Rachnaa Prasad, celebrated chef and founder of Ambrosia Kitchen, believes that every recipe holds a memory. Known for infusing emotion and heritage into her cooking, she has become a passionate ambassador for India’s regional cuisines, especially those of her native Bihar. Through thoughtfully curated pop-ups and bespoke dining experiences, Rachnaa has revived age-old recipes and brought forgotten flavors back into the spotlight. In this special collection, she shares dishes that reflect her philosophy: food is not just nourishment, but a celebration of roots, culture, and connection.
5 Recipes by Rachnaa Prasad
BOOT BESANI
Ingredients:
- Besan (gram flour) – 200 grams
- Tomatoes – 2 finely chopped
- Fenugreek seeds -1tsp
- Green chili – 2 slit
- Garlic paste – 2tsp
- Turmeric powder – 2 tsp
- Kashmiri Red chili powder – 2tsp
- Dill (soya) leaves – 2tsp
- Yellow mustard paste – 2 tbsp
- Wheat flour – 1tsp
- Fresh coriander leaves – 2tsp
- Mustard oil – 3tbsp
- Water for gravy
- Salt to taste
Method:
- In a vessel, add besan, turmeric powder, half, salt, and mustard oil, and make a dough using water. Roll the dough in your hand like a seekh kabab. Now put the rolls in boiling water and let them boil for 5 minutes. Take out the Besan rolls from the water and let them cool. Now, cut the rounds into small pieces and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a deep pan and add fenugreek seeds. Once it is brown, add the mustard paste and stir until the paste is completely done. Now add garlic paste and sauté, add chopped tomatoes little water, and cover the lid. After 5mins add turmeric powder, chilli powder, wheat flour, and stir nicely.
- In a separate pan, add some mustard oil and heat. Now put the besan rounds and stir-fry until crispy. Add the besan rounds to the masala paste and mix nicely. Add 1 cup of water, coriander leaves, dill leaves, and slit green chilli.
- Cover the lid and cook for 5 minutes for a while. Serve hot with steamed rice.
SATTU KHICHDI
Ingredients:
- Sattu (Roasted black chickpea flour) – 1 cup
- Maize flour – ¼ cup
- Mustard oil – 2tbsp
- Black mustard seed – ½tsp
- Hing (Asafetida) – one pinch
- Cumin seed – 1tsp
- Ghee – 1tsp
- Onion – 1 finely chopped
- Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 tsp
- Green chili – 1 finely chopped
- Tomato – 1 small (finely chopped)
- Green peas – ¼ cup (boiled)
- Carrot – ¼ cup (finely chopped and boiled)
- White Radish – 2tsp (finely chopped)
- Radish leaves – 1 tbsp
- Coriander leaves – handful (finely chopped)
- Lemon juice – 1tsp
- Water – 4 cups
- Salt to taste
Method:
- In a pan, roast the sattu flour and maize flour together till they turn brown. Let it cool.
In a deep pan, heat mustard oil, then add cumin seed, mustard seed, green chili, and Asafetida. - Now, add the chopped onion and fry for 2 minutes. Then, add the ginger garlic paste, chopped tomato, and fry for another 2 minutes.
- Add green peas, carrots, radish, and radish leaves, and cook for a while. Now, add the flour mix, coriander leaves, lemon juice, and salt. Sauté for 2 minutes and add 3 to 4 cups of water, mixing thoroughly. Cover the lid and let it cook for 10 minutes.
- Serve hot with a drop of ghee on top.
OAL KA BHARTA
Ingredients:
- 500-gram Oal (Suran, yam)
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp ginger (finely chopped)
- 2-3 green chili (finely chopped)
- 1 small-sized radish (finely chopped)
- 1 lemon
- salt to taste
Method:
- Boil the Oal along with lemon in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles. When cool, mash them and keep aside.
- Once cool, mash it nicely and add turmeric powder, ginger, garlic, green chili, radish, mustard oil, and salt. Store it in a glass jar and keep it in the sun for two to three days.
- Your Oal ka bharta is ready to eat now.