One fall out of the lockdown and social distancing has been my recollection of all those people who have showered me with affection and taught me cooking. One such person was Uma da.

I had began my career in the development sector in Odisha. One early morning of August, eighteen years back, I had landed in Bhubaneswar, bag, baggage and a trunk. I had been deputed to an artisan’s collective called Orupa to do the financial structuring for an artisan livelihood cell. I didn’t know the city, or the language or anyone there. I had no clue where I would stay; there was no hotel booked for me. The organisation had not responded to the letter sent by the Ministry. All I had was the address of the office.

I hired a tuktuk and landed at the office, baggage et al! It turned out to be a quaint little office with eight staff; strewn with beautiful artifact. They were shocked to see a young girl descend on them out of nowhere. Like all good government postal communication, my transfer order had not reached them! I sent them all in a tizzy!

Thankfully, the office had a guest house. It was decided that I will stay there till I found an accomodation to take up on rent. The guest house was a two bedroom flat behind the office, which also doubled as the staff canteen and the residence of Sarat – the driver and Uma da – the caretaker, admin clerk and inventory manager of the office.

My introduction to Uma da was through a hot plate of breakfast. Worried that I hadn’t eaten anything since morning, he asked me if I wanted toast and omlette. Only later I figured that toast and omlette was the last thing on Uma Da’s approved list of breakfasts! He wanted to give me something familiar, so that I feel settled and not homesick.

Uma da was five foot, frail, soft spoken to a fault and the most caring soul one could come across. For the one month of my stay in the guest house, Uma da took care me like his own child. He cooked things I liked, kept check on my health and moods and every night Uma da and Sarat sat talking to me, introducing me to the craft, the language, the culture, the food and their lives. For the next two years, he accompanied me to almost every office trip to villages, not trusting to leave me alone. Changed office lunch menus according to my preference, to everybody’s amusement. Bought me trinkets and things to eat. And taught me my first Odia dishes. He was from Dhenkanal, and a fantastic cook. One of the dishes I learnt from him from the ghaanto – a wholesome medley of vegetables, sprouts and coconut.

The day the order for my transfer from Bhubaneswar came, Uma da came to me teary eyed and asked me couldn’t I refuse to go. Some 60 artisand had come from craft clusters across the state to see me off. Uma da cooked for them and laid out beds in the guest house and office. On the morning I left, there was an entourage of artisans and office staff who saw me off. Front and centre amongst them was Uma da, who had held my hand and cried his eyes out. I kept in touch with him till he retired, and then we drifted off. But not in memories.

Uma da’s ghanto tarkari

Vegetables, cut into one inch cubes – 1 cup red pumpkin, 2 medium sized potatoes, 1/2 cup sweet potato, 1 large green banana, 1 medium ripe cucumber, 1 cup ash gourd, 1 large radish, 1 medium long brinjal, 4 medium sized pointed gourd, 2 medium sizee ridge gourd

5-6 string bean, cut into 1 inches, 1/2 cup sprouted green moong beans, 1/2 cup soaked bengal gram

Fresh coconut – 1/3 cup grated and 1/4 cup chopped; 2 inch grated fresh ginger, 1 bay leaf, 1 sliver of elephant apple or a small piece of dry green mango, 1 tsp turmeric powder, Salt , to taste, 1 tbsp powdered jaggery, 2-3

For tempering – 1 tablespoon cow’s milk ghee, 2 dry red chillies , 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds

Dry roast and grind to a powder- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp whole black pepper, 1 dry red chilli

Process:

1. Wash and cut all the vegetables.

2. In a heavy bottomed large pan, put the potatoes, sweet potato, radish, beans and kala chana with 1 cup water, turmeric powder, salt, bay leaf, grated ginger. Cover and put to boil over medium-low heat.

3. Once the vegetables are 1/3 cooked, add the rest of the vegetables, chopped coconut and sprouted moong beans. Cover and cook till the vegetables are cooked through but not mushy.

4. Add the elephant apple/dry green mango, and the powdered jaggery. Cover and cook till vegetables are on the mushier side of doneness. Adjust the salt.

5. Remove the pan from the fire.

6. In a small pan or a large ladle, heat ghee till almost smoking. Temper with whole dry red chillies and cumin seeds. Once the cumin starts to splutter, pour this over the cooked vegetables.

6. Add the grated coconut and dry roasted spice powder, mix well. Cover and cook on low flame for 4 to 5 minutes.

Notes:
This recipe doesn’t have colocassia or yam as I am allergic to both and since the day I set foot, those vegetables never found their way into Uma da’s shppoing bag! Traditional recipes call for those two, so please feel free to add 1/2 cup of each, cut into cubes. Add them in the begining with the other tubers.

I have always had ghanto with thin, soft chapattis. It can also be had with rice. Om says that traditional way is to eat it by itself like a bowl meal. Take your pick.

I made this recently as Om was craving for some ghanto and he certified that it tasted as good as the one mom-in-law make. Uma da taught me well.