Chuin Aloo Badi Besara is a standard Odia curry made with drumsticks, potatoes, brinjals, and crispy badi simmered in a tangy mustard-cumin gravy. So easy, rustic, and stuffed with taste.
In the fast-paced world of contemporary cooking, conventional recipes usually fade quietly into the background. Especially those who don’t make flashy appearances on restaurant menus or social media feeds. Odisha, a land of wealthy culinary heritage, has a treasure trove of such dishes, deeply rooted in tradition, reminiscence, and neighborhood. Among them is a humble but soulful curry known as Chuin Aloo Badi Besara. It is a blended vegetable curry enriched with crispy lentil dumplings known as badi.
Chuin Aloo Badi Besara: A Taste of Simplicity
This rustic dish displays the essence of Odia house cooking—easy, seasonal elements elevated with time-honored strategies. In most conventional Odia households, badi was as soon as a pantry staple, made lovingly by grandmothers in the course of the summer time and sun-dried for year-round use. These tiny lentil nuggets weren’t only a protein supply however an emblem of considerate cooking, usually paired with no matter greens have been accessible.
Sadly, as comfort meals and quick existence took over, the follow of constructing badi at house declined. And with it, the dishes that celebrated it started to vanish from common meals.
The hero ingredient: Badi
What makes this besara particular is its texture distinction. The crispy, golden-fried badi soaks up the mustard-spiced gravy but retains a satisfying chunk. It’s a reminder of how Odia delicacies usually balances textures and flavors with class—spicy, earthy, mildly tangy, and wholly comforting.
This curry sometimes makes use of seasonal greens like potatoes, drumsticks, brinjal, and tomatoes. The signature Odia contact is within the spice paste—a daring mix of mustard seeds, cumin, garlic, and dry purple chilies, which provides the gravy its sharp but heat depth.
The forgotten attraction of a Tadka!
Most Odia curry is incomplete with out that last tadka— a tempering of garlic, dry purple chilies, cumin seeds, and contemporary curry leaves in pungent mustard oil. This easy ending step transforms the dish, infusing it with an irresistible aroma that brings again recollections of childhood lunches and lazy Sunday meals.
Why do we have to revisit these recipes?
Dishes like Chuin Aloo Badi Besara are extra than simply meals—they’re residing recollections. They join us to our roots, to the palms that after ready them, and to a manner of consuming that celebrated native produce, conscious cooking, and seasonal rhythm. As extra of those recipes fade from on a regular basis kitchens, there’s an pressing must protect and revive them. It isn’t just for nostalgia however for the richness they add to our culinary id.
So let’s cook dinner ‘Chuin Aloo Badi Besara’ collectively –
Whether you’re from Odisha or just a curious foodie, this dish is a must-try. It’s easy, healthful, and filled with daring, nostalgic flavors. Paired with a bowl of scorching steamed rice, this rustic besara tarkari turns into a comforting, soul-satisfying meal. Once a staple in Odia households, it’s a reminder of the wealthy culinary traditions that deserve a spot in our fashionable kitchens. Just excellent for each on a regular basis lunches and any particular spreads, bringing the true essence of Odisha to your plate.
👉 Find the total recipe under and let the aroma of mustard and garlic take you again in time.
📖 RECIPE CARD
Chuin Aloo Badi Besara
Chuin Aloo Badi Besara is a standard Odia curry made with drumsticks (chuin), potatoes, brinjals, and sun-dried lentil dumplings (badi), all simmered in a strong mustard and cumin gravy. This earthy, tangy, and flavorful dish is a staple in lots of Odia households and showcases the area’s love for mustard-based curries. Finished with a aromatic tempering and finest served with steamed rice, this comforting curry brings the forgotten flavors of Odisha again to life.
- 3 massive potatoes cubed
- 4 drumsticks reduce into 3-inch items
- 1 massive brinjal eggplant, cubed
- 2 medium tomatoes cubed
- ¼ cup badi sun-dried lentil dumplings
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 5-6 garlic cloves
- 2 dry purple chilies
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- A number of coriander leaves chopped
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- Salt to style
- Water as wanted
- 3 tbsp mustard oil
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Heat 2 tablespoons of mustard oil in a kadhai (wok) over medium warmth.
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Fry the badis till gentle golden. Remove and put aside.
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In the identical kadhai, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds (pancha phutana). Let them crackle.
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Add the cubed potatoes and drumsticks, together with turmeric powder and salt. Sauté for a couple of minutes.
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Meanwhile, grind mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry purple chilies, and garlic cloves right into a easy paste utilizing a mixer grinder.
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Add the bottom paste to the kadhai and sauté the whole lot till the uncooked aroma disappears.
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Pour in about 2 glasses of water. Cover the kadhai with a lid and produce it to a boil.
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Add the brinjal and tomato cubes. Mix properly, cowl once more, and cook dinner till the greens are tender and the gravy thickens.
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In a separate small pan (tadka pan), warmth 1 tablespoon of mustard oil.
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Add garlic cloves, curry leaves, dry purple chilies, and cumin seeds. Let them crackle.
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Pour this tempering into the cooked curry (tarkari) and blend gently.
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Cook for one more minute, then flip off the warmth.
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Finally, add the fried badis and chopped coriander leaves.
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Serve scorching with steamed rice.
- Chuin refers to drumsticks, that are extremely nutritious and add a novel taste to the dish. Make certain they’re tender and contemporary for the most effective outcomes.
- Badi (sun-dried lentil dumplings) could be store-bought or home made. Fry them flippantly till golden to boost their taste and stop them from turning soggy within the curry.
- The mustard-cumin-garlic paste is the guts of this dish. Ensure it’s floor to a easy consistency for a balanced, creamy gravy.
- Use mustard oil for an genuine Odia taste—it provides a pointy, pungent be aware that enhances the mustard gravy fantastically.
- Adjust the water based mostly on the specified consistency of the curry. Traditionally, it’s barely thick however not dry.
- This dish tastes even higher after just a few hours because the flavors deepen, making it nice for meal prep.
