Habisha Dalma, Ghee Rice and Kandhia Chakata are the main attractions during Kartik, which is the most auspicious month on the Hindu calendar. During this month, most Odias prefer to eat only vegetarian food. Every Monday of Kartik, particularly, foods are prepared without onion and garlic.
Habisha dalma takes the centrestage on the lunch platter (a no-onion, no-garlic dalma which is the Odia trademark in Kartik). There is a sweet-sour combination of dishes in the spread.
In every household, the ladies make rangoli in front of the holy basil (either in front of the house or in the balcony or in the varandah etc.) Those who give a miss to the stricture (food) follow the same during the Pnachuka – the last five days of the month.
Dalma: Among Odia dishes, ‘dalma’ is the most popular one. Dalma is a one-pot dish prepared with lentils, vegetables and finally tempered before being served. There are many variations of dalma with different varieties of lentils, vegetables — with and without onion-garlic. Without onion-garlic, dalma is cooked in temples and during festivals, especially during Kartik month.
Habisha dalma: It’s totally different from the regular dalma. Onion, garlic, mustard oil, turmeric powder and potato are avoided in the ingredients list of habisha dalma. Unroasted moong dal (green gram) is the main ingredient for preparing habisha dalma. Unroasted moong dal maintains the authenticity of habisha dalma, but roasted moong dal can also be used. While preparing habisha dalma, tempering is done in the beginning unlike while preparing other variants of dalmas, where the tempering is poured after the dal and vegetables are cooked. During this month, the elephant apple/oou is plentifully available in Odisha. This sour vegetable is used to give habisha dalma the tangy taste.
The consistency of dalma depends on one’s choice — either thin/semi thick. The combo of simple steamed rice topped with ghee, habisha dalma and oou khata, kandhiaa chakta is pure bliss.
The kandhiaa, aka tropical lime, looks similar to mosambi, aka sweet lime, tabha aka pomelo fruit with a thicker outer skin and has a slight sour and sweet taste. These are abundantly available in Odisha during Kartik month.
After discarding the outer skin, adding a slice of kandhiaa gives a unique taste which has to be experienced. Crushing it with some green chillies, sugar and black salt is the best accompaniment (kandhiaa chakata) with habisha dalma and ghee rice. If more spiciness is needed, we can add more green chilies and one can also add red chili flakes. Some roughly grounded form of roasted dry red chilies can be sprinkled while having this.
Ghee rice is the staple food of Kartik month alongside habisha dalma. ‘Arua’ rice is significantly cooked during this month. When it comes to ghee, people prefer natural ones (gua ghia) over-processed – clarified butter.
Ghee rice improves digestion in winters. This is one thing which everyone drools over with the aroma of habisha dalma and pure ghee. One cannot miss out the tongue-tingling Ouu khatta on a ‘Kartika Masa’ food platter. Elephant apples are cut into long pieces and boiled until they become tender and served with green chillies and salt. Agasti saga bhaja, the leafy vegetables, are best eaten during this month as winters are abundant with all kinds of green. Agasti leaves and flowers are cooked and eaten by people, especially widows in Kartika month who observe Habisha and Radha Madhav Vrat.
Ritu Pattanaik Recipe For Habisha Dalma
Ingredients — 250 grams of raw moong dal; 2 raw bananas; colcossia as per requirement; elephant apple 4 to 5 pieces; clarified butter as per your requirement and preferences; cumin seeds 1 tsp; 2 red chillies; grated coconut 2 tbsp; 2 bay leaves; ginger; salt to taste; 1 tsp roasted cumin powder.
Method — Roast cumin seeds with chilli powder and grind and make a powder. In a pan add water, crushed ginger, salt and moong dal. As it starts boiling, add cut banana and colcossia after some time add the ouu (elephant apple). Remove it after all the contents are well cooked. In another vessel pour the ghee, when it is smoking add cumin seeds, red chillies and spread it on the cooked dal & vegetables. Finally sprinkle little cumin seeds, red chilli powder, add grated coconut on top and serve hot.
