Hello October! Here is the Puja season through my memory lanes

Devi is ready to mark her arrival.. The serene & melodious sound of her anklets is heard, while the Sankh's majestic sound waves, makes the atmosphere vibrate with sacred energy... Maa Durga is coming seated on a lion, radiating power & compassion...The ten armed Goddess is coming! Jai Mata di...🙏

"The dainty autumn clouds have moved away slowly in the blue ocean, paving the way for winter... The earth has just been cleansed & got back its hue.. There is a cool breeze in the air whispering the arrival of Maa. The air vibrates in anticipation as her weapons materialize..."

In the entire circle of the year, there are no days so delightful as of October!

It's the doorway to the season that awakens my soul. Following my favourite festivals starting from Durga Puja, Sharad Purnima, Kartik Purnima, then Diwali n so on…  

Odisha awakens to the festive spirit, as Durga Puja preparation begins.. Durga Puja in Odisha is a vibrant & deeply revered festival, showcasing the state's rich cultural heritage... The festivities commences with Mahalaya, marking Maa Durga's descent to the earth.. The main Puja days, Sasthi, Saptami, Astami, Nabami & Dasami, are filled with elaborate rituals including the chanting of Mantras, offering prasads & the symbolic slaying of Mahishasura...

It's the Puja season which I would  be waiting through out the year with excitement, joy & cheers....

The blooms of kasatandi (sachharium spontaneum) flowers are in full swing to welcome Maa's arrival… The streets & shops have all decked up with lights & the happy souls tapping there feet to the chimes of bells n dholaks.. The City of temples is glittering with twinkling lights.. There is a festive mood in every corner... The street vendors & hawkers are all ready with their goodies for sales.. The scent of fresh flowers- Marigold & Chrysenthamem have filled the air.. The Puja shoppings have begun , the enthusiasm for new clothes  n accessories, the evening  pandal hopping with family, counting on the best pandal visited, the food delights, the dandiya raas, the family & relatives get-togethers are on the  pinnacle..  My memories of Durga Puja holidays are the best ones 💞

Introduction.....some lines about me

Hello & Welcome to my blog!

I'm Jasmine, the content creator of " The Sizzling Casserole"..A  dreamer, explorer & a self taught artist, most importantly, I am a daughter, sister, wife n mother to a boy, who has taught me to live, laugh n love unconditionally..

I was never into writing. The idea of writing a blog was far off my mind. Instead I would share my creativity in Instagram & Fb, until i realised my potential skill & self esteem..i took it into consideration. Then I began with a YouTube channel & started sharing a variety of delights to showcase my hobbies & creativity, where it was limited to cooking videos only. So later I came up with an idea, to express everything in the blog with my gallore of creations. I love designing more than cooking… With constant motivation & encouragement from my family..i firmly decided to start with it…n here I'm !

About me:

Being born & raised  in the coastal town of Odisha, I have grown up, enjoying a lot of coastal authentic delicacies..

 I'm passionate about baking and cooking something new. I like to explore global cuisines and would often try them out at home, along with traditional cuisines. I m not a trained cook, but over years, I have learnt it, by watching my mother n then my mil, (both of them are amazing cooks), cooking shows, youtube &  magazines, while experimenting it in my kitchen, the work shop (that I call..) with trials and error, until I get it right...n the first one who gets to  taste, is my husband. Although he is not a cooking person, he is a big foodie. For  him, cooking is an art  & the person who cooks it with her happy heart, the outcome is always awesome! ..n  I feel so honoured to be an artist…

My idea of cooking or making something is, it must look good as we eat with our eyes first. Perhaps, the combination of colour, flavour n presentations means a lot.. but we tempt to have those, that looks appealing n scrumptious to our eyes. I’m more fascinated towards food photography. I get immense pleasure to capture the art(dishes) in frame.

My friends know how keen I'm into clicking the food i just made..and would put it up in the social media status to let them savour ( hahaha..)..My family have also accepted my craze that, I won't let anyone grab the food before I'm done with photography, ( hahaha)...I find joy in capturing these beauties( dish)..   U will find those beautiful food photos in my galore.

Here u will find the recipes that  are tried and tasted. Along with Global, most of them are authentic Odia delicacies, made at the comfort of my space, with easily accessible ingredients.. that i mostly aim at..

Apart  from cooking, I'm a garden lover.  My day starts with a cup of tea, in my tiny green space, listening to the chirping of birds n a calm relaxing music.

For me, Gardening is the best  therapy ever. I feel happy whenever I'm around my plant babies..i love to spend time around them even when i'm not taking care of them.. They don’t expect anything from you..but they could sense your presence, give company n react by dancing...I feel the same joy on growing the plants  n nurturing them which is similar to raising own children.. U take a seed..sow them , watch seedlings grow, you pour love on them,feed them with  compost & see them smiling back at you with fruits n blossoms... I find immensejoy on those teeny tiny things ..

I'm also an art lover..whenever i am in a mood, i would love painting & crafting..I love to make DIY decors things from hoarded waste materials, making best out of waste, bringing the artist in me alive! I also love to design and decorate my own space according to occasions and festive vibes…

I would love to go for designing and creativity rather than cooking... Cooking is actually not my favourite! ( but  I love trying different  unique recipes continental or otherwise! ) & while I make something I give cooking 40% n presentation  60%.... While I make  video or click photos,  I aim at the space, the utensils, the crokeries, the backgrounds, the cleanliness n all that should look pleasing… yes, the recipe must be tasting good …but my mind always focus more on background n space… than on food… I always aims at presentation n decors ….call it food photography, I'm always in!...

This blog is an emotional outlet of my thoughts & my interests  which i have explored over years.

"Made  with a heap of gardening, spoonful of arts, whipped it up with tasty delights & garnished with love, The Sizzling Casserole" is a one pot recipe for anyone who prefers little sugar & spice"

 So welcome to my edible museum, where food & arts come to life…..

Rasabali

Rasabali

I have fond memories of my childhood vacations being spent  in Kendrapara (my maternal uncle's home).

As a kid our summer vacation means, it has to be mandatorily spent in mamu ghara. With festivals like rajja n savitri osha around, I have a lot of fond memories there. For us, food was an emotion.. I was introduced to a lot of delectable food there which are famous for its origin like rasabali, potali pitha, biri pura dia manda, n biri alu chop ..few to name..One of which is:

 Rasabali, the fried  cottage cheese( chhena) balls, soaked in thickened and sweetened milk, which is originated from the Baladevjew Temple of kendrapara, is also an item of chappan bhog, that is offered as Mahaprasad, at Puri Jagannath Temple.

The earthy aroma of  warm rasabali in an earthen pot covered with sal leaves that we get from the temple ,is one of the heavenly delicacies to savour..It is usually a temple dish which i had recreated at home…

Rasabali video link.. click here

Ingredients

Milk - 1.5 ltr 

Lemon juice/ vinegar - 1 tbsp

Whole wheat flour- 2 tbsp

Sugar - 3 tbsp

Cardamom (crushed)- 1 tsp

Saffron - a pinch

Instructions

• Boil 1 ltr milk in a large saucepan(from 1.5 ltr, we will use another ½ ltr later).

• When it starts boiling, add lemon juice/ vinegar.

• Let the milk curdle, till solids separates & chhena is formed.

• Cool it completely & strain the whey.

• Take chhena, in a cloth &  squeeze out excess whey.

• Let it hang  for 1 hr till all the whey drips out.

• In a plate, take the chhena, add ½ tsp crushed cardamom and ¾  tbsp sugar & mash it thoroughly with the help of heels of your palm. 

• Add 2 tbsp whole wheat flour and mash again till it becomes smooth & you can see oil in your palm.

• Make it into a smooth dough.

• Make small sized balls & keep aside.

• Now heat oil +ghee in a deep & flat frying pan.

• When oil gets heated( not very hot or else chhena ball will darken quickly), slowly put the balls into it in batches( don't overcrowd as these are delicate and may break).

• For 2 mins dont flip the balls(let the balls get fried on one side)

• Then slowly flip it..& deep fry rest of the cheese balls. 

• Take it out on a plate.

• In another deep & wide saucepan, boil ½ ltr milk till it reduce to some extent. You can take full fat milk as it is thick.

• To it, add 2 tbsp sugar, a pinch of saffron and ½ tsp crushed cardamom.

• Let it boil for 2-3 mins more on medium flame till the flavour is mixed well.

• Now add the deep dried cheese balls into it slowly.

• Let it cook for 2 mins on slow flame.

• Switch off the flame. The cheeseballs will get soaked in the milk.

• Let it cool down gradually then garnish with chopped pista & serve it warm.

Note: 

1. These become soft melt in the mouth types after being soaked in milk.

2. Can refrigerate it and consume within a day as these are milk products and can go stale, when kept for longer outside.

"Rajaw" tales of Odisha - through my memory lanes

"Under the pleasant weather, when hot & harsh summer has just subsided by the gown of grey clouds in the sky, giving relief from prickly summer humidity ....When the monsoon has just arrived with strips of rain, healing the withered earth that has been cracked due to harsh summer, The month of June calls for "Rajaw Festival", An emotion for every Odiyas..."

Rajaw is a three day long festival of Odisha celebrated every year during  the month of June, in the month of Asada. It implies the celebration of womanhood.. The term "Rajaw'' is derived from "Rajaswala'' meaning, the menstruating woman.. There is a belief that mother earth undergoes a menstruating state on those 3 days. So to give her rest,  all types of agricultural work are abstained on those days...Those days, girls(considered equivalent to mother earth), are also forbidden from doing any domestic activities. They would pamper themselves with new attires and engage in fun and joy of the festivities. They would play on Swing, play traditional games and relish mouthwatering foods.. One of which is Poda pitha, the quintessential pancake, made in Raja, along with varieties of delicious spreads, and Raja paana, the special attraction of the festival…

Odisha is one of the few states to celebrate womanhood  in a grand way.. It strives to break the taboo of "Girls on period" being impure & Im proud to be a part of it..

The first day is Pahili Rajaw, second day is Mithuna Sankranti or Rajaw Sankranti, which marks the beginning of the rainy season & the third day is Basi Rajaw or Sesa Rajaw. The fourth day is "Vasumati snana" , a ritual of giving ceremonial baths to Mother earth.

The drenched earth, now softened by the monsoon rains, gets ready for agricultural activities, marking the beginning of the rainy season.

It's an emotion for us..I have wonderful memories of Rajaw celebration, at my maternal uncle's home. Every year we would wait for summer vacation to start, so that we could visit there. Pre-Rajaw preparation would start there a couple of days before... My nostalgia of Rajaw is.. 

A much awaited get together of friends & relatives, cousin squad, pre-raja shopping for new dresses & accessories. Celebration would begin, where ladies of  the house wud be having fun, gossiping, making poda pitha..arisa, karanji  & many more delights..to savour. Whereas men would have gala time playing cards, carrom, ludos..& the list goes on....On day of Raja, dressed up in new attires, with mehendi dyed palm & alata stained feet, we would be relishing yummy pithas & delicious spreads, & not to mention the special "Rajaw Paana'', the meetha paan made, where betel leaves with mixture of gulkand, colourful sugar coated fennel, coconut, supari & different masalas..is rolled into triangular shape...would be our special appetizer & we wud  show our red stained lips...( Hahaha), then  playing games & swings, called "Rajaw doli'' which would have made on branch of the tree, the main attraction of Rajaw parba. .A  folk song is sung.. 

"Banaste dakila Gaja 

Barasake thare asichi Raja

Asichi Raja lo gheni nua saja Baja

Baulo lo gheni nua saja Baja" 

Although these days the charm of the  festival seems to be fading, yet it prevails. Girls are more excited for this festival, so that they could do Raja shopping, dress-up & relish on delicious traditional cuisines & party all day. To keep the traditions & glory alive, the Odia communities in towns & cities come up with events celebrating Raja festival every year, in a grand way across the country.

The three-days festival is meant to be well celebrated.

Mahabishuva Pana Sankranti - A tale of Odia New Year

We Odiyas are very proud of our culture...There is a phrase  describing the number of festivals in Odisha, "Bara masa Tera parba" means, in twelve months there are thirteen festivals .... The series of festivals begins from Mahabisuva  Pana Sankranti in April, the day when Odia new year begins ... Then Rajja , Rathayatra, Dussehra, Kartik purnima... and the list continues.... Here is the insights of Pana Sankranti or Odia New Year, through my memory lane...

"The month of April, when the spring has beautifully sprung, the sky is sunny & clear and the grass is growing greener", It marks the beginning of series of Festivals in Odisha.. which begins with Odia New year..also known as Maha Bishuva Pana Sankranti...It starts with the procession of Sun's entry into Aries(Mesha) also called Mesha Sankranti & falls on April 13 or 14 every year, on the first day of Odia solar calendar.

It is widely celebrated across Odisha. 

The auspicious day begins with people visiting various temples & shrines and praying for prosperity & happiness..It is believed to be the b'day of Lord Hanuman also referred as Hanuman jayanti..

A traditional ritual observed during Pana Sankranti is theki, a water filled earthen pot with a small hole at the bottom, that is placed at the top, over the holy Tulsi plant(Chaunraa), to let the water drip on the holy plant..which symbolises to keep your body hydrated with the onset of summer. 

pc - image from internet

The main attraction of Pana Sankranti, is the Bela Pana, a fruit drink, prepared with Bael( wood apple) , the pulp of which along with grated coconut, cottage cheese n few spices, is offered as Prasad to deities & then to others  in Odia traditional culture.. Many interesting fables are associated with Pana, in Odia culture..There is a ritual of pana being offered to the holy Trinity Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra & Devi Subhadra in their daily offerings at Puri Shree Mandira, varieties includes dahi pana, mango pana, chhatua ( sattu) pana made with chhena,grated coconut, bananas & yoghurt.. On this day the majority of home wud be seen relishing traditional no onion-garlic platter of divine food.

 I have fond memories of childhood on this auspicious day, while in Odisha… Early morning our home would be filled with the divine atmosphere ..the smoky heavenly aroma of incense stick, karpoora  & jhuna and the smell of holy offerings.. would be our image of the day..then after doing puja at home we would visit Jagannath temple and Hanuman temple , to take blessings...That day the temple would also be decorated  and people serving Pana all over. We would relish those Pana served in paper glasses.. At home, Maa wud prepare a lavishing spread of  Muga khechudi, dalma, tomato khajuri khatta, stir fries &  brinjal fritters, which is a delicious lunch platter without onion garlic, we use to savour on any auspicious or festival days.. Then in the evening, she would  prepare delicious Bela Pana..& that wud be our appetizer of the day...

After coming to Pune, I used to miss these things & would often recreate it at home, keeping my cultures alive..which gives me immense pleasure..

Here I'm sharing the Bela Pana recipe that I relished... however I won't get bael here in pune that is rarely available.. so i make it with different fruits that i get access to....called Fruit Pana.. Here is the video link below

Bael Pana recipe video

Ingredients

✅Bael( wood apple) - 1 large

✅Sugar/ jaggery - as needed ( if bael is sweet you need to adjust sugar

✅Water- 1 ltr

✅Cottage cheese/ chhena ( made of cow milk)- 1/2 cup

✅Banana - 1 nos

✅Grated coconut - ½ cup

✅Chopped fruits of your choice( apple, pomegranate, grapes) - ½ cup

✅Crushed black pepper - 1 tsp

Instructions

• Break the bael, & take out its pulp in a bowl.

• In a large container, take water, put the bael pulps & mash it by hand discarding the seeds.

• Add chhena, grated coconut, sugar, chopped banana & mix it nicely again, mashing it till it is mixed well..( it will be of crumbled type..not very fine.)

• Add freshly pounded black pepper powder.

• Add chopped fruits and mix.

• Adjust sweetness accordingly and serve in tall glasses.. can add ice cubes.

• Consume it fresh, immediately as it tends to discoloration & change in taste when kept for longer due to summer.

Rasabali

Rasabali

I have fond memories of my childhood vacations being spent  in Kendrapara (my maternal uncle's home).

As a kid our summer vacation means, it has to be mandatorily spent in mamu ghara. With festivals like rajja n savitri osha around, I have a lot of fond memories there. For us, food was an emotion.. I was introduced to a lot of delectable food there which are famous for its origin like rasabali, potali pitha, biri pura dia manda, n biri alu chop ..few to name..One of which is:

 Rasabali, the fried  cottage cheese( chhena) balls, soaked in thickened and sweetened milk, which is originated from the Baladevjew Temple of kendrapara, is also an item of chappan bhog, that is offered as Mahaprasad, at Puri Jagannath Temple.

The earthy aroma of  warm rasabali in an earthen pot covered with sal leaves that we get from the temple ,is one of the heavenly delicacies to savour..It is usually a temple dish which i had recreated at home…

Rasabali video

Ingredients

Milk - 1.5 ltr 

Lemon juice/ vinegar - 1 tbsp

Whole wheat flour- 2 tbsp

Sugar - 3 tbsp

Cardamom (crushed)- 1 tsp

Saffron - a pinch

Instructions

• Boil 1 ltr milk in a large saucepan(from 1.5 ltr, we will use another ½ ltr later).

• When it starts boiling, add lemon juice/ vinegar.

• Let the milk curdle, till solids separates & chhena is formed.

• Cool it completely & strain the whey.

• Take chhena, in a cloth &  squeeze out excess whey.

• Let it hang  for 1 hr till all the whey drips out.

• In a plate, take the chhena, add ½ tsp crushed cardamom and ¾  tbsp sugar & mash it thoroughly with the help of heels of your palm. 

• Add 2 tbsp whole wheat flour and mash again till it becomes smooth & you can see oil in your palm.

• Make it into a smooth dough.

• Make small sized balls & keep aside.

• Now heat oil +ghee in a deep & flat frying pan.

• When oil gets heated( not very hot or else chhena ball will darken quickly), slowly put the balls into it in batches( don't overcrowd as these are delicate and may break).

• For 2 mins dont flip the balls(let the balls get fried on one side)

• Then slowly flip it..& deep fry rest of the cheese balls. 

• Take it out on a plate.

• In another deep & wide saucepan, boil ½ ltr milk till it reduce to some extent. You can take full fat milk as it is thick.

• To it, add 2 tbsp sugar, a pinch of saffron and ½ tsp crushed cardamom.

• Let it boil for 2-3 mins more on medium flame till the flavour is mixed well.

• Now add the deep dried cheese balls into it slowly.

• Let it cook for 2 mins on slow flame.

• Switch off the flame. The cheeseballs will get soaked in the milk.

• Let it cool down gradually then garnish with chopped pista & serve it warm.

Note: 

1. These become soft melt in the mouth types after being soaked in milk.

2. Can refrigerate it and consume within a day as these are milk products and can go stale, when kept for longer outside.

My Gardening Diaries - "Bloom where you are Planted"

" Plants always makes ME better, happier & stress-free..They are sunshine, food & medicine to my soul"

I'm the kind of person who loves to dig her hand in soil, get dirt under nails.....n  watch the seedlings sprout. 

My day starts with a cup of tea, in my tiny green space, listening to the chirping of birds and calm relaxing music.

Gardening, for me, is a fantastic way to get connected with nature..  It helps heal me mentally and physically... It has that magical power  to  heal stress...U take a seed, sow them, watch them grow, you pour love on them, feed them with  compost & see them smiling back at you with fruits n blossoms.....I can't explain that happiness..it's beyond extreme…

How my love for gardening surfaced!

I have grown up with plants in my home. Since childhood, i hv seen my parents enjoy planting and nurturing plants..My mother is a garden freak which I inherited from her.. We had a small backyard vegetable garden  n a flower bed, back  when I was a kid.... where we had planted a lots of organic  n seasonal veggies n fruits..beet, radish, carrots, corns, cucumber, lady's finger ,n many more to name..I remember, as a kid, in early winter morning , we would go there n pick  fresh produce like green peas, beet, capsicum n make our delicious breakfast.. In the afternoon after school, we would spend our precious time there hopping n playing around & that is an awesome memory I have of our garden, and that's when i discovered how joyful harvesting your own food can be!  ...Now, with the construction of buildings around..the space is not sufficient enough to make a landscape garden. But  Maa has managed to make our own garden bed with lots of flowering species. N thats how my love for gardening surfaced. ... I found out how wonderful, Gardening is!

After I got married n shifted to another city, here, where its hard to find a space for  gardening, I have built a mini terrace garden, where I have planted flowering plants n hv been growing my own herbs. I have been trying to grow everything that i can lay my hands on as I love experimenting..i love to grow produce, that  i usually won’t get here..( which I used to enjoy back in my hometown )..but with sort of space I'm unable to plant much... ....I have planted turmeric, for its leaves which I won't get here,  in awe of making ' ' Haldi Patra pitha''. I have grown pumpkin blossoms, again one of my favourites, to make pumpkin flower pithau bhaja. Then  Malabar spinach( Poi) & few more....I have grown baby tomatoes, bell peppers, green chillies, spring onion, curry leaves, mint, celery, lemongrass , aloe vera.. to name a few.

 Gardening is not that difficult...but maintaining it can be a bit of a concern.. The weather & place affects the plants..

Apart from it, there are some important factors that is taken into consideration while planning a garden which I will describe in my next blog…

Propagating Indoor plants in water

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Happy Gardening ❤️🌷