Omita Khar
the alkaline assamese opener. Raw papaya simmered soft, plain and cleansing
Allergens in Omita Khar: mustard.
Ingredients
Quantities for 4.
- 500g, peeled, deseeded and cut into 3cm cubes Raw Papaya
- 1/4 tsp Baking Sodastands in for khar, the alkaline water filtered through sun-dried banana-peel ash; the catalogue has no khar and this is the standard urban substitute
- 3 tbsp Mustard Oil
- 2 tbsp, soaked 30 minutes and drained Whole Uradfried till golden, the upper-Assam habitoptional
- 3, slit Green Chilli
- 1/4 tsp Turmericoptional
- 1 tbsp, chopped Coriander Leavesoptional
- to taste Salt
- 500ml Water
Cookware
stovetop
Checked against the ingredient list for ten allergens: milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, mustard, soy and gluten. Brands vary, so read the label on anything new to you.
Before you start
- A quarter teaspoon of baking soda is the ceiling for this quantity. More and the dish turns soapy and slippery on the tongue. There is no fixing it once it is in.
- Soak the whole urad 30 minutes and drain it thoroughly on a cloth, or it will spit in the hot oil.
- Khar is eaten first, at the very start of an Assamese meal, with plain rice and nothing sour alongside it.
Method
- Heat the mustard oil in a heavy pan until it smokes, then let it cool for a minute.
- Fry the drained urad 2 minutes until deep gold and lift it out with a slotted spoon. Keep it for the end.It should crackle, not brown in seconds. If it darkens instantly the oil is still too hot.
- Drop in the slit chillies and let them blister 30 seconds.
- Add the papaya, turmeric and salt and toss 3 minutes, until the cut edges look glassy.
- Pour in the water, cover and simmer 12 minutes, until a fork goes through a cube with no resistance.
- Stir in the baking soda and simmer uncovered 5 minutes. It will foam up and settle, and the liquid turns faintly silky.Add it at the end, never at the start. Early alkali collapses the papaya to mush.
- Crush four or five cubes against the side of the pan to thicken the broth, then scatter over the fried urad and coriander and serve at once.
Storage
Keeps 2 days refrigerated, and the alkali keeps softening the papaya, so it will be looser on day two. Reheat gently with a splash of water; add the fried urad fresh if you want the crunch back.
Nutrition Good estimate
One serving of Omita Khar (247 g) is about 170 calories, or 69 calories per 100 g.
Low protein: 2 g a serving, 5% of the calories
| Per serving247 g | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 170 kcal | 69 kcal |
| Protein | 2.1 g | 1 g |
| Carbohydrate | 17.9 g | 7 g |
| of which sugars | 10.1 g | 4 g |
| Fibre | 3.3 g | 1 g |
| Fat | 10.9 g | 4 g |
| of which saturated | 1.3 g | 0 g |
| of which unsaturated | 8.6 g | 4 g |
Ingredients given to taste count as zero, so the real figures run a little higher. Nearest database match used for whole urad. Estimated from raw ingredients using USDA FoodData Central.
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Times, yields, allergens and nutrition are guidance. Use your own judgement on doneness and on storing. More in About.