Thursday, May 14, 2009

Bara with ghuguni


If you talk of an oriya snack and don't mention this it will be a shame. Bara or Vadas are very popular in Orissa and people usually have it with Aloo dum or ghuguni. Ofcourse vendors sell both separately too. Ghuguni is nothing but a nice spicy dried peas curry. While either the bara or the ghughuni can serve as a snack by itself, the combination is what people in Orissa love.

In school we had a small shop whose owner made yummy ghuguni. His was the best ghuguni ever - he served it with a dash of onions and imli pani. Wonder what his secret was... He served for 15 min during snack time and then for 1 hr during lunch - but he sure had a monopoly! There would be at least 50 hands stretched out asking for either candy or chips or ghuguni during each break.

This combination of Vada and ghuguni was made by my Mom on one of the Sunday's evening snack! No wonder there was no time to take any decent pictures. Everyone was busy gobbling the baras down...


Ghuguni's ingredients

Dried Peas -1 cup
1/2 tea spoon of whole Jeera
2 green chillies - chopped (optional)
1 large onion - thinly chopped
1 large tomato - diced
1 tea spoon ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tea spoon of turmeric powder
1 tea spoon dhaniya powder
1/2 tea spoon of chili powder
1 tea spoon garam masala
Salt to taste
1 table Spoon oil
1 tea spoon tamarind paste (skip if you don't like it sour)

Ghuguni How to

Soak the dry yellow peas in water for 6-7 hours.
Heat oil in a large pan, add some whole Jeera, when it splutters add some chopped green chillies and the chopped onions.
Once the Onion turns golden brown, add the ginger-garlic paste.
Fry till the oil separates from the frying pan.
Add turmeric powder, salt, chili powder, chopped tomato and dhaniya powder.
Cook for few more minutes till tomatoes are done.
Then add the boiled peas and 1/2 cup of water and garam masala.
Cover and cook for 5-10 mins more.
Once it is done, remove from the fire and add the tamarind paste and mix thoroughly.

Bara Ingredients

1 cup Urad dal
1 medium sized onion chopped finely
2-3 green chilies chopped finely
1/2 tea spoon of whole jeera
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Bara How to

Soak the Urad Dal in double the quantity water for 4-5 hours.
Drain it and grind it in a grinder with ginger and jeera and chillies, using very little water to get a semi-smooth consistency.
Mix the chopped chopped onion, green chillies and salt and leave it to ferment for 8-10 hrs.

Heat oil in a small pan.
Make small balls of dough in hand, flatten it little bit and make a small hole in the center.
Fry it in oil till golden brown.

Eat the bara with ghuguni or with ketchup and with a hot cup of tea! Bliss!

23 comments:

  1. Looks delicious! In my hometown too vadas are made but served with chutney. This is a great combo..and new to me!

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  2. oh vadai... it looks so tempting.. hmmmm... will try to do it today for me!! :))

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  3. Hi HCOF,
    what a combo with tea! just adore ghugni at tea time, those baras are damn tempting...it's long since I've made baras and any crispies :( u r tempting me to prepare it by those tea time pics :)
    TC

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  4. I agree 'Dry peas masala curry (ghuguni) ' is a wonderful dish and its taste differs with every chef even though they add the same ingrdients.
    Baras and ghuguni looks perfect combo.
    By the way it is my first time here. Don't know how I missed ur yummy blog. You have a wonderful space dear.

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  5. Pooja - yes I love it with Coconut Chutney too. Thought will post something typical Oriya snack combination. It tastes very good as a combo.
    Mom Cook and Suaprna - go ahead make it and enjoy..
    Vicky - thanks for dropping by. I will certainly post something.

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  6. Hey thanks for dropping by!!! you have a great space here... ghuguni and bara is a new combo for me... looks great shall try your ghuguni... Do keep coming by!!!

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  7. Those vadas with that peas OMG I am drooling here. I wish I cld have them right now. Very very mouth watering and look delicious. Good one!

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  8. vada with ghugni is a new combo to me..i can eat vada as it is..shape of vada is good.Still i can't make vada in perfect shape :(

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  9. u know..there are very few blogs dedicated to one particular location..this is niche!! i love the concept..thnks for dropping by.
    I address you by?...name?

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  10. I lov vada, and this combo is new to me..perfect with tea..

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  11. Yummy Vadas. Pls parcel me some dear:).

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  12. that is a yummy platter.. vadas look awesome.. thanks for visiting my blog. sorry for the delayed response.

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  13. Rush - wanted to dedicate something to Oriya food. Most dishes are same as others, some are not...
    Chitra - making those balls are difficult. It helps to oil your palm nicely and then making the shape in the palm and just rolling it off to the pan.
    Ramya, Vishali, Vrinda, Dhanya - thanks so much for the comments.

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  14. I have never cooked or had much of Oriya food..This looks so new n yummy to me..esply love the peas dish..looks so nice..:)
    Thanks for visit n comment..:)

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  15. HCOF..Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving comment...i have never tasted Oriya food..this looks absolutely delicious..

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  16. yummy vadas.........they look delish!!!!

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  17. Varsha and Lena - thanks for coming over - try some Oriya food from here!
    Aruna - thanks for the comments...

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  18. Looking yummy dear and as everyone told we serve with chutney or sambar.. this is totally new and sure I will try this too. Have bookmarked too. And learnt diff combination today.

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  19. Pavithra - thanks dear! Honored to have it bookmarked...

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  20. Thanks for stopping by my blog and your lovely comment! Love to see a blog devoted to Oriyan cooking. I confess I don't know too much about it but now I have a nice resource to check out! Will be back for more :)

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  21. wow!Thanks for visitng me ,.and winderful comment ..hey nice medu vada looks heavenly

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  22. Vani - Yeah not many people know of Oriya food. So I thought I will post. Lot of foods are same, some are different...
    Mangal Bhat - thanks for your nice comments.

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