Cuisine of Odisha

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Compared to other regional Indian cuisines, Odia cuisine uses less oil and is less spicy, but very flavourful.^[1][2] Rice is the staple food of this region. Mustard oil is used in several dishes as the cooking medium, but ghee is preferred in temples.^[2] In old times food was traditionally served on disposable plates made of sal leaves.^[3]

Odia cooks, particularly from the Puri region, were much sought after due to their ability to cook food in accordance with Hindu scriptures. During the 19th century, many Odia cooks were employed in Bengal and they took several dishes with them.^[4]

Yoghurt is used in dishes. Many sweets of the region are based on Chhena (cheese).^[5] The period saw a heavy demand for Brahmin cooks, leading many Odia cooks to fake their castes.^[6]

Ingredients and seasoning

The ingredients used in Odia cuisine are plantains, jackfruit, and papaya. The curries are garnished with dried raw mango (ambula) and tamarind. Coconut is used in several dishes.^[7]

Panch phutana is a blend of five spices that is widely used in Odia cuisine. It contains mustard, cumin, fenugreek, aniseed and kalonji. Garlic and onion are used but avoided in temple environs. Turmeric and red chillies are commonly used.^[2]

Local variation

The food in the region around Puri-Cuttack is greatly influenced by the Jagannath Temple. On the other hand, kalonji and mustard paste are used mostly in the region bordering Bengal and curries tend to be sweeter. In the region closer to Andhra Pradesh, curry tree leaves and tamarind are used more.^[2] The Brahmapur region has influences of South Indian cuisine and the Telugu people living there have invented new Odia dishes.^[8]

Temple food

Abadha, the afternoon meal of the Jagannath Temple served on a plantain leaf.

Temples in region make offerings to the presiding deities. The prasada of the Jagannath Temple is well known and is specifically called "Maha Prasad" meaning greatest of all prasadas. It consists of 56 recipes, so it called chhapan bhoga. It is based on the legend that Krishna missed his eight meals for seven days while trying to save a village from a storm holding up the Govardhan hill as a shelter.^[5]

Fish and seafood

Fish and other seafoods are eaten mainly in coastal areas. Several curries are prepared from prawn and lobster with spices.^[2][9] Freshwater fish is available from rivers and irrigation canals.^[4]

List of dishes

Rice dishes and rotis

Pakhala served with wads of lemon, yoghurt and a slice of tomato.

• Pakhala is a rice dish made by adding water to cooked rice. It may then be allowed to ferment overnight. This is called basi pakhala. The unfermented version is called saja pakhala. It is served with green chillies, onions, yoghurt, badi etc. It is primarily eaten in summer.^[10][11]
• Khechidi is a rice dish cooked with lentils.^[12][13] It is the Odia version of khichdi.^[14]
• Palau is a rice dish made from vegetables and raisins. It is the Odia version of pilaf.^[15][16]
• Kanika is a sweet rice dish, garnished with raisins and nuts.^[11][17]
• Ghee rice is fried with ghee and cinnamon

Dals and curries

Dalma

• Dalma: A dish made from dal and vegetables.^[18] It is generally made from toor dal and contains chopped vegetables like green papaya, unripe banana, eggplant, pumpkin, gourd, etc. It is garnished with turmeric, mustard seeds, and panch phutana. There are several variations of this dish.^[4]
• Santula: A dish of finely chopped vegetables which are sauteed with garlic, green chilies, mustard and spices. It has several variations.^[4][11]
• Chaatu rai: A dish made from mushrooms and mustard.^[18]
• Alu potala rosa: Curry made from potato and parval.^[12]
• Kadali manja rai: A curry made from banana plant stem and mustard seeds. Manja refers to the stem which can be used in dalma.^[11][19][20]
• Mahura
• Besara: Assorted vegetables in mustard paste tempered with panch phutana

Khattas and chutneys

Dhania-Patra Chutney

Dahi Baigana

Khatta refers to a type of sour side dish or chutney usually served with Odia thalis.^[21]

• Dahi baigana: A sour dish made from yoghurt and eggplants.^[11][15]
• Khajuri khata: A sweet-and-sour dish made from tomato and dates.^[11][22][23]
• Amba khatta: A khatta made from raw mangoes.^[24]
• Ouu khatta: Elephant apple khatta^[4]
• Dhania-patra chutney: A chutney made from coriander leaves.^[25]

Saaga (salad greens)

Odias typically eat lots of cooked green leaves. They are prepared by adding "pancha phutana", with or without onion/garlic, and are best enjoyed with pakhala.

One of the most popular is lali koshala saaga made from green leaves with red stems.Other saagas that are eaten are pita gahama, khada, poi, koshala, sajana etc.

• Saaga bhaja^[11]
• Kosala saaga bhaja^[12]
• Saga baadi^[21]

Pithas (sweet cakes)

Kakara Pitha

Pithas and sweets are types of traditional Odia dishes.^[26][27]

Rasgulla

• Rasagola
• Poda pitha^[26]
• Enduri pitha
• Chitau pitha
• Arisa pitha
• Kakara pitha
• Manda pitha
• Parijata pitha
• Nurukhurum pitha
• Chandrakanti pitha

Fish and other sea food

Ilishi maachha tarkari

• Machha besara: A fish curry prepared with mustard paste.^[11][28]
• Machha mahura: A curry prepared with fish and vegetables.^[11][29]
• Machha chadchadi: Small fried fishes^[12]
• Chingudi malai tarkari: A prawn curry^[12]
• Kankada jhola: Crab curry^[12]
• Machha chhencheda^[11]
• Chingudi cadchadi
• Chhinchada
• Kokali sukhua rai^[30]

Chicken and chevon

• Mansa tarkari: Chevon and potato curry.^[12]

Odia mutton curry

• Kukuda kassa^[24]
• Mansa kassa^[13]

Fritters and fries

• Aloo piaji^[31]
• Bhindi bhaigan bhaja^[12]
• Badi Chura^[32]

Snacks

• Ghugni: A spicy dish made from peas, can be served with pooris.^[31][33]
• Gupchup^[34]

Desserts and sweets

Chenna Poda

Bela pana

• Kheeri: Kheeri is the Odia word for kheer, predominantly made of rice.^[13][35]
• Chhena Poda: A sweet made from soft cheese dipped in sugar syrup and baked. It may contain dry fruits.^[2]
• Chhena Gaja^[24]
• Malpua^[31]
• Kora^[4]
• Khira sagara^[31]
• Chhena jalebi^[12]
• Chhena kheeri
• Chhena Jhili^[21]
• Rasagolla: The sweet was invented in the city of Puri to appease the deity Mahalaxmi about 700 years ago. The Bengali people claim that it was invented in the 19th century by a Calcutta sweetmaker.^[4][36]
• Gulab jamun^[5][36]
• Rasabali^[12][21]
• Rasmalai^[36]
• Aadasi
• Attakali ^[37]

References

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cuisine of Odisha.

• Bijoylaxmi Hota; Kabita Pattanaik (2007). Healthy Oriya Cuisine. Rupa & Company. ISBN 978-81-291-1118-0. 
• Sujata Patnaik; Ranjita Patnaik. Classic Cooking of Orissa. Allied Publishers. ISBN 978-81-8424-584-4. 
• Laxmi Parida (1 April 2003). Purba: Feasts from the East: Oriya Cuisine from Eastern India. iUniverse. ISBN 978-0-595-26749-1. 

External links

• Recipes of Traditional Odia Foods

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