Besara is a traditional mixed vegetable delicacy, which is one of the 56 items made to Lord Jagannath at Puri temple. This is a very healthy preparation and covers a wide range of seasonal vegetables and roots in a mustard-based gravy infused with aromatic spices. We do not add chilies, tomatoes, potatoes, or any nightshade vegetables in this preparation.
Ingredients List
Vegetables
Orange pumpkin cubes – 1 cup
Diced sweet potato – ½ cup
Taro root (Arbi) – ½ cup
Radish – ½ cup
Yam (Desi aloo) – ½ cup
Spine gourd (Kankada) – ½ cup
Long beans (Jhudanga) – ½ cup
Parwal – ½ cup
Flat beans – ½ cup
Raw banana (small cubes) – ¾ cup
Other Ingredients:
Black or brown chickpeas – ½ cup (soaked and boiled)
Grated coconut – ½ cup
Nadi Badi – ¼ cup
Asafoetida (Hing) – a pinch
Sugar or jaggery – 1 tbsp
Pure Ghee – 2 tbsp
Panch Phoran – 1 tbsp
Bay leaves – 2
Salt – 2 tsp (as per taste)
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Water – 2 to 3 cups
Crushed ginger – 2 tbsp
For Spice Paste (Masala):
Mustard seeds – 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tbsp
Fennel seeds – 2 tbsp
Black pepper – 1 tbsp
Instruction
Soak the black chickpeas for 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Once soaked, boil them in water until soft and set aside. Add a pinch of salt while boiling the chickpeas. Once cooked, drain the water and keep aside.
Soak all the spices in water for about 30 minutes, then grind them into a smooth paste with a little water and keep aside.
Lightly roast the Nadi Badi in a bit of ghee and set that aside as well.
Cut all the vegetables into small cubes, keeping the pumpkin pieces slightly larger. To prevent discoloration, place the raw banana cubes in water.
In a large pan, bring 2 to 3 cups of water to a rolling boil.
Add the chopped vegetables, boiled chickpeas, bay leaves, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well, cover with a lid, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes until the vegetables are half-cooked.
Then, remove the lid and add the prepared spice paste, crushed ginger, grated coconut, and jaggery. Stir thoroughly so that the masala coats all the vegetables evenly.
Lower the flame, cover again, and continue cooking on low heat until the vegetables are fully cooked and the mixture thickens.
For seasoning, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a small pan, hing, Panchphoran, and allow them to splutter. Turn off the heat and pour this seasoning into the vegetable mixture.
Add the fried badis and gently mix. Let the dish rest, covered, for about 5 minutes on the stove.
Finally, transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with grated coconut and the roasted Nadi Badis. Your Besara is now ready to be offered to Lord Jagannath