BURNT DRUMSTICK AND BURNT RED DRY CHILI WITH BARI ( temple version)

BURNT DRUMSTICK AND BURNT RED DRY CHILI  WITH BARI ( temple version)

Long long back (and still a practice) wood fired chulahs (ovens) were used for cooking. They

provided excellent flame and temperature control which can’t be achieved with gas burner or electrical hot plates. But operating a wood fired chulah efficiently needed long experience and skill.

After the main cooking is over, the dying chulahs with hot ash and some burning coal remaining was used for cooking many dishes. Like putting  potatoes, sweet potatoes , brinjals, drum sticks and name any thing . Or even fish mixed with spices, wrapped in layers of Sal leaves were shoved in to produce awesome dishes . The famous Chhena Poro ( cottage cheese ) of Odisha was also made like this .

Here I am trying to recreate a childhood recipe of Odisha.

INGREDIENTS 

Drumsticks 10 Nos , fat ones and not the ruptured old haggard

Bori/ bari ( sun dried udad dal dumplings ) 10 nos

Green chili 5 , chopped  ( more the merrier )

Red chilis dry -2

Mustard oil 2 tsp (extra virgin) OR EVOO 2 tsp extra virgin

Lemon juice 3 tsp or more , just add slowly to adjust sourness and you can completely do away with it. Traditionally it is not added .

OPTIONAL  for temple or non-veg options ( onion and garlic)

Small onion chopped fine

3 cloves garlic smashed and chopped fine .

PROCESS

Heat the drum sticks in open flame slowly, so that the outer skin becomes charred or black after 3 minutes. You can burn 2 to 5 at a time depending upon your skill. Hold from one end to the middle and move up and down  Keep rotating till they are black . Take another bunch and repeat,  When one side roasting is over , roast the other end so that finally the outer skin is dark and burnt.

Burnt drumsticks 

CAUTION : If the outer skin breaks  steam may come out with a hiss , so be careful, it will burn your hand instantaneously but very rare.

Once the drum sticks are cool  slit from middle and scrape out the flesh and seeds, keep separately the seeds.

Seeds and flesh separated 

Eat one seed , it should be soft like a boiled corn seed, not too hard.  If you find the seeds bit stiff , never mind, just put 4 tbsp water and micro at 900 watt  for 3 min.

In a skillet roast the Bori to brown… you can fry too in oil. crush the bori to 1/4^th inch approx.

Hold   red chili, one by one,  with a tong and burn in open flame to black with one sneeze and then burn the other end .

Burnt drumstick flesh, fried Bori , burnt red chili and green chili lined up 

Now mix the burnt drum stick, green chili, burnt red chili mustard oil or EVOO, salt and lemon juice and eat .

The final product

If you want a non-temple dish, add the chopped onion and garlic

Eat with rice