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A simple and delicious Odia stir-fry made with tender ridge gourd and a fragrant blend of panch phoron spices. This quick side dish comes together in minutes and pairs perfectly with rice and dal for a comforting meal.
For 4 servings
Prepare the ridge gourd. Wash the janhi thoroughly. Use a peeler to lightly scrape off the sharp, hard ridges, leaving most of the green skin intact. Chop the gourd into 1/2-inch thick half-moon pieces and set aside.
Temper the spices. Heat mustard oil in a kadai or pan over medium-high heat until it just begins to smoke. Reduce the heat to medium, add the panch phoron and broken dried red chillies. Allow them to splutter for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Sauté the aromatics. Add the chopped garlic and sliced onions to the pan. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions become soft and translucent.
Cook the ridge gourd. Add the chopped janhi to the pan, followed by the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and salt. Stir everything together until the janhi pieces are well-coated with the spices.
Simmer until tender. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10-12 minutes. The ridge gourd will release its own water, so no extra water is needed. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. The dish is ready when the janhi is soft but still holds its shape, and most of the liquid has evaporated.
Garnish and serve. Turn off the heat and garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot as a side dish with steamed rice and dal.
A simple and delicious Odia stir-fry made with tender ridge gourd and a fragrant blend of panch phoron spices. This quick side dish comes together in minutes and pairs perfectly with rice and dal for a comforting meal.
This odia recipe takes 25 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 104.75 calories per serving with 1.5g of protein, it's a beginner-friendly recipe perfect for lunch or dinner or side.
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Add one small potato, diced, along with the onions and cook until slightly tender before adding the janhi. This version is called 'Aloo Janhi Bhaja'.
For a creamier texture, add 2 tablespoons of poppy seed paste (posto bata) in the last 5 minutes of cooking. This is a popular Bengali and Odia variation.
Add 2 tablespoons of mustard paste (sorisha bata) towards the end of cooking for a pungent and classic Odia flavor, known as 'Janhi Besara'.
Sauté small shrimp (chingudi) after the onions and before adding the ridge gourd for a delicious non-vegetarian version.
Ridge gourd is composed of over 90% water, making this dish an excellent way to contribute to your daily fluid intake and stay hydrated.
The high dietary fiber content in ridge gourd helps regulate bowel movements, prevent constipation, and promote a healthy digestive system.
This dish is naturally low in calories and fat, making it an ideal choice for weight management and those looking for light, nutritious meals.
Ridge gourd is a good source of Vitamin C, iron, and magnesium. Spices like turmeric add anti-inflammatory properties to the dish.
Yes, Janhi Bhaja is a very healthy dish. Ridge gourd is low in calories and fat, high in dietary fiber, and rich in water content, which aids in hydration. The use of minimal oil and healthy spices like turmeric makes it a nutritious side dish.
One serving of Janhi Bhaja (approximately 1 cup or 115g) contains around 80-100 calories, depending on the amount of oil used. It's a light and low-calorie option perfect for a balanced meal.
Panch Phoron is a whole spice blend from Eastern India, containing equal parts of fenugreek, nigella, cumin, black mustard, and fennel seeds. It is key to the dish's authentic flavor. If you don't have it, you can use 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds and 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds as a basic substitute, but the flavor will be different.
Ridge gourd has a very high water content. If your dish is too watery, it could be because the gourd was very fresh or you cooked it with the lid on for too long on very low heat. To fix this, simply remove the lid and cook on medium-high heat for a few minutes, allowing the excess water to evaporate.
Absolutely. For a 'sattvic' or no-onion-no-garlic version, simply skip the onion and garlic. You can add a pinch of asafoetida (hing) to the hot oil along with the panch phoron for a different aromatic flavor.
Store leftover Janhi Bhaja in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan or microwave before serving.
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