Cuisine of Odisha

Odia cuisine is the cuisine of the Indian state of Odisha. Compared to other regional Indian cuisines, Odia cuisine uses less oil and is less spicy, while nonetheless remaining flavourful. Rice is the staple food of this region. Mustard oil is used in some dishes as the cooking medium, but ghee (made of cow's milk) is preferred in temples. Odia foods traditionally served either on brass, bronze metal plates, banana leaf or disposable plates made of sal leaves.

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 many Odia dishes with them.

Yoghurt is used in dishes. Many sweets of the region are based on chhena (cheese).

Ingredients and seasoning

Rice is a major crop of Odisha along with wheat. Lentils such as pigeon peas and moong beans are another major ingredients.

Indigenous vegetables used in Odia cuisine are pumpkin, gourd, plantains, jackfruit, and papaya. Vegetables such as potatoes, cauliflowers, and cabbages are also used alongside local vegetables.

Pancha phutana is a blend of five spices that is widely used in Odia cuisine. It contains mustard, cumin, fenugreek, aniseed and kalonji (onion seeds). Garlic, onion and ginger are used in most of the food. Turmeric and jaggery are used regularly.

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 every part of the state. In the region closer to Andhra Pradesh, curry tree leaves and tamarind are used more. The Brahmapur region has influences of South Indian cuisine.

Temple food

Temples in the 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 is 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.

Fish and seafood

Fish and other seafood are eaten mainly in coastal areas. Several curries are prepared from crab, prawn and lobster with spices. Freshwater fish is available from rivers and irrigation canals.

List of dishes

Rice dishes and rotis

• Pakhala is a rice dish made by adding water with curd to cooked rice. It may then be allowed to ferment overnight. This is called basi pakhala and dahi pakhala. The unfermented version of this is called saja pakhala. It is served with green chillies, onions, yoghurt, badi etc. It is primarily eaten in summer.

• Khechidi is a rice dish cooked with lentils. It is the Odia version of khichdi.
• Palau is a rice dish made from meat, vegetables and raisins. It is the Odia version of pilaf.
• Kanika is a sweet rice dish, garnished with raisins and nuts.
• Ghee rice is fried with ghee and cinnamon

Dal

• Dalma: A dish made from dal and vegetables. It is generally made from toor dal and contains chopped vegetables like green papaya, plantain, eggplant, pumpkin, gourd, etc. It is garnished with turmeric, mustard seeds, and panch phutana. There are several variations of this dish.
• Dali: A dish made from one of the Dals like tur, horse gram, chana, masur, mung or a combination of these.

Curries

• Santula: A dish of finely chopped vegetables which are sauteed with garlic, green chilies, mustard and spices. It has several variations.
• Ghuguni : A popular dish made from overnight soaked peas, potato with some moulds of horse gram powder to thicken the curry. It's a popular curry in street food mostly eaten with bara in undivided districts of Puri and Cuttack.
• Chhatu rai: A dish made from mushrooms and mustard.
• Alu potala rasa: Curry made from potato and pointed gourds.
• Kadali manja rai: A curry made from banana plant stem and mustard seeds. Manja refers to the stem which can be used in dalma.
• Mohura:
• Besara: Assorted vegetables in mustard paste tempered with pancha phutan

Khattas and chutneys

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

• Dahi baigana: A sour dish made from yoghurt and eggplants.
• Dahi bhendi: A sour dish made from yoghurt and ladies fingers.
• Khajuri khata: A sweet-and-sour dish made from tomato and dates.
• Amba khatta: A khatta made from raw mangoes.
• Ou khatta: Elephant apple khatta
• Tomato khata: A sweet-and-sour dish made from tomato and jaggery
• Dhania-patra chutney: A chutney made from coriander leaves.

Shaag (salad greens)

A list of the plants that are used as sāga is as below. They are prepared by adding pancha phutan, with or without onion/garlic, and are best enjoyed with pakhala.

• Kalama sāga (କଳମ ଶାଗ) Ipomoea aquatica (Water Spinach)
• Kosalā/Khadā sāga (କୋସଳା ଶାଗ/ଖଡା ଶାଗ): prepared from amaranth leaves.
• Bajji sāga (ବଜ୍ଜୀ ଶାଗ): Prepared from Amaranthus dubius leaves.
• Leutiā sāga (ଲେଉଟିଆ ଶାଗ)Amaranthus viridis leaves and tender stems.
• Pālanga sāga (ପାଳଙ୍ଗ ଶାଗ) spinach
• Poi sāga (ପୋଈ ଶାଗ): prepared from basella leaves and tender stems.
• Bāramāsi/Sajanā sāga (ବାରମାସି/ ସଜନା ଶାଗ): prepared from leaves of the drumstick tree. Cooked with lentils or alone with fried onions.
• Sunusuniā sāga (ସୁନୁସୁନିଆ ଶାଗ) Marsilea polycarpa leaves.
• Pitāgama sāga (ପିତାଗମା ଶାଗ)
• Pidanga sāga (ପିଡଙ୍ଗ ଶାଗ)
• Kakhāru sāga (କଖାରୁ ଶାଗ): Prepared from leaves of the pumpkin plant.
• Madarangā sāga (ମଦରଙ୍ଗା ଶାଗ): prepared from leaves of Alternanthera sessilis.
• Sorisa saga (ଶୋରିସ ଶାଗ) : Mustard greens
• Methi sāga (ମେଥୀ ଶାଗ): prepared from methi or Fenugreek leaves and besara (mustard paste) cooked with vegetable.
• Matara sāga (ମଟର ଶାଗ): The inner coating of peas is removed and then chopped to make the saga.

• Lali koshala saaga is made from green leaves with red stems. Other saagas that are eaten are pita gahama, khada, poi, koshala, and sajana. Some items are as follows:
• Saaga Bhaja
• Saaga Muga
• Saaga Badi
• Saaga Rai
• Saru patra tarkari

Pithas (sweet cakes)

Pithas and sweets are types of traditional Odia dishes.

• Poda pitha- Traditional Odia cake, that's a special delicacy in Makar Sankrati & Raja festival. It is also made in layering of batter & gud-coconut stuffing.
• Chhena Poda pitha- A softer & more spongy variant of Poda pitha made with chhena as base ingredient.
• Enduri Pitha- This stuffed steamed cake, wrapped in turmeric leaves is a Prathamashtami Special dish.
• Arisa Pitha- A popular fried pitha made from rice & jaggery, topped with sesame seeds. This has longer shelf life & relished as a snack.
• Manda Pitha- Similar to Ukdiche Modak, these are round steamed pithas, made of rice & stuffed with coconut & jaggery. Specially made during Raja, Kumara Purnima & last thursday of Margashirsh.
• Kakara Pitha- This is a fried version of Manda.
• Chakuli Pitha- Commonly made in every household on regular basis. Colemented with bhajaa, santula, dalma, milk or gud.
• Budha Chakuli pitha- A thick pancake usually made from leftover batter by mixing banana, sweetners & seasonings.
• Gainthaa pitha- Bite sized steamed rice pitha, usually made along Manda Pitha and specially on Boula Amavasya
• Chhunchi Patra pitha- Renowned for its thinness, this pitha is a wrap made by brushing rice batter on pan with a cloth & stuffed with coconut & jaggery.
• Muaaan pitha- A bigger version of Manda Pitha made by layering batter & stuffing on a cotton/muslin cloth tied over a steamer
• Taala pitha- A rare pancake made by flavouring the chakuli pitha batter with grounded ice apple.
• Chitau pitha- A pan-baked unturned pitha, made from rice batter & topped with coconut shavings. This is specially made on Chitau Amavasya & first thursday of Margashirsha.
• Itli pitha- Similar to idli, this pitha is made from urad batter & topped with coconut shavings. Commonly relished with ghughuni/bhubhuni or Dalma
• Gajaa pitha- Another variant of Manda, stuffed with sweetened moong sprouts. The structure, unlike the normal manda are a little peaked from top. This is specially made for Lord Dhabaleshwar on the occasion of Bada Osha.
• Dudura Pitha- A fried puffed pithas, that's sweet in taste. Mostly prepared in Sambalpur and offered to Maa Samalei.

Egg, chicken and mutton

• Anda tarkari: An egg curry prepared with onion and tomato paste
• Chicken tarkari: A chicken curry
• Chicken kasa
• Saru Patra Poda Chicken
• Mangsaw tarkari
• Mangsaw kasa
• Mangsaw besara
• Baunsaw Poda Mangsaw : Mutton or Chicken roasted inside bamboo.
• Patra Poda Mangsaw : Mutton or Chicken wrapped in leaves then roasted .
• Mati Handi Mangsaw : Mutton or Chicken cooked in earthen utensils.

Fish and other sea food

• machha besara: A fish curry prepared with mustard paste.
• Machha Mahura: A fish curry prepared with small fish and vegetables.
• Machha Jhola
• Machha chhencheda : Fish mashed with a vegetable curry prepared in a ghee rich gravy.
• Chunna Machha Jhola: A fish curry, similar to Machha Jhola, but prepared with small smelt fish.
• Chunna Machha Tarkari: Small fried smelt fishes
• Chingudi Malai Tarkari: A prawn curry
• Kankada Jhola: Crab curry
• Chingudi chadchadi
• Kokali sukhua rai
• Mullet curry (ଖଅଙ୍ଗା ମାଛ ତରକାରୀ)
• Milkfish Curry (ସେବା ଖଙ୍ଗା ମାଛ ତରକାରୀ)
• smoked oil sardine (dry fish) with garlic- କୋକଲି ଶୁଖୁଆ ସେକା /ପୋଡା

Smoked Dry sardine after cleaning mix with garlic, green chilly, salt using mortar and pestle or mixture grinder. Dry White bait fish (ଚାଉଳି ଶୁଖୁଆ), dry shrimp (ଚିଙ୍ଗୁଡ଼ି ଶୁଖୁଆ, ତାଂପେଡା) etc. also prepared like this flake/powdered.

• seer fish (କଣି ମାଛ)/ mackerel (କାନାଗୁର୍ତ୍ଆ, ମରୁଆ) curry, chilly
• Bitter dry fish fry (ପିତା ଶୁଖୁଆ ଭଜା)- small freshwater nutrient fish dried in sun ray in hygienic manner and eaten fried or smocked.
• ପୋହଳା ମାଛ ତରକାରୀ (minor /small carp fish curry). Fried small carp in onion or mustard based gravy.
• Mola fry/ chips/ boiled grind. ମହୁରାଳୀ ମାଛ ଭଜା / ଛଣା / ଚକଟା. Very nutritious. After Cleaning wash, boil in less water, add salt and turmeric. Mix with mustard oil, green chilly, garlic, onion and grind.

Fritters and fries

• Alloo piaji: A savory snack, similar to pakora or fritters, made with potatoes and onions, long-sliced, mixed and dipped in a batter of gram-flour, and then deep-fried
• Bhendi baigana bhaja: okra (ladies' fingers) and eggplant, sliced and deep-fried
• Badi chura: A coarse crushed mixture of sun-dried lentil dumplings (badi), onion, garlic, green chillies and mustard oil
• Pampad : flat savory snack like deep-friend or roasted appetizer, which looks very similar to a roti, usually eaten during lunch time
• Phula badi: bigger and inflated versions of the normal Badi - a sun-dried lentil dumpling
• Sajana chhuin bhaja: drumsticks sliced into pieces and deep/shallow fried in oil
• Desi kankada bhaja (ଦେଶୀ କାଙ୍କଡ଼ ଭଜା) - a vegetable found in hilly area and fried with oil, onion, dried chilli flake, cumin powder curry, fry, chips

Snacks

• Ghugni: A spicy dish made from peas, can be served with pooris.
• Gupchup
• Chaat
• Dahibara Aludam
• Chanachura or Baramaza
• Piaji
• Bara
• Gulgula
• Chuda (Poha) Bhaja
• Chuda (Poha) Dahi as breakfast
• Mudhi (Mur mura) as breakfast or evening snacks
• Khai
• Chaula bhaja
• Checha Piaji
• Kachodi chaat
• Suji Bara
• Pakudi
• Aloo chop
• Baigani
• Dantikili
• Singada (samosa)

Desserts and sweets

• Kheeri: Kheeri is the Odia word for kheer, predominantly made of rice.
• Chhena Poda: A sweet made from soft cheese dipped in sugar syrup and baked. It may contain dry fruits.
• Chhena Gaja
• Malpua
• Kora
• Khira sagara
• Khirsapani
• Chhena kheeri
• Suji kheeri
• Chhena Jhili
• Rasagola
• Rasabali
• Rasmalai
• Sarsatia
• Aadasi
• Attakali
• Khaja
• Magaj Ladu
• Gajja : a light savory snack
• Rabidi : a sweet curd like dish
• Mudki: A famous savory snack which resembles a jalebi but the only difference being that jalebi are on the sweet palette where as mudki are light and more savoury
• Chenna Mudki
• Mathapuli: a dessert made out of urad dal and sugar syrup. Found in Khurda District, particularly in places such as Tangi, Chandapur, Banapur.

Drinks

There are many traditional alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks which are unique to Odisha. Some are made during specific festivals or as an offering to Hindu gods, and others are made all year. The drinks which have a thick consistency are usually called paṇan and the ones with have a watery consistency are usually known as sarbat. Many of the ethnic tribes of Odisha have their own indigenous drinks made from forest produce. Any drink that contains alcohol is usually called madya

Alcoholic

• Aamba mada - mango-based alcoholic beverage
• Aakhu mada - sugarcane-based alcoholic beverage
• Amrutabhanda mada - papaya-based alcoholic beverage
• Anlaa mada - Indian gooseberry-based alcoholic beverage
• Dimiri tadi - juice of Indian fig-based alcoholic beverage
• Dimiri mada - pulp of Indian fig-based alcoholic beverage
• Handia - traditional rice beer popular among the tribes of Odisha
• Kadali mada - banana-based alcoholic beverage
• Guda mada - jaggery-based alcoholic beverage
• Pijuli mada - guava-based alcoholic beverage
• Jamukoli mada - Malabar plum-based alcoholic beverage
• Jana mada - maize-based alcoholic beverage
• Tala mada - palm-based alcoholic beverage
• Kumuda mada - squash-based alcoholic beverage
• Landa - rice-based alcoholic beverage
• Mahulu mada or mahuli - mahua flower-based alcoholic beverage
• Panasa mada - jackfruit-based alcoholic beverage
• Pendum - rice-based alcoholic beverage consumed by the Bonda tribe
• Rasi - a type of rice beer related to handia; popular among the tribes of Odisha
• Sagur - alcoholic beverage made from different fruit nuts, mahua flowers or fruits using the process of distillation known as sagur by the Bonda tribe
• Salapi - palm-based alcoholic beverage
• Sapung - sago palm-based alcoholic beverage consumed by the Bonda tribe
• Sindi mada - date palm-based alcoholic beverage
• Tamati mada - tomato-based alcoholic beverage
• Tetel mada - tamarind-based alcoholic beverage

Cannabis-based

• Bhangaw sarbat or bhangaw pawṇaa - beverage containing a paste of cannabis leaves

Non-alcoholic

• Adhara paṇa - a milk and chhena-based drink offered to the trinity at the end of Ratha Yatra
• Amba paṇa - a mango-based summer drink
• Bela paṇa - a drink made from wood or stone apple during Pana Sankranti festival
• Dahi pudina sarbat - a summer drink made using curd and mint leaves
• Ghola dahi - buttermilk with spices
• Landa bagula dahi sarbat - a drink made from curd and sweet basil seeds
• Lemonade - summer drink made from water, lemon, sugar and salt
• Khajuri misri - summer drinks made from date palm misri, lemon and sweet basil seeds
• Mandia peja - a millet-based summer drink
• Jhara Paṇa - a summer drink made from arrowroot and jaggery in southern Odisha
• Tanka toraṇi - a rice-water based drink prepared in Jagannath Temple

References

Further reading

• Bijoylaxmi Hota; Kabita Pattanaik (2007). Healthy Oriya Cuisine. Rupa & Company. ISBN 978-81-291-1118-0.
• Sujata Patnaik; Ranjita Patnaik (2010). 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

• Traditional recipes
• Traditional recipes in Hindi