The modern state of Odisha (formerly Orissa) was carved out on April 1, 1936, as a province based on a common language — Odia. It is the official language of the state and is spoken by 33.2 million people. April 1 is celebrated as Odisha Day. Odisha boasts of a rich cultural heritage that extends to its delightful cuisine that is influenced by its location, mostly in the fertile plains.
Expectedly, rice is a staple accompanied by a variety of seafood and vegetarian delights. Sweets made from chhena (cottage cheese) are also very popular. I am grateful to my friend Ravi Mahapatra, a connoisseur of food who manages Mayfair Hotels, for giving me insights into the intricacies of Odia cuisine. Here are five dishes that you can try making at home.
PAKHALA (Fermented Rice)
Embrace the rustic charm of Odisha food with Pakhala. It is prepared by fermenting cooked rice in water overnight. You can enjoy this dish with fried fish, prawns, roasted vegetables and fiery pickles. March 20 is observed as Pakhala Dibasa (Pakhala Day).
INGREDIENTS
Cooked rice: According to requirement
Water: Enough to cover the rice
Curd: 4-5tbsp
Rock salt: ¼tsp
Salt: To taste
Fresh coriander
Green chillies
Lemon: 1, sliced
For the tempering (tadka)
Red chillies: 2
Curry leaves: A few
Mustard seeds: 1tsp
Hing (asafoetida): ¼tsp
Mustard oil: 1tbsp
METHOD
In the rice, add water, salt and curd. Cover and keep overnight to ferment.
Then do the tempering and pour it over the rice.
Garnish with coriander leaves and chopped green chillies.
ACCOMPANIMENTS FOR THE PAKHALA RICE
Poda Aloo Chakata (Roasted and Crushed Potatoes)
Take 3 big potatoes and prick them all over with a fork or toothpick.
Roast the potatoes first on a hot skillet or tawa till they are charred.
Then cover the potatoes and cook on medium flame for 15 minutes.
Then turn the potatoes and cook for another 15 minutes covered.
Now, to get more charred flavour place them over a mesh on a direct flame for 2-3 minutes.
Roast the red dry chillies. Cool the potatoes.
In a mixing bowl put the peeled potatoes, 1 chopped onion and crushed roasted dry chillies.
Now, using your hand mash everything together.
Add salt to taste. Pour ½tbsp mustard oil and mix everything together.
Chingudi Besar Bhaja (Stir-fried prawns in mustard sauce)
In a bowl put 300g of small prawns. Add salt and red chilli powder (according to taste), and a little turmeric powder.
Now make a smooth paste of 1tbsp mustard seeds, ½tbsp cumin seeds and 4 garlic cloves with a little water.
Just use 1½tbsp of this paste and add to the prawns. Then add 1tbsp of mustard oil and mix everything well. Marinate the prawns for 1 hour.
Now cook the prawns on medium flame till the water evaporates. Roast it well.
Next, in a small pan heat 1tsp mustard oil. Add slit green chillies and curry leaves. Cook on medium flame for 2 minutes and mix it with the prawns.
Chingudi Besar Bhaja is ready.
Kakharu Phula Pithau Bhaja (Pumpkin Flower Fritters)
Soak 1 cup rice powder for 1 hour.
Then in a blender add the rice powder, ½tbsp cumin seeds, a small piece of ginger, a few garlic cloves and green chillies according to taste. Blend to make a smooth paste.
To this paste add 1½ tbsp besan, ¼tsp turmeric, ¼tsp red chilli powder and salt to taste. Keep aside.
Now cut off the stems of the flowers and gently remove the pistils. Rinse the flower.
In a tawa, heat 1tbsp mustard oil. Now dip each flower (or you can take 2 at a time) in the batter. Shake off the excess batter and place it on the heated skillet.
Make gas flame low to medium and cook till they are nice and crisp on one side. Then flip and cook till golden brown.
It is ready to serve with the Pakhala.
Leutia Saga Bhaja (Amaranth Greens Stir Fry)
Heat 2tbsp mustard oil in a kadhai. Add ½tsp of yellow mustard and 2 dry red chillies. Let it splutter.
Now add 2 slit green chillies and 1 thinly sliced onion and fry till transluscent.
Now add thouroughly rinsed and finely chopped green saag. Stir occasionally till all water evaporates. Then fry for 2-3 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Now add fried crushed badis (sun-dried lentil dumplings. I used moong dal badi).
Cook on medium to low heat stirring occasionally till it is completely cooked.
Maacha Bhaja (Fried fish)
Marinate 4-5 pieces of the Rohu fish with salt, turmeric and red chilli powder (according to taste).
*Make a paste of 1tbsp mustard seeds, 3-4 green chillies and a few cloves of garlic.
DALMA
A corner stone of Odia food, Dalma is a comforting and nutritious lentil-based dish made with vegetables.
INGREDIENTS
For the Dalma Masala
Dry Red Chillies: 3
Cinnamon: 1-inch stick
Cloves: 4
Cardamoms: 2
Fennel seeds: 1tsp
Cumin seeds: 1½tbsp
(Roast the above lightly in a skillet and grind to a fine powder. Keep aside.)
Dalma Dals: Tuvar/Arhar dal 100g, Moong dal 100g, Chana dal 100g
(Soak in water for half an hour)
VEGETABLES: Pumpkin 150g, yam 150g, arbi 150g, carrot 1, potatoes 2 medium size, raw banana 1, brinjal 1 green, tomato 1
Ginger: Crushed 2-inch piece
Green chillies: 3
Grated coconut: 1 small bowl
Turmeric: 1tsp
Salt to taste
Water: 2 litres
Bay leaf: 2
For the tadka (tempering)
Ghee: 1tbsp
Panch phoron: 1tbsp
Hing (asafetida): 2 pinches
Dry red chillies: 3, or according to taste
Coriander leaves: Chopped for garnishing
METHOD
Cut the vegetables in cubes, all same size preferably.
In a pot add water. Add the dals. Add turmeric and all the vegetables except for cauliflower, brinjal, pumpkin and banana.
Add turmeric and salt to taste. Add 2 bay leaves.
When the first boil comes put flame on medium and cook for 25 minutes. Then add the other vegetables.
Add 2 green chillies chopped and 1-inch piece of ginger julienned.
Add Dalma masala powder.
Add tomato chopped, grated coconut. Mix everything lightly and cover and cook for another 25-30 minutes.
For the tadka, heat the ghee in a small pan and add all the tadka ingredients.
Quickly pour into the dal before it all gets burnt.
Serve garnished with chopped coriander leaves.
NOTE: You can add any number of vegetables of your preference. Skip the ones you don’t like or are not available.
MUTTON MATI HANDI (mutton made in a clay pot)
This Odia slow-cooked mutton features on menus of eateries ranging from upscale restaurants to local dhabas.
INGREDIENTS
For marinating the mutton
Mutton: 1kg, cut into slightly big pieces
Paste of 1½-inch piece of ginger, 2 green chillies and 5 cloves of garlic
Turmeric: 1tsp
Kashmiri red chilli powder: 1tbsp
Cumin powder: 1tsp
Meat masala powder: 1tbsp
Curd: 1 small bowl
Salt: To taste
Oil: 1tbsp
(Mix all the above ingredients and marinate for 1 hour)
Potatoes: 2, large cut into 4 pieces each
Tomatoes: 2, chopped fine
Onions: 2, chopped fine
Green cardamoms: 4
Cloves: 4
Cinnamon: 1 stick
Bay leaf: 1
METHOD
Oil the handi on the inside all over. Heat the handi on medium flame.
Add 5tbsp mustard oil. Heat it.
Fry the potatoes and remove when slightly golden and 60 per cent cooked. Keep aside.
Add ½tsp sugar to the pot.
Add whole spices and saute for a couple of minutes.
Add onions and saute till light golden.
Add tomatoes and saute till mushy.
Now add the mutton with all the marinade. Saute the mutton for at least 5-7 minutes.
Now cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Then check and stir well.
Cook again for 15 minutes.
Now add the fried potatoes and mix well. Cover and cook for another 6 minutes.
Now add hot water according to the thickness of gravy you like. I added 1½ glasses of water. You can always check later and add more if you like.
Now cover and cook for 10 minutes. Check the consistency of the gravy. Check for seasoning.
Now add ½tsp of garam masala powder. Add coriander leaves. Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes more.
Serve garnished with coriander leaves.
CHHENA PODA (Cottage Cheese Sweet Cake)
Chhena Poda is the most famous Odia sweet dish. It is baked and sliced like a cake. Here I will show you how to make it without an oven as well as in the oven.
INGREDIENTS
Whole milk (full-fat milk): 2 litres
Lemon juice: Of 1 lemon
Sugar: ½ cup (or according to taste)
Ghee: 1tbsp
Sooji (semolina): 2tbsp
Cardamom powder: ½tsp
Cashew, raisins and pistachios, or any dry fruit you like finely chopped.
METHOD
Boil the milk. Put off the flame and add juice of 1 lemon. (I actually had to add juice of ½ lemon more for it to curdle). It depends on the milk.
Strain the chenna in a muslin cloth. Keep some water of the chenna aside.
In a mixing bowl put the strained chenna. Add the sooji while the chenna is still warm. Add the sugar too.
Keep aside for 15 minutes.
Now in a pan fry the cashews, raisins, etc., very lightly. Add to the chenna
Now add little chenna water and mix well so that it becomes like a cake batter.
Take a cake tin. Grease the insides well. Then take parchment paper. Cut round according to the size of the cake and place it inside the tin. Then cut the paper into a strip to fit inside the round part of the tin. Grease it well all over.
Now put the chhena batter over the parchment paper in the tin. Tap the tin twice so that there are no air bubbles.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180ºC for 1 hour.
To test if it is done, poke the Chhena Poda with a knife and if it comes clear that means it is done.
Remove the tin. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Then unmould with the help of a plate.
To make without an oven
Take a big pot. Put a cup of salt in it. Place a small metal stand. Place the cake tin on it. Cover with a tight lid. And cook on medium flame for 1 hour. Check with a knife. If it comes out clear then it is done.
MACHHA BESARA (Fish Curry)
INGREDIENTS AND METHOD
Take 1kg Rohu fish, cut round. Add 1tsp turmeric powder and 1tsp salt. Mix well into the fish. Leave aside for 10 minutes.
In a mixing jar put about 6 garlic cloves, 2 tomatoes chopped. Blend it nicely and keep aside.
In 5tbsp mustard oil fry the fish till golden. Do not over-fry it. Remove and keep aside.
Remove half the oil from the kadhai and add 1tsp kala jeera. When it splutters, add the tomato paste. Add 4tbsp water. Add 1tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder and ½tsp turmeric. Add 1tsp salt or according to taste and sauté the masala for 4-5 minutes on medium flame.
In a small grinding jar put 3tbsp yellow mustard. Add 2tbsp black mustard. Add 3tbsp fresh grated coconut. Add 2 green chillies. Add 1tbsp posto (poppy seeds) which was soaked in water for 10 minutes. Add ½tsp cumin seeds. Then add a little water to make a smooth paste. Add ½ cup water and mix well. Then take a bowl. Put a strainer over it and strain the paste. Strain nicely with the help of a spoon. Press with a spoon and take out as much as you can. Throw the residue left in the strainer. You now get a smooth Besara Masala in your bowl. Keep aside.
Add the Besara Masala to the sautéed tomato in the kadhai. Put gas on medium-low flame and cook the masala for at least 7-8 minutes. You will see specks of oil. Then, add 1 glass of water and mix well. Then, on high flame give it a nice boil. Add the fish and 2 small tomatoes cut into quarters. Then add 3 whole green chillies.
Now put coriander leaves about 1tbsp and drizzle 1tbsp of mustard oil. Mix carefully so as not to break the fish. Then cover and cook on medium flame for 5 minutes.
Serve hot with steamed rice.
Durri Bhalla is a cookery expert and author of Indian Bohra Cuisine and Inner Truth To Good Health And Weight Loss. You can find her@DurriBhallaKitchen on Instagram, Durri’s Kitchen on Facebook and DurriBhalla on YouTube