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.[1]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.[2]
Traditional Odia Lunch Thali
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.[3][4]
Yoghurt is used in dishes. Many sweets of the region are based on chhena (cheese).[5]
Rice is a major crop of Odisha along with wheat.[6] 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.
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.[8]
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.[5]
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.[10][11]
Dalma: A dish made from dal and vegetables.[18] 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.[3]
Santula: A dish of finely chopped vegetables which are sauteed with garlic, green chilies, mustard and spices. It has several variations.[3][11]
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.
In Odia cuisine, sāga is one of the most important leafy vegetables. It is popular all over the state. A list of the plants that are used as sāga is as below. Odias typically eat many cooked green leaves. They are prepared by adding "pancha phutan", with or without onion/garlic, and are best enjoyed with pakhala.
Matara sāga (ମଟର ଶାଗ): The inner coating of peas is removed and then chopped to make the saga.
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, and sajana. Some items are as follows:
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:[32] 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:[12]okra (ladies' fingers) and eggplant, sliced and deep-fried
Badi chura:[33] 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
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
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 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.[39][40][41] Many of the ethnic tribes[42] of Odisha have their own indigenous drinks made from forest produce. Any drink that contains alcohol is usually called madya[43][44]
^ abcdefCharmaine O' Brien (15 December 2013). "Orissa". The Penguin Food Guide to India. Penguin Books Limited. p. 188. ISBN978-93-5118-575-8. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
^"Inside Delhi". The Hindu. 11 January 2011. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2014. While savouring Chingudi malai curry (prawns with rich Oriya spices) and kukuda jhola (chicken cooked with spices and egg), the friend soaked in the atmosphere and was transported back to the sight and smell of his native place.
^"Several good reasons to loiter". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2014. Mouth-watering malpua, rasagulla, rasamalei, gulab jamun and other Oriya sweetmeats are served here.
^"Attakali". Odia Recipes. Archived from the original on 8 January 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
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