Want To Try This Unique Tukei Kundei Flower Recipe Of Odisha?
Image Credit: Tukei Kundei curry, Image Source: Soul Of Odisha

In every part of the world, there would be a few exotic recipes from each smallest region that will be indigenous to it. Often most of them would remain in incognito mode for the rest of the world. In the culinary space, ingredients from the flora realm are common. While leaves, fruits, vegetables, and stems are the most prevalent parts of a plant to use, flowers are a tad unusual in cooking. A similar rare recipe is from northern Odisha, made with Tukei Kundei flowers. This dish is primarily limited to the northern part of this state, especially in Mayurbhanj and Balasore. And the flowers are available mainly between May and September.

These beautiful tiny blooms are knowns as Tonkin Jasmine. The botanical name is Telosma Cordata. It is also identified as the Chinese Violet or Pakalana vine. The plant is a creeper, and the white flowers bloom in bunches. A few other Asian countries, such as Vietnam, Indonesia and China, also use this jasmine for cooking.

Tonkin jasmine flowers

Tukei Kundei Tarkari is somehow a lost recipe. Not many know about its existence.

Let's learn this exotic recipe. 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup tukei kundei flowers
  • 2 tablespoon poppy seeds (posta) paste with green chillies
  • 1 potato 
  • 1 small tomato
  • 5 fresh green chillies
  • 1 tablespoon mustard oil
  • 1 onion 
  • 1 teaspoon panch phoran
  • Salt to taste

Tonkin Jasmine curry, Image Source: Soul Of Odisha

Method

  1. Thinly slice the onions. And finely chop the tomato
  2. Peel one big potato, wash it and cut it into small cubes. 
  3. Wash the flowers and keep them in a bamboo basket or colander to drain the excess water
  4. Heat oil in a wok, add the panch phoran and let it splutter
  5. Add the sliced onions. Fry till they turn translucent
  6. Add the chopped potato cubes and season with salt. Give them a good stir. 
  7. Let the veggies cook for 5-7 minutes on low-to-medium flame, or till the potatoes are half cooked
  8. Blend in the poppy or posta paste and mix it well with the potato cubes. 
  9. Cook for a minute or two. Add the washed flowers 
  10. Mix them thoroughly to ensure the paste is uniformly coated
  11. Fry for another 2-3 minutes
  12. Add the chopped tomato cubes and 4-5 fresh slitter green chillies
  13. Now add 1/2 cup water, cover with a lid and cook on simmer till the potatoes are cooked. 
  14. If you feel it is too dry, add a tablespoon of water and stir once again. It shouldn't be runny but a bit mushy fry. 

Now it is ready to serve with rice or roti.