. Cut off the portions whenever fiber is found while slicing the Bamboo shoot.

To cook this recipe you need:                          Serves 4

1. Chicken 600 gm (after cutting)
2. Bamboo Shoot 300 gm (after slicing)
3. Joha Rice 2 tbsp, soaked in water for an hour and ground to a paste.
    (rice powder can be used too, only make sure that no lump
        is formed while adding to the curry)
4. Onion 2 medium, grated
5. Paste of 10 cloves Garlic+1 small piece of Ginger
6. Turmeric half tsp
7. Salt 2 tsp or to taste
8. Green Chilli to taste, chopped or slit lengthwise
9. Mustard oil 3 tbsp
10. Kharwi/Khaar/Kola Khaar/Kol Khaar 2 to 3 serving spoons depending on the strength
      (Soda-bi-carb is a substitute)
      (for a change, Kharwi may be omitted sometimes while cooking this curry.

How to cook: 

Heat Oil, fry Onion for a few minutes.
Add Chicken, Bamboo Shoot, Salt, Turmeric, Ginger+Garlic paste and Chilli. Reserve a little paste to add later. Keep stir frying on medium heat till Chicken turns pale brown.
Add 2 glasses of Water and pressure cook, 6 whistles.

Pour the curry on a Karahi (pan) and add ground rice/rice paste. Add more water if required.
Add Kharwi if you want at this point. Check Salt, Chilli. The gravy should not be thick yet not too watery. Add the reserved Ginger+Garlic paste.

Serve with a hot plate of rice. Tastes superb.