Yummy Panta / Pakhala (Summer Special)

 

Panta, Pakhala, Doi Panta or Water Rice is an absolutely perfect dis in the scorching summers, rejuvenating the mind, body and soul, and giving a sense of fulfilment. Panta is very common in the eastern  India like Odisha, Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam and Chattisgarh, ‘Panta’ is also favourite of the people of Bangladesh and Myanmar. Pakhala or Doi Panta is mainly prepared by cooling cooked rice in water and keeping it overnight. This type of preparing Pakhala is called ‘Bashi Panta’. It is the traditional way of preparing. But we can edit this Bashi Panta in another way of preparing Pakhala, called ‘Saja Pakhala’, by cooling it in water and adding curd to it. We also need to  add roasted mustard, curry leaves and ginger. This combo blends into an irresistible taste. The water is called ‘Torani’ in Odisha. The best combination is that of Pakhala, Sag Bhaja, Bori Bhaja and roasted vegetables (potato, lady finger, etc). If you are a non-vegetarian, fish fry creates amazing taste with Panta.
Ingredients
• Cooked Rice – 1 bowl
• Water – 2 bowls
• Curd – 1 cup
• Mustard – 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves – 10
• Salt – 2 tsp
• Dry chili – 1
• Ginger – 1 inch (smashed)
• Oil – 1 tbsp
Method:
•• For Basi Pakhala, add 1 bowl of cooked rice with 2 bowls of water and allow it to cool. Keep for 6-8 hours.
•• For Saja Pakhala, add 1 bowl of cooked rice with 2 bowls of water and allow it to cool.
•• Put a pan on medium flame. Once hot add, add 1 tbsp oil. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and dry chili and wait till it crackles. Now simmer the flame add ½ cup water. Allow it to cool. Add this along with curd, smashed ginger and salt to the bowl containing rice and water. Mix well.
Serve Pakhala with aloo bhaja, bori bhaja, sag bhaja, mach bhaja .