Gift yourself this delectable dish dalma for the foodie in you. Loaded with nutrients, this Dalma is a great play of colorful veggies and simple ingredients that would satisfy any gourmet with its sheer uniqueness and flavor. Enjoy this traditional oriyan delight made during pujas and festivals and best served at temples as prasad.
Table of Contents:
- Odisha Dalma Recipe
- What is Odisha Cuisine All About?
- What does Dalma refers to?
- What is the history of Dalma?
- Some interesting facts about Dalma
- Needed ingredients to make authentic Odisha Dalma
- Step wise directions to make Dalma
- Food for thought
- Faqs
- Nature Of Dalma
- Perfect Pairings
- A traditional Odisha Thali
- Little Ideas To Set Up Odisha Lunch
- Nutritional Value
East India proclaims itself to be one of the major culinary tourism zones in the country and the state of Odisha, is a supreme factor behind it. Owing to its rich soil and favorable climatic conditions, Odisha stands tall as a great producer of rice, millets, crops, grains and a wide range of vegetables. This fertile land certainly paved way for a fabulous cuisine with umpteen number of enticing dishes that hails the pride of Odisha. Here we are going to see a stunning dish, that reigns the entire state since ages and still continue to rule over Odisha with its pomp and grandeur and it is none other than Dalma.
What is Odisha Cuisine All About?
Odisha Cusine is bombarded with fantastic flavors, alluring aromas and tantalizing tastes that would entice you at the very sight of it. Their major staples are rice, wheat, lentils, ghee and seafood is phenomenal in Odisha where you would simply marvel at the varieties of delicacies the cuisine offers that include both the vegetarian and the non-vegetarian. Dals and curries, khattas and pithas, shaag and chutneys accompany the main course meal in every odisha household. Pulses, cereals, dry fruits and dairies are indispensable in Odisha cooking and if any cuisine could give you fantastic dishes without excessive oil and spices mostly, then you can indeed say that it is from Odisha. And this delightful dish Dalma is the best example of it.
What does Dalma refers to?
Dalma refers to the vegetable and spice laden dish flavored with panch phoran and a much sought after accompaniment for rice in the state. Much adored for its deliciousness and nutrition, this Dalma is even offered as the much renowned prasad in temples.(eg: Puri temple's Mahaprasad) There are many versions of Dalma that may differ in ingredients, preparatory method and cooking styles that obviously varies from region to region. Nonetheless, all the versions are equally competent to each other and surprise us with its exemplary ideas.
What is the history of Dalma?
We have some interesting stories regarding the origin of this famous Dalma and let us peep into the topmost version which is from the great epic Mahabharatha. It is believed that Bheema, the fondest foodie among the pandavas, invented this wholesome dish when he went to virat kingdom, during the thirteenth year of pandava's exile. He merged up his own cooking skills with what he observed from Draupathi while she used to cook and simply threw in some bits and pieces from the available staples and assorted spices into a pool of chopped veggies which had relatively one chunk of each and every seasonal vegetable and boiled dal. Cooks in royal kitchen enabled him to make this unique dish with less oil and spices, and finally after a long time slow cooking emerged this luscious Dalma shimmering with a dash of aromatic ghee. It became glorious in due course of time, and popularized by temples. Much interestingly, till today this particular cooking style of Bheema is called as Bheema Rasiya and loved by many.
Some Interesting Facts About Dalma:
Dalma is a traditional dish, prepared during the month of Karthiga exclusively, as it is a "no onion no garlic" recipe and a wholesome power packed meal this Dalma eventually became the best Vrat ka Khana. The dal, preferably moong is fried till fragrant before boiling which makes it more flavorful and tasty. Colorful seasonally grown fresh vegetables are chopped or diced into medium and even sized pieces which is again a feast for the eyes too. Making the tadka with panch phoran is exceptional of Odisha cuisine, and it just elevates the Dalma a notch higher. Dry chili, cinnamon, coriander and cumin are dry roasted and powdered and strewing it all over the Dalma after its completion becomes the ultimate twist in the tale. And the spilling of freshly grated coconut over a shimmery layer of ghee becomes the grand finale.
Fetch up your favorite dal ( moong, chana or tuvar )and grab all the seasonal veggies and enter your kitchen with full zest to make this Odisha's renowned dish Dalma:
Here I have added all the three as this is one of the major versions of Dalma.
Needed Ingredients To Make Authentic Dalma:
1. To Make The Masala Powder: Cumin and coriander seeds, dried red chili and cinnamon. These are the ingredients which make the dish flavorful ultimately. Their aroma elevates to a different level when it is dry roasted in low flame. All the four ingredients have its own flavoring and therapeutic purposes to serve and you can see these spices used profoundly in Indian cooking, especially in the Odisha Cuisine.
2. Lentil To Boil : Chana dal, moong dal and tuvar dal are added in an appropriiate proportion to make it wholesome, nutritious and delicious. Each and every lentil is loaded with protein, vitamins and minerals that is needed for our body.
3. Vegetables: This is crucial in Dalma as you add approximately some fifteen to thirty or so vegetables that grow in the particular season that adds up to the overall taste and nourishment.
4. To Temper: Doing the tadka is yet another intricacies in Indian cuisine and in Odisha usually it is done with ghee or mustard oil. Musatrd seeds, panch phoran, dried red chili and asafoetida powder are aromatic spices used to slick up Dalma.
5. Panch Phoran: It is a specific combination of five aromatic herbs or spices used in Odisha cooking, much popular in East India. It comprises of cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel seed and nigella seed all of which have miraculous health benefits which is indeed immensely valuable and certainly unique and quintessentially of Indian origin.
6. Garnish: This Dalma is spiffed up with a sprinkle of pearly white coconut shreds which is again exceptional, along with some cilantro.
Step wise Directions To Make Authentic Dalma:
- Boil The Lentils: Pressure cook all the lentils with sufficient amount of water with a pinch of salt and turmeric.
2. Add The Veggies: Add the veggies into the dal and boil.
3. Flavor It Up: Throw in a bay leaf along with some ginger and green chilies.
4. Make The Dry Masala : Dry roast some red chilies, cumin, cinnamon and coriander seeds and powder it.
5. Do The Tadka: Temper with mustard seeds, roughly torn red chili and panch poran in a little ghee.
6. Sprinkle The Masala Powder: Dust in a little masala powder all over dalma.
7. Garish : Spill in some grated coconut and cilantro and a few drops of ghee.
8. Serve: Serve hot with your favorite roti or rice.
Soak the tuvar dal, chana dal and moong dal together in a vessel and after ten minutes drop the soaked dals in a broad skillet and pour in three cups of water. Tip in a little salt and turmeric powder and let it boil in high flame for about five minues with the lid on.
After a while, just open the lid and stir in to settle down the bubbles and after a minute or two, start adding the diced vegetables one by one. Add in the hard ones first like potato, raw papaya, pumpkin and Parwal. Slowly after five minutes, add the roots like yam and colacasia. Finally, plop in the diced carrots and the brinjal. Let the flame continue to be in high mode and boil until the veggies and dal are done.
Throw in a bay leaf, some grated ginger and slit green chili along with some salt. Lower the flame and pop the lid on. Let it boil for about ten minutes approximately.
When the aroma starts wafting out from the vessel, just pull out the lid and check whether the dalma is done using a ladle.
Heat a small kadai and drop in an inch of cinnamon and a piece of cardamom. Dry roast them for a minute, add drop four red chilies and a teaspoon of cumin and peppercorns each. Roast in medium flame until it gets aromatic. When the dry spices changes color slightly, turn off and wait. When it cools down, make a coarse powder out of it and keep aside.
Heat a small kadai and squirt in a little ghee along with two spoons of mustard oil. When it is heated, scatter some black mustard seeds along with two roughly torn dried red chilies. When it splutters, add two teaspoons of panch poran ( cumin, brown mustard, fenugreek, fennel and nigella seeds) and let it crackle. Drop it immediately in the dalma with the sizzle.
At this stage, dust in two tablespoons of dry masala powder and turn off the flame immediately. Do not stir at this stage.
Garnish with a lavish spread of lush green cilantro and some grated coconut. Pop the lid on without stirring and let the flavors get seeped into the dalma.
Serve hot with rice and papad.
Food For Thought:
1. Usually people of Odisha use ghee for tadka and you can also use any other cooking oil which you use like groundnut oil or sesame oil.
2. Authentic dalma does not have onion or garlic, though in some regions they add it.
3. Grated coconut, ghee and moong dal are the essential ingredients of Dalma.
4. In some parts of Odisha, they include radish and drumstick too and yet other seasonal vegetables.
Faqs:
1.What makes dalma so unique?
The blend of boiled lentil with bounty seasonal veggies spruced up with spice powders in slow cooking makes it so delicious and special.
2. What goes well with Dalma?
Rice, roti and pithas are usually taken with this sumptuous dalma in Odisha.
Dalma Is:
1. a mixed vegetable lentil dish
2. thick and voluminous
3. has big vegetables that are crunchy
4. flavored with the aroma of spices and ghee
5. colorful and bright
6. versatile
Perfect Pairings:
1. Poda pitha
2. Steamed Rice
3. Jeera Rice
4. Arua Rice
5. Mint pulao
6. Janta Roti
A Traditional Odisha Thali Would Be Like:
- Phakla
- Janta Roti
- Dalma
- Tamatar chatka
- Jinge Posto
- Mal pua
- Pana Sakranthi
- Rasa Bali
- Chenna poda
A Little Idea To Set Up A Odisha Lunch:
Brass plate and other utensils in brass mark a typical Odisha thali, and colorful drapes with intricate woven work will create a perfect Oriya ambience. Place solid motifs randomly, and let one or two tribal art plates occupy the walls and likewise let your dining table face the greenery or some flowers outside. Hang out a pata painting and some yellow lights to bring in the cozy effect. Let your dishes be less oily and less spiced like that of a typical Odiya thali but see to it that it is vast and delightful and complete it with a minimum of three desserts.
Ingredients
Directions
Soak the tuvar dal, chana dal and moong dal together in a vessel and after ten minutes drop the soaked dals in a broad skillet and pour in three cups of water. Tip in a little salt and turmeric powder and let it boil in high flame for about five minues with the lid on.
After a while, just open the lid and stir in to settle down the bubbles and after a minute or two, start adding the diced vegetables one by one. Add in the hard ones first like potato, raw papaya, pumpkin and Parwal. Slowly after five minutes, add the roots like yam and colacasia. Finally, plop in the diced carrots and the brinjal. Let the flame continue to be in high mode and boil until the veggies and dal are done.
Throw in a bay leaf, some grated ginger and slit green chili along with some salt. Lower the flame and pop the lid on. Let it boil for about ten minutes approximately.
When the aroma starts wafting out from the vessel, just pull out the lid and check whether the dalma is done using a ladle.
Heat a small kadai and drop in an inch of cinnamon and a piece of cardamom. Dry roast them for a minute, add drop four red chilies and a teaspoon of cumin and peppercorns each. Roast in medium flame until it gets aromatic. When the dry spices changes color slightly, turn off and wait. When it cools down, make a coarse powder out of it and keep aside.
Heat a small kadai and squirt in a little ghee along with two spoons of mustard oil. When it is heated, scatter some black mustard seeds along with two roughly torn dried red chilies. When it splutters, add two teaspoons of panch poran ( cumin, brown mustard, fenugreek, fennel and nigella seeds) and let it crackle. Drop it immediately in the dalma with the sizzle.
At this stage, dust in two tablespoons of dry masala powder and turn off the flame immediately. Do not stir at this stage.
Garnish with a lavish spread of lush green cilantro and some grated coconut. Pop the lid on without stirring and let the flavors get seeped into the dalma.
Serve hot with rice and papad.
