Habisha Dalma: Prepare This Authentic Odia Kartika Month Special Dish

Bhubaneswar: Among all the Odia cuisines, the Dalma dish is the most popular one and the preferable one in the state.

Dalma is a curry prepared using lentils and some vegetables and finally, a tempering is added but there are many variations of this, especially in the Odia holy month Kartika.

During Kartika month, Habisha Dalma is prepared in every Odia household.

Most Odia people prefer to eat only vegetarian foods and particularly on each Monday of this month without onion-garlic and the Habisha Dalma plays a vital role in most of the Monday lunch platters.

Here is the recipe for Habisha Dalma:

An Odia delicacy particularly during the Kartik month of the Hindu calendar using moong dal and some selected vegetables.

Ingredients:

• Moong dal 1 cup
• Elephant apple / oou (1 inch slice) 2-3 pieces
• Pumpkin (cube shape) 1/2 cup
• Raw banana (cube shape) 1/2 cup
• Colocasia (cube shape) 1/4 cup
• Ginger 1 inch
• Cumin seed 1/2 tsp
• Whole red chili 2 no.
• Bay leaf 1-2 no.
• Roasted cumin-red chili powder 1 tsp
• Coconut (grated) 2 tbsp
• Ghee 1 tbsp
• Salt as needed

Instructions:

How to cook Habisha Dalma

• First wash and drain the moong dal. Keep aside.
• Next in a pressure cooker heat ghee.
• Put in red chilies, bay leaves and saute for 1 minute.
• Then add cumin seeds and allow to crackle.
• After that put the drained moong dal along with all the cut vegetables, crushed ginger, salt and 2-3 cup water.
• Mix everything using a spatula and cover the lid of the pressure cooker.
• Cook for 1-2 whistles or till all the vegetables are done well.
• Turn off heat.
• Allow the steam to escape automatically and till then keep aside the pressure cook.
• Next sprinkle grated coconut and roasted cumin-red chili powder and give a mix.
• Serve hot with rice topped with ghee