Orissa Cuisine

The Orissa cuisine varying from hot and spice to sweet and wholesome represents the spirit of the place. The state is a land of delicious delicacies. The food preparation is simple, economic and hygienic.

Though some people prefer Chapati, cooked Rice with Dal and Curry is the common menu for most of the people. There is also a widely prevalent practice of taking cooked Rice soaked in water overnight called Pakhal as an alternative to a warm rice meal. Majority of Oriya people are non-vegetarian. The widows of the upper caste Hindu and the devotees are by choice vegetarian.

Fish, prawns, Lobsters - all the bounty of the seas, rivers and ponds of Orissa -- constitute a major item of everyday cooking. Between meat and fish, the latter is the common ingredient of the everyday non-vegetarian meal. Delicious curries are prepared with different vegetables or fish, meat and eggs by adding different masalas.

The people use both sun-dried and par-boiled Rice, the former especially on festive occasions. Kanika or Khechudi and Payas are prepared from sun-dried Rice.

Cake is prepared from Rice Powder and Gram Dal. The various types of Cakes are Chakuli, Chitau, Manda, Arisa, Kakara and Podapitha. Besides, the people are very fond of Rasgulla, Rasmalai, Chhenapoda, Peda, Rasabali, Kora, Muana, etc.

In addition to Rice and Dal the items are Bhaji (fry), Ghanta (mixed vegetable curry), Besara or Mahura (spiced curry), Ambila, Sakara, etc.

The Oriya food which finds a place of honour is "Mahaprasad". It is available in the Lord’s Temple and is for public in the Temple premises - Anandabazar. The dishes have a variety of items, such as Rice (Anna), Ghee Rice, Lemon Rice, Sweet Rice, etc., and the currey are "Besara, Mahura, Saga, Dalma, Dal (Sweet/Plain), etc. The number of variety is many more.

In the general hotels one can find Indian as well as Chinese dishes. The vegetarian people can find many vegetarian restaurants on the Grand Road and V.I.P. Road. Almost all seaside hotels provide Chinese and Indian dishes.

In addition, at Puri you can find the sweet dishes like Cheese Cake, Chhenapoda, Rasagolla, Jilabi, Khaja, Kheera, etc. One can also find a variety of sweet dishes offered to God which are available in the Ananda Bazar, inside the temple premises.