28 June,2026 10:31 AM IST | Mumbai | Nasrin Modak Siddiqi
Fresh crab chilli. Pics/Nasrin modak siddiqi
A few weeks ago in Konark, we sat down to a bowl of machha besara and rice at a seaside eatery. The fish curry, swimming in a sharp mustard gravy and soured with ambula (sun-dried mango), was unforgettable. We sent our compliments to the kitchen. Moments later, chef Niranjan Gocchayat emerged carrying a plate of grilled fish caught that very morning from the river.
"Just three things," he said. "A fresh catch, a wood fire, and a besara that's sharp and rustic." We were convinced. Back in Bhubaneswar, our search for more machha besara led us to Dalma, a restaurant that has done much to preserve and popularise Odia cuisine. On a weekday afternoon, the dining room was packed with office-goers and families alike. The limited menu spanned temple-inspired dishes, coastal specialities, and home-style favourites. Besides the fish and prawns, our server insisted we order a bowl of pakhala as well. Later, we wandered the lanes of Unit 1 market, looking for phutana (odia tempering of five seeds including mustard, cumin, fenugreek, and nigella) and besara, which we were told was made at home and never sold in the market.
Pala Chatu (Paddy Mushroom)
Back at home, the flavours lingered. Online search for Odia cuisine began and ended with pakhala, chhena poda, and dahi bara aloo dum. Food writer and culinary researcher Alka Jena, author of The Orissan, tells us that Odisha's culinary landscape stretches far beyond a handful of iconic dishes. It encompasses temple kitchens, tribal food traditions, coastal fishing communities, seasonal wisdom, and generations of recipes that have survived outside the spotlight because it evolved quietly within homes, temple kitchens, farming communities, and seasonal traditions rather than through commercial restaurant networks. "Unlike regions with strong trading and migration cultures, Odisha did not carry its food traditions widely across the country," she says. "Where Odia food did travel, many dishes were gradually absorbed into neighbouring cuisines and their origins were forgotten."
Rasabali
Chef Consultant Rachit Kirteeman adds, how a handful of familiar dishes have flattened Odisha's food story. "There's nothing wrong with celebrating pakhala, chhena poda, or dahi bara aloo dum," he says. "The problem is when they become the entire story."
Beyond these icons lies a vast culinary landscape shaped by tribal communities, riverine settlements, farming cultures, and regional food traditions that resist easy categorisation. "In the tribal belts, forest greens, wild mushrooms, and millets such as mandia are transformed into deeply flavourful dishes. Along the rivers, the daily catch shapes an entirely different culinary language. Southern and western Odisha have their own traditions of souring, fermenting, and balancing flavours that differ markedly from the dairy-rich cuisine of the coast. Odia food doesn't rely on heavy gravies or aggressive spice, it asks you to pay attention," says Kirteeman.
Mugel sila (red rice)
He further explains that the food most Odias grow up eating is built on local produce, subtle aromatics, and generations of culinary wisdom. Take Muga Dali Hengu Ada Khechudi. Far from a standard khichdi, it is a study in aromatic restraint: roasted moong dal and rice elevated with fresh ginger and asafoetida. Then there is Batibasa Chadchadi, where seasonal vegetables, sometimes paired with small fish, are coated in mustard paste, sealed in a pot, and left undisturbed over a gentle flame. No stirring. No shortcuts. Just patience and flavour. Macha Ambila, a light fish curry from southern Odisha, offers a different expression altogether. Tart and layered, it derives its character from tamarind, sun-dried mango (ambula), or elephant apple (ouu), balanced by curry leaves and panch phutana. And then there is Lau Kheeri, which transforms humble bottle gourd into an elegant dessert through slow cooking, milk reduction, cardamom, and nuts. Together, these dishes reveal the true genius of Odia home cooking: extraordinary flavour created through restraint, local ingredients, and techniques refined over generations.
Grilled River Fish
Jena believes, growing interest in regional food heritage is now encouraging diners to look beyond restaurant menus and explore the stories behind local cuisines. A profound discovery for her was realising that an entire body of culinary knowledge exists outside books. During her travels across Odisha, she met women who carried generations of culinary wisdom entirely in their memories, cooking by intuition, observation, and experience rather than by written recipes. What struck her most was that they rarely spoke only about ingredients. Every dish came with stories of seasons, festivals, harvests, family traditions, and the people who had taught them. "Food begins disappearing long before a recipe is forgotten," she says. "It disappears when the stories, ingredients, farming practices, and cultural contexts that sustain it start fading away." That realisation became the foundation of her book, The Orissan, which isn't just another cookbook, but Jena's way to document a world of knowledge preserved through memory, practice, and everyday life.
Habisa Dalam
Jena high;ights one of the biggest misconceptions about Odia cuisine being either simple or merely an extension of neighbouring food cultures. "While Odisha shares ingredients and geography with Bengal, the two cuisines evolved along different paths. The comparison is understandable because neighbouring regions inevitably share ingredients, agricultural practices, and culinary exchanges. Rice, fish, mustard, seasonal vegetables, and riverine food cultures have connected eastern India for centuries.
Ambula Pagaw Granita
Another misconception Jena says is that Odia cuisine lacks diversity. "There is no single Odia cuisine," says Jena. The food of coastal Odisha differs significantly from that of western Odisha, the tribal belts, and the riverine regions, as well as from the temple traditions of Puri. Fermented foods, forest ingredients, seafood, pithas, dairy sweets, and temple preparations all form part of a remarkably varied culinary landscape. "The challenge with Odia cuisine has never been a lack of identity," she says. "It has been a lack of visibility."
Alka Jena, Rachit Kirteeman and Niranjan Gochhayat
Alka Jena shares, "At the heart of Odia food is the Mahaprasad of Jagannath temple, one of the world's oldest continuously practised culinary systems. It shapes everything from vegetarian cooking and food rituals to ideas of community dining and spirituality. However, Odia cuisine is more than just that."
Pic/iStock
Kirteeman explains, "Temple food in Odisha is not a monolith. It is a vast network of hyper-local culinary traditions shaped by geography, local ingredients, and centuries of religious practice. It changes with the soil. In Mayurbhanj, for instance, the Dala Khechudi served at the temples of Baripada is made with local aromatics and closely guarded techniques give it an identity that differs from the Kanika or Khechudi found in coastal shrines. Even less discussed are the non-vegetarian temple traditions of Odisha's Shakti peethas, where sacrificial meat, or Bali Mansa, is prepared as a sacred offering. The mutton is cooked without onion or garlic, ingredients most cuisines rely on to build flavour and temper the gaminess of meat. Instead, raw banana, elephant foot yam, complex spice blends, and slow cooking create a rich, earthy gravy. These lesser-known traditions reveal the diversity of Odisha's temple kitchens and challenge the notion that temple food can be reduced to a single menu.
Pakhala, reimagined at Lovefools with fermented rice mousse, dehydrated baigan bhaja and spinach, mustard oil
While Cuttack's dahi bara aloo dum may be famous, Odisha's street food story runs much deeper. Kirteeman shares, "In western Odisha, chaula bara paired with fiery patal ghata reflects the region's agrarian roots. Dhenkanal's beloved biri bara showcases the art of turning humble urad dal into crisp fritters. In Puri, vendors serve bowls of tangy, spice-laden matar pani. Cuttack's evenings belong to peeaji and alu kasa, a combination of onion fritters and richly spiced potatoes. The city's chaat culture is equally distinctive, with yellow peas, roasted spices, fresh coconut, and a punchy savoury tang."
Puri Khaja
Jena would most like to see a return to seasonal eating. "Bara Masare Tera Parba (13 festivals in 12 months) is not just a calendar of festivals but also of each season shaping what people ate. While ingredients are now available year-round, reconnecting with seasonal eating can support local farmers, preserve biodiversity, and revive generations of food wisdom. What we're witnessing today is not the emergence of Odia cuisine, but its rediscovery," she adds.
Kirteeman, the goal is not to change the soul of Odia cuisine, experienced mainly through sprawling thalis and buffets, but to translate it for today's diner through more curated experiences. At initiatives such as The Odisha Table, familiar dishes are reimagined using contemporary techniques while staying true to their origins. Ambula pagaw, for instance, becomes a savoury granita that cleanses the palate between courses. At the same time, Chaula Kheeri is paired with a crisp khaja brittle, creating a textural contrast rooted in tradition."
"But the real bridge between tradition and innovation is storytelling. When diners learn that a dish is tied to temple kitchens, seasonal wisdom, or centuries-old preservation techniques, the meal becomes more than food. It becomes a way of experiencing Odisha's history, culture, and sense of place," he signs off.
Ingredients
FOR THE MUSTARD PASTE
60 gm mustard seeds
2 dry red chillies
1 green chilli (optional)
5 cloves of garlic
2-inch ginger
1 tbsp cumin seeds
100 ml warm water
FOR THE AMBULA
150 gm ambula (dried mangoes, soaked in water for an hour; drain and reserve water)
250 gm yoghurt, whisked
40 gm jaggery
100 gm fresh grated coconut (optional)
Salt, to taste
For the tempering
1 tbsp mustard oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
1 dry red chilli
Method
For the mustard paste, soak the mustard seeds, chillies, garlic, ginger and cumin in warm water for an hour. Drain and grind to a smooth paste using the bare minimum water, and set aside. Set aside two pieces of ambula and mash the remainder. In a large bowl, combine the yoghurt, mashed ambula, and mustard paste, and whisk until thoroughly combined. Grate or mash the jaggery with some warm water, then add it to the bowl and mix well. Now add the grated coconut, the whole ambula piece, salt and mix to combine. Adjust the consistency using more of the soaking water. Heat mustard oil and let the mustard seeds crackle. Add curry leaves and dry red chilli, remove from the heat immediately, and pour the tempering over the Ambula rai before serving.
Recipes courtesy: Rachit Kirteeman
This tribal dish is made by wrapping ingredients in leaves and slow-cooking them over a fire. The leaves add a gentle smoky flavour that celebrates the region's connection to nature and local ingredients.
Ingredients
700 gm medium prawns
120 gm onion, finely chopped
50 gm coriander leaves, chopped
40 ml mustard oil
30 ml water
15 ml lime juice
8 gm mustard seeds
2.5 gm cumin seeds
2 gm turmeric powder
3 green chillies
6-8 pumpkin leaves
Method
Wash and de-vein the prawns. Soak the mustard seeds for 10-15 minutes, then grind them with cumin seeds, 1 green chilli, turmeric, and a little water into a smooth paste. Finely chop the onion, remaining green chillies, and half the coriander. Mix with the prawns, mustard paste, lime juice, and mustard oil, ensuring the prawns are well coated. Clean the pumpkin leaves and place 3-4 marinated prawns in the centre of each. Fold into tight parcels and secure with thread or satay sticks. Heat a lightly oiled tawa and grill the parcels over medium heat, turning occasionally, until the leaves are charred and crisp and the prawns are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with the remaining coriander and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Coconut patties in a cashew-enriched gravy
Ingredients
For the Nadia Bara (coconut patties)
1 cup freshly grated coconut
2 tbsp rice
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 green chillies
2 boiled potatoes, mashed
Salt, to taste
Water, as required
3 tbsp oil, for shallow frying
For the Gravy
1 large onion
2 large tomatoes
10 cashew nuts
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
½ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 cup water
½ tsp garam masala powder
½ tsp sugar
2-3 tbsp oil
Method
Soak the rice and cumin seeds for 30 minutes; grind with coconut, green chillies, and salt to a smooth paste. Mix with mashed potatoes, shape into small patties, and shallow fry until golden. For the gravy, boil the tomatoes and onion until soft, then blend with cashews into a smooth paste. Heat oil, temper with cumin seeds and bay leaf, then sauté the ginger-garlic paste. Add the tomato-cashew mixture and cook till the oil separates. Stir in turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and salt. Add water and simmer. Finish with garam masala and sugar. Pour the gravy into a serving dish and place in the coconut patties just before serving. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice, pulao, rotis, or naan.
Along Odisha's coast, coconut is central to everyday cooking, rituals, and celebrations. This dish captures the tradition of transforming simple ingredients into an elegant, comforting dish for special occasions.
Ingredients
½ cup urad dal, soaked
1 cup rice, soaked
½ cup jaggery, grated
1 tsp grated ginger
½ tsp cardamom powder
½ tsp crushed black pepper
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 bay leaf
½ cup raisin and cashews
¼ cup chopped fresh coconut
¼ cup freshly grated coconut
2 tbsp ghee
Banana leaves, for lining
Method
Grind rice and dal separately into smooth batters, whisk, then combine. Ferment overnight. Roast cashews and raisins in ghee and mix into the batter with other ingredients. Pour into a ghee-greased, banana leaf-lined mould and cook in a pressure cooker without the whistle on low heat for 40 minutes until golden and caramelised. Cool completely before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature, traditionally with Dalma or Ghuguni.
Jena says that if she had to introduce Odisha through a single dish, it would be Pakhala. "Not because it is Odisha's most loved dish, but because it reflects how Odias have historically understood food, climate, health, and sustainability." At its simplest, Pakhala is fermented rice soaked overnight in water, yet it embodies generations of wisdom about fermentation, nutrition, and adapting to Odisha's hot, humid climate. Served with accompaniments ranging from saga bhaja and badi chura to fish and roasted vegetables, it is both a meal and a philosophy on a plate.
"The inherent restraint and elegant layering of Odia cuisine, built upon the warmth of ginger, the crackle of panch phutana, and the soul of raw mustard oil have forged one of the subcontinent's most sophisticated, ingredient-driven identities. Yet beyond our borders, the cuisine is often reduced to a few dishes. Odia cuisine's brilliance is rooted in hyper-locality and technical minimalism qualities that are difficult to translate into standardised franchise menus or fleeting video clips."
- Rachit Kirteeman
1 Ambula
2 Amba kasi ada
3 Indigenous rice varieties
4âLocal chilli varieties
5 Chenna podo (It stays without a refrigerator for a few days and is a great conversation starter)
