Bhubaneswar: In a proud moment for Odisha, traditional Odia dishes travelled all the way from Rosy’s Kitchen in Bhubaneswar to ShivShakti, Ajay and Kajol Devgn’s house in Mumbai.
Saroja Choudhury of Rosy’s Kitchen is a popular name in the home chef world in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
A completely self-made home chef, the food prepared in her kitchen is savoured by the Puri Maharaj Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb and Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal.
During the pandemic, when all the hotels and restaurants were shut down and professionals, like doctors were working 24×7, Saroja kept her kitchen open 24×7 to feed frontline warriors. “I took even the smallest of orders during the lockdown to ensure that no healthcare worker who calls me for an order goes hungry,” she said.
So how did the Devgns connect with her? Saroja says it was a Bhubaneswar-based sea-food businessman Dr Vinit who introduced her dishes to Kajol and Ajay. Unknown to her, the Bollywood couple had tasted Saroja’s signature dish ‘Khira poda pitha’ on several occasions.
Dr Vinit is a seafood supplier to Bollywood celebrities. Saroja too procures her stock from him. According to Saroja, Dr Vinit was aware that Kajol loves prawn malai curry and having tasted my food preparation, Dr Vinit wanted to send my dishes to Mumbai for the seafood-loving couple.
So, Saroja set down to offer the best and prepared Crab-aloo jhola (2kg crab), Crab kasa (2 kg crab), Dahi machha (4 pieces), Chhena Poda 1.5 kg, Rasagola 15 pieces and Gulab Jamun 15 pieces. The order was ready by late noon and was flown to the Devgn’s Juhu residence in Mumbai.
Saroja said there is also a proposal to offer exclusive Odia food from Rosy’s Kitchen on Juhu beach to the celebrities. While the dates are yet to be finalised, she has already prepared her menu to serve biggies like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. The excitement in her voice says it all.
Some of her dishes for the Juhu event include Chunka diya Pakhala, Saga bhaja, besara, Panas tarkari, Kakharu phula bhaja, Dalma, Kanika, Ghora Monda, Sarsatia Pitha and many more.
