Skip to main content

Bhaja Santula From Odiya Cuisine: A Diabetes-Friendly Recipe


If you are looking for a diabetes-friendly recipe for regular meal planning, then read this post further.

Presenting before you my diabetic MIL's special mix vegetable recipe for diabetics. However, I have tried to standardize it as per technique this time. This is my one pot one shot bhaja santula. Enjoy lovely flavors, beautiful colors, and healthy greens right in one pot one shot.
bhajja santula - a recipe for diabetics sans potato

As you know, I was in Odisha recently. Yes, it is my sasural (in-law's place). The best thing about Odisha is the mesmerizing naturescape that I miss here in Delhi, where concrete structures abound. I do miss the green landscape that decks the coastal state of Odisha - with tall coconut trees flanking my in-law's home and enhancing its beauty. Nature is so beautiful :) I badly miss it here!

Another thing that captivates me in Odisha is its abundance of green vegetables that we usually do not get here in north India. I must say Odiyas are big time foodies and love food above everything else. There is so much diversity in the food there that any foodie would instantly fall for it.

Of course, I am not a foodie, but I love the food cooked by my mother in law. Yes, I have told you earlier that she is an awesome cook - she has been cooking since childhood. She was married when she was 16 and had a difficult MIL. But my MIL remained patient and focused on looking after her MIL all the time. She took utmost care of her MIL when the latter was in her last stages and suffering from cancer. This was the time when the latter regretted for having tormented the former.
Anyway, cutting my long story short, let's come back to the bhaja santula recipe of my talented MIL.

diabetic friendly recipe



Santula is a healthy blend of vegetables - it primarily uses green veggies that most fussy eaters refuse to eat. But if you try my MIL's bhajja santula, I am sure your difficult-to-please family will fall for the healthiest of vegetables - that's a promise.

I recently learned this recipe from my MIL, who is a diabetic and makes this recipe often, sans potato.

Ingredients
santula odiya cuisine

 Brinjal- 1 (green brinjal is in abundance in Odisha - it's locally grown there - I did not add since hubby is allergic)
Raw papaya
1 plaintain (raw banana)
1 potato (when making a diabetes-friendly recipe, omit potato)
5-6 parwal
1-2 turai/tori (ridge gourd)
3 onions
8-10 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp- rai (black mustard)
salt to taste, haldi, and red chilly powder
3 tsp- mustard oil (my MIL adds little more)
garan masala (optional)


How to MAKE instant bhaja santula:


Take a 3-liter pressure cooker.
Add 2 tbsp of water.
Top it with 2tsp of oil.
Add minced garlic. Top it with sliced onions.
Add one batch of parwal. Then keep another batch of papaya in its side. Another batch of ridge gourd, and one small pocket of French beans. Layer raw banana slices on top. I did n't use brinjal or eggplant this time because A is allergic to it. But if you are using, you may place it as one batch.
Layer all the veggies this way. I placed small pockets of each.
For potatoes, I used a pot. Add 1 tsp of oil and drop in thinly sliced and marinated potatoes. Use salt and turmeric alone for marination.
Add salt and turmeric on top of the veggies. Then keep the potato pot on top of it.
Pressure cook for 5 minutes. Release pressure. Open, mix everything together, and serve.
If you wish to temper bhaja santula, use mustard seeds and whole red chilly.




Bhaja Santula Procedure

  1. Slice all veggies lengthwise - the thinner the better.  Sprinkle haldi and red cilly powder on these sliced veggies.
  2. Slice onions. Keep aside.
  3. Heat oil in a pan.
  4. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add garlic cloves. You may mince garlic first. My MIL adds the whole cloves.
  5. Next add sliced onions. Sprinkle some salt for faster cooking and cook them until they get browned.
  6. Now add all the sliced veggies.
  7. Add salt as required and stir fry for 2-3 minutes
  8. Cover & cook on a slow flame for 7-8 minutes.
  9. Now open the lid and stir well.
  10. Next keep the lid open and flame low. We do not want to cover the veggies now and will stir fry. This will prevent them from sticking together (advice given by my sasu ma).
  11. Enjoy bhajja santula with steamed rice or roti. This is full of nutrition and vitamins. Your family cannot reject this healthy recipe - trust me!
  12. If you like Odiya cuisine, you may want to try dalma - a healthy & delectable blend of lentils and veggies. Easy to make and tastes divine.
  13. This diabetes friendly recipe is a keeper. Do try and share feedback.





Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Making Dahi Without Starter | बिना जामन के दही | How to Make Curd at Home Without Curd

Ever imagines how to make curd without curd (with almonds) बिना जामन के दही ? Well, I am sure such use of almonds as a curd starter is nowhere in your thoughts, right? Perhaps we are not used to thinking on these lines until it happens incidentally and you want to share your experiment with others. I am happy to say that I have experimented with making curd without starter and it gives me creamy and sweet curd. बिना जामन के दही | How to Make Curd at Home Without Curd A Little About my Curd Love Give me a bowl of rich, creamy curd and I do not need anything else on my dining table. Perhaps as a Punjabi, born and brought up into a Punjabi family, I have that special love and fondness for curd. My parents have inculcated in me good eating habits - home food is the best, they would day, preach and practice. This has become ingrained in my thoughts. I detest outside food, and yes, I dub it as market junk. One reason I love all homemade stuff - mommade food is the best. But w...
Post a Comment
Read more

Is Tandoori roti good for health [NO, it Isn't But I eat soft oil-free wheat tandoori chapatis daily]

Tandoori roti is delicious and quite addictive too, but is it good for your health?Is there something called tandoori roti health risk? Yes and no.  Yes, if you order it outside.  What is tandoori roti made up of? The reason these Indian flatbreads have earned a bad reputation is that they are made with maida or refined flour, which is only empty calories. Then they use dalda or hydrogenated fat to make the roti soft. remember, tandoori roti is an addiction and I am addicted to it but one made at home with wholesome ingredients.  How to make tandoori roti at home At home, making quick tandoori roti on tawa is a breeze!   so here's how I do it to avoid all the health risks associated with restaurant tandoori roti. we can easily make soft atta tandoori roti on tawa too. yes, tandoor cooking is good but maida isn't.  start by adding water to a bowl. throw in methi powder and flaxmeal. You can skip both if you want. but I suggest adding the two ingredients in y...
Post a Comment
Read more

Carrot Kanji Recipe [Indian Probiotic Drink for A Healthy Gut, Digestive Recipe]

  Red Carrot Kanji Recipe| Carrot Kombucha (Gajar Ki Kanji Benefits Gut, Digestive Health) This red carrot kanji recipe takes inspiration from Deepti Agarwal's black carrot kanji recipe, which is her nani's recipe. Here's my trial with kanji..I have made it with red carrot alone. Yes, the Punjaban in me loved the spicy & tangy probiotic. Super yum and Healthy Thanks dear for inspiring me to try the gut-friendly drink. homemade red carrot kanji recipe indian probiotic Is Carrot Kanji good for health and how do you make red carrot kanji at home? Here's presenting lal gajar ki kanji recipe inspired by my dear friend Deepti Aggarwal's black carrot kanji recipe, which is her heirloom recipe and has been in her family for generations. Is Kanji alcoholic? No, fruit turns into alcohol if it is left in a bath of water enclosed in a jar. Here we are not closing the lid; rather, tying a cloth for oxygen inflow, which prevents kanji from becoming alcoholic. What is Kanji ma...
Post a Comment
Read more