RECIPES
Chena Poda To Mutton Curry Celebrate Raja With These Two Odia Recipes By Chef Ranjan Panda
Raja Parba is a vibrant three-day festival in Odisha is all about celebrating the monsoon's arrival, womanhood, and fertility—when women rest, and agricultural work pauses to honour the earth’s rejuvenation. And celebrating the same The Orchid Hotel Mumbai is all set to celebrate the Raja Food Festival lead by Chef Ranjan Panda.
Raja dishes by Chef Ranjan Panda
This June, The Orchid Hotel Mumbai reimagines its signature restaurant, South of Vindhyas, as a vibrant ode to Odia heritage with the Raja Food Festival, running from 12th to 16th June 2025. Picture slow-smoked pithas, comforting dalma, the gentle hum of folk tunes, and ornate jhulas swaying beneath a canopy of vivid dupattas. It’s more than a meal—it’s an immersive cultural experience.
Set against the lush backdrop of India’s first eco-friendly five-star hotel, this festival is where conscious luxury meets regional celebration. Helming this culinary journey is Chef Ranjan Panda, Corporate Chef at Kamat Hotels India Ltd., whose mission is to spotlight the rich diversity of Odia cuisine. He’s joined by culinary talent from Ira by Orchid, Bhubaneswar, along with eight handpicked regional chefs flown in to ensure every dish tells a story—authentic, soulful, and unforgettable. Chef Ranjan Panda says “Mumbai hasn’t tasted anything like this. Raja Festival at SOV is our way of sharing the authentic Odia food with Mumbaikar’s. The cherry on top is that Abadha Mahaprasad that is travelling from Jagannath temple, Odia to Mumbai for Mumbaikar’s is - pure, spiritual, seasonal food—with a city that’s always hungry for something new.”
Chhena Poda – Odisha’s Traditional Baked Dessert
Ingredients:- Full-fat milk – 3 litres
- Lemon juice – 10 ml
- Semolina (Rawa) – 100 g
- Sugar – 250 g
- Cardamom powder – 10 g
- Elaichi powder – 5 g
Desi ghee – 20 ml- Baking powder – 10 g
- Salt – 3 g
- Mixed dry fruits (chopped) – 150 g Banana leaf – 1 piece
Method:
Prepare the Chhena (Cottage Cheese):
- Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy-bottomed pan.
- Once boiling, remove from heat and add lemon juice. Stir gently until it curdles.
- Strain through a muslin cloth to separate whey. Rinse the chhena under cold water to eliminate lemony notes, then squeeze out the excess water. Let it cool slightly.
- Transfer the chhena to a bowl or work surface and knead until soft and smooth.
- Add semolina and sugar; knead the mixture thoroughly for about 25 minutes. Rest the mixture for 10 minutes.
Flavouring:
- Mix in cardamom powder, elaichi powder, salt, baking powder, and chopped dry fruits.
- Grease a banana leaf with desi ghee and evenly spread the mixture onto it.Bake:
- Bake over coal heat for approximately 60 minutes or until the surface is golden and caramelized.
- Allow to cool completely before slicing. Serve either warm or chilled.
Traditional Homestyle Mutton Curry
Ingredients for Marination:- Mutton (with bone and skin) – 1 kg
- Ginger paste – 50 g
- Garlic paste – 50 g
- Salt – 5 g
- Turmeric powder – 5 g
- Mustard oil – 20 ml
- Vegetable oil – 200 ml
- Chopped onions – 150 g
- Garlic paste – 70 g
- Ginger paste – 40 g
- Diced tomatoes – 200 g Diced fried potatoes – 400 g
- Turmeric powder – 5 g
- Red chilli powder – 3 g
- Cumin powder – 3 g
- Coriander powder – 3 g
- Mutton masala powder – 10 g
- Salt – 20 g
- Other:
- Hot water – 300 ml
- Fresh coriander (chopped) – 100 g
Marinate the Mutton:
- Combine the mutton with ginger and garlic pastes, salt, turmeric, and mustard oil. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
Prepare the Base:
- Heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sauté chopped onions, garlic, and ginger paste on medium heat for about 25 minutes until golden and aromatic.
Cook the Mutton:
- Add the marinated mutton and cook for 45 minutes, stirring intermittently.
- Add diced fried potatoes and tomatoes. Continue to cook for another 25 minutes, allowing the tomatoes to blend in.
- Stir in turmeric, red chilli, cumin, coriander, mutton masala powder, and salt.
- Cook for another 20 minutes, ensuring the spices are well absorbed.
●Pour in hot water, stir gently, and let it simmeruntil the mutton is tender and the curry reaches the desired consistency.
To Finish:
●Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and servehot with steamed rice or rotis.