Orissa Food recipes | Oriya vegetarian recipes | Odisha dishes |

Orissa Food recipes, Oriya vegetarian recipes. Odisha (previously known as Orissa) is located in east India. The surrounding states , the Jagganath temple and the coastline (from Balasore to Ganjam) influence its cuisine, which can be roughly divided into three broad groups.

Odisha vegetarian Breakfast recipes

Odisha Breakfast recipes. Odias love  to have a heavy breakfast with a South Indian influence. Idli, dosa, upma, Chakuli pitha (a thicker and slightly less fermented version of dosa), ghugni (same as Bengali gughni) , Medu Vada  (Bara in Odia)

Ghugni, Bengali Style Diabetic Snack

Puri or Luchi (same as Bengali Luchi) with Aloo tarkari (Potatoes cooked in a thin gravy), chuda santula (similar to Maharashtrian Pohe) are a few examples of breakfast items popular all across the state.

Odisha Lunch and Dinner vegetarian recipes

Odisha Lunch and Dinner recipes. Rice is staple food in this state attributing to the production of rice in abundant quantities. Rice is had in the form of Khechuri (similar to Bengali khichdi), polau ( similar to Bengali Vegetable pulao recipe) or plain steamed rice. Odias also eat a lot of vegetables. A typical Odia lunch comprises of a minimum of 2 vegetable preparations or one veg and a non-veg preparation. 

Khichdi, Bengali Style

During summers, to nullify the effects of the scorching heat, Odias eat Pakhala Bhata (Cooked rice soaked and fermented in water) along with Badi chura (a salad with dried lentil dumplings as the main ingredient) and roasted vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, onions, etc.). Dalma (lentils cooked with vegetables), Santula (Boiled vegetables with a simple tadka), ghanto tarkari (Odisha style mixed vegetables), saga bhaja ( dry preparation of any green leafy vegetable), baigan bhaja are typical examples of the vegetables preparations that the Odias have as a part of their meals.

Baingan Bhaja

Snacks eaten in Odisha

Odia snack and drink recipes. Odias eat a lot of fried stuff for snacks. Some of the Odias’ best picks include Dahi Bara- Aloo dum , vegetable chop (similar to Bengali style veg chop), Piyaji (similar to Bengali piyaji) Aloo bonda (similar to Maharashtrian aloo vada), Dantikili (same as Maharashtrian chakli) and gulgula (Mini deep fried doughnuts made of whole wheat flour). Bela Pana is a totally mind-boggling summer drink, with an intriguing flavour and mouth-feel. 

Bengali Style Veg Chops, Healthy Low Salt Snack

Odia Desserts and Sweets

Odia dessert recipes. Most of the desserts that the Odias make have milk as their key ingredient. No festival spread is complete without Chenna poda (Odisha style baked cheesecake), Rasagollas , sweet Pithas (especially kakara pitha) or Khiri, Bengali payesh recipe.

Bengali Payesh, Bengali Rice Kheer

What food is eaten in Puri, Odisha?

Puri -The city of Lord Jagannath and Chappan (56) bhog

Lord Jagannath is offered Chappan Bhog (a meal consisting of 56 dishes) also known as Maha Prasad in the holy temple situated in Puri.  The temple food influences the food habits of its surrounding cities. The food in this region is despite being moderately spiced, is full of flavour. Kanika (sweet rice with ghee), Dalma (dal cooked along with vegetables), Potala rasa (pointed gourd curry) and sweets like Khaja, Gaja, Kakra pitha and Rasasbali are a few examples of the dishes savoured in and around Puri by one and all.

South Indian influence on Odisha Food in the city of Berhampur. 

The region influenced by the South Indian states has beautifully incorporated South Indian spices and cooking methods to invent dishes like Kanji (a curd based curry thickened with broken rice), nadiapachedi and tea time snacks like bara gughni,supulu,segdalu or dantikili. The residents of the city of Berhampur were the pioneers of the invention of such dishes.

Bengali Influence on Odia food

The region adjacent to West Bengal uses the same kind of ingredients and vegetables as the Bengalis . The use of mustard oil, mustard paste (besara), Panch phoran (a mixture of whole spices namely, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds and onion seeds) and poppy seeds is a common practice in  this region. Janhi poshto (ridge gourd and poppy seeds curry), sweet tomato chutney, baigan bhaja and Khechuri, Bengali Khichdi are a few examples of the dishes commonly consumed in both Odia and Bengali households.

Oriya raitas

With the soothing flavour of dahi, elevated to just the right level of spiciness by the simple but effective tadka, this Odisha style Dahi Bhendi raita helps to balance the spiciness of other subzis. It has a very different mouth-feel as it is made of large chunks of bhindi, sautéed with onions and then added to the curd. This method of preparation ensures that the bhindi is not too sticky.

Dahi Bhendi ( Odisha Style Okra Raita)

The popular South Indian raita finds their way into Oriya cuisine. The coconut pachadi recipe is made is Orissa except that more onions are added to make it crunchier.

During summers Amba Khatta (Odisha style raw mango chutney is a popular accompaniment to Odia meals.

Is Rasgulla an Oriya dessert?

Well, there is a debate between Oriya's and the Bengali's as to who invented the Rasgulla recipe. Until 2015 both Odias and Bengalis savoured the spongy and syrupy delight with equal joy and pride. The dispute began when the government of Odisha applied for a GI (geographical Identification) recognition from Rasagolla.

Rasgulla ( Mithai)

The Odias believe that the origin of rasagolla dates back to the time when Lord Jagganath , in an attempt to mollify Goddess Lakshmi and let him enter his house after the Rath Yatra, offered rasogolla(then called khir mohan). It soon began to  be offered as Prasad to lord Jagannath at the Puri Jagannath temple. Later the village of Pahala( known for its plentiful milk production) evolved the khir mohan into the well-known Pahala rasagolla .

The Bengalis claimed that Rasagollas were invented by Nabin Chandra Das also known as the Columbus of Rasogolla  while experimenting with Chenna recipe (the precursor of Rasogollas obtained by curdling milk). Rasagolla was a Bengali sweet. 

After almost a 2 year long debate and research the GI status was finally granted to West Bengal and The Odias accepted the defeat with grace that Rasgulla was Bengali food. A few confectioners renamed their products to khir mohan after this incident but Rasogllas continue to be an indispensable part of most Odia festival spreads and wedding thalis.

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