Thecuisine of Odisha is the cuisine of theIndian state ofOdisha. Compared to other regionalIndian cuisines, Odia cuisine uses lessoil and is lessspicy, while nonetheless remaining flavorful.[1]Rice is thestaple food of this region.Mustard oil is used in some dishes as the cooking medium, butghee (made of cow's milk) is preferred in temples. Odia foods are traditionally served either on brass or bronze metal plates, banana leaves, or disposable plates made ofsal 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 the Hindu scriptures.[3][4]
Yoghurt is used in many Odia dishes. Many sweets of the region are based onchhena (cheese).[5]
Rice is a major crop of Odisha along with wheat.[6] Lentils such as pigeon peas and moong beans are other major ingredients.
Indigenous vegetables used in Odia cuisine arepumpkin,gourd,plantains,jackfruit, andpapaya. Vegetables such as potatoes, cauliflowers, and cabbages are also used alongside local vegetables.
The food in the region aroundPuri andCuttack is greatly influenced by the Jagannath Temple. On the other hand,kalonji andmustard paste are used mostly in every part of the state. In the regions closer to Andhra Pradesh, likeBrahmapur, due to the influence ofSouth Indian cuisine,curry leaves andtamarind are used more.[8]
Temples in the region make offerings to the presiding deities. Theprasada of theJagannath Temple is specifically calledMahaprasad meaning greatest of all prasadas. It consists of 60 recipes/dishes, so it is calledSathie Pauti.
Another misconception that people refer is that the Mahaprasad consists of 56 dishes (calledChhapana Bhoga). It is however false, as this concept prevails in the present day Vrindavan/Braj region, which is based on the legend thatKrishna missed his eight meals for seven days, while trying to save a village from a storm holding up theGovardhan hill, as a shelter.
While in Odia Tradition, the Bhoga is referred to as ସାଠିଏ ପଊଟି (Sathie Pauti), as The Principal Prasad prepared for Jagannath consists of 60 dishes (called Abadha Mahaprasad). The names of the dishes prepared are unknown as it is considered a sacred secret only known to Mahasuar (chief cook). It is believed that the mother is preparing dishes for her children, hence she does not share what she is preparing and how much quantity she prepares.[citation needed]
Pakhala is a rice dish made by adding water with curd to cooked rice. It may then be allowed to ferment overnight. This is calledbasi pakhala and dahi pakhala. The unfermented version of this is calledsaja pakhala. It is served withgreen chillies,onions,yoghurt, badi etc. It is primarily eaten in summer.[10][11]
Dalma: A dish made fromdal and vegetables.[18] It is generally made fromtoor dal and contains chopped vegetables like green papaya, plantain, eggplant, pumpkin, gourd, etc. It is garnished with turmeric, mustard seeds, andpanch phutana. There are several variations of this dish.[3]
Santula: A dish made up of finely chopped vegetables which are sauteed together with garlic, green chilies, mustard and spices. It has several variations.[3][11]
Ghuguni: A popular dish made from overnight-soaked dried peas, potato with some amount of horse gram powder to thicken the curry. It's a popular street food mostly eaten withbara in undivided districts ofPuri andCuttack.
A list of the plants that are used as Sāgå (ଶାଗ) is as below. They are prepared by adding pānchå phuṭåṇå (ପାଞ୍ଚ ଫୁଟଣ), with or without onion/garlic, and are best enjoyed with påkhāḷå (ପଖାଳ).
Måṭårå sāgå (ମଟର ଶାଗ): The inner coating of peas is removed and then chopped to make the saga.
Nāliyā/Lāliyā kosåḷā sāgå (ନାଲିଆ/ଲାଲିଆ କୋଶଳା ଶାଗ) is made from green leaves with red stems. Othersaagas that are eaten arepita gahama,khada,poi,kosala, andsajana. Some items are as follows:
Pithas and sweets are types of traditional Odia dishes.[27][28]
Poda pitha- Traditional Odia cake, a special delicacy in Makar Sankrati & Raja festival, is made up of by layering rice and urad dal batter, stuffed with jaggery and coconut filling.
Chhena Poda pitha- A softer & more spongy variant of Poda pitha is made with chhena(cottage cheese) as base ingredient.
Enduri Pitha- This stuffed steamed rice cake, wrapped in turmeric leaves is a Prathamashtami special dish.
Arisa Pitha- A popular fried pitha made up of rice & jaggery, topped with sesame seeds. This has longer shelf-life & is relished as a snack.
Manda Pitha- Similar to Ukdiche Modak, these are round steamed pithas, made up of rice and stuffed with coconut & jaggery filling. Specially made during Raja, Kumara Purnima and last Thursday of Margashira month festivals.
Kakara Pitha- This is a fried version of Manda Pitha.
Chakuli Pitha- Commonly made in every household on a regular basis, these are round thin pancakes served with bhajaa(vegetable fry), santula, dalma, milk or jaggery.
Budha Chakuli pitha- A thick pancake usually made from leftover rice batter by mixing banana, sweeteners & 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 a pan with a cloth & stuffed with coconut & jaggery filling.
Muaaan pitha- A bigger version of Manda Pitha made by layering batter & cocunt filling, 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 Margashira month.
Itli pitha- Similar to idli, this pitha is made from urad dal and rice batter, topped with coconut shavings. Commonly relished with ghughuni/bhughuni or Dalma.
Gajaa pitha- Another variant of Manda Pitha, stuffed with sweetened moong sprouts filling. 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 sweet pithas, mostly prepared in Sambalpur district of Odisha and offered to Maa Samalei.
Smoked Dry sardinea are cleaned and grinded coarsely together with garlic, green chilly, salt using mortar and pestle or grinder. Dry White bait fish (ଚାଉଳି ଶୁଖୁଆ), dry shrimp (ଚିଙ୍ଗୁଡ଼ି ଶୁଖୁଆ, ତାଂପେଡା) etc. also prepared in similar way, likely flakes/powder.
seer fish (କଣି ମାଛ)/ mackerel (କାନାଗୁର୍ତ୍ଆ, ମରୁଆ) curry, chilly
Bitter dry fish fry (ପିତା ଶୁଖୁଆ ଭଜା)- small freshwater nutrient dense fish dried in sun hygienically and eaten fried or smoked.
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, boil in little water, salt and turmeric powder and then mixed with mustard oil, green chilly, garlic, onion and grinded into a coarse paste.
Alloo piaji:[32] A savory snack, similar topakora orfritters, made with potatoes and onions, long-sliced, mixed and dipped in a batter of gram-flour, and then deep-fried.
Badi chura:[33] A coarsely 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 normalBadi - 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 areas and fried with oil, onion, dried chilli flakes, cumin powder made into a curry, fry, chips.
Mudki: A famous savory snack which resembles a jalebi but the only difference is 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 Hindu gods, and others are made all around the year. The drinks which have a thick consistency are usually calledpaṇaa and the ones with have a watery consistency are usually known assarbat.[39][40][41] Many of the ethnic tribes[42] ofOdisha have their own indigenous drinks made from forest produce. Any drink that contains alcohol is usually calledmadya[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. Retrieved9 December 2014.
^"Inside Delhi".The Hindu. 11 January 2011.Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved11 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. Retrieved11 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. Retrieved11 September 2016.
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