Odisha's Famous Food | Enjoy the Burst of Flavours

Odisha, the land of Jagannath, is famous for its spiritual significance and amazing attractions. The food of Odisha is simple and prepared as an offering to God. The people of Odisha are equally simple and humble and consider food a divine celebration. While mustard oil and rice remain the main cooking medium and staple food of Odisha, respectively, the dishes prepared as an offering to the God almighty are made in pure ghee. Food cooked in the Puri region is largely prepared as per norms of purity and Hindu scriptures. A range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes are prepared that are wholesome, flavoursome, and easy on the palate.

Let us have a look at the mouth-watering cuisine of Odisha and enjoy the flavours, textures, and taste easier on our palate.

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16 Famous Food Of Odisha That You Must Try in 2023

With time, the Orissa famous food has embraced flavours and cooking style from neighbouring states like Bihar and Jharkhand, but the less oily and less-spicy food of Odisha still allow the flavours of the dish to come through. If you are a food aficionado who loves tasting local dishes, here we recommend must-try cuisines of Odisha that you will remember for a long time!

Dalma: A High-Nutrition Dal Dish
Khicede: The Main Bhog of Jagannath Temple
Chungdi Malai: A Treat for Non-Veg Lovers
Kanika: The Traditional Food of Odisha
Santula: Odia Style Curry
Pakhala Bhata: The Major Dish of Pakhala Divas
Macha Ghanta: A Delectable Fish Curry
Dahi Vada with Aloo Dum: A Perfect Combination
Chhena Poda: Mouth-watering Dessert of Odisha
Gupchup: A popular Street Food of Odisha
Chaatu Rai: A Scrumptious and Nutritious Dish
Rasabali” A Mouth-Watering Dessert
Pilaf: A Popular Rice Dish in Odisha
Besara: A Wholesome Odia Meal
Gaja: A Delightful Sweet Dish
Kadali Manja Rai: A Must-try Odia Delicacy

1. Dalma | A High-Nutrition Dal Dish

Prepared in a typical Odia way, Dalma, the Odisha famous food, is a lentil dish high in nutrition. This simple dal dish is made slightly differently in Orissa, but it tastes divine. It is made using roasted yellow moong dal, green chillies, ginger, and veggies like pumpkin, potatoes, onions, carrots, and raw papaya. A range of spices is added to it to make it flavourful. These are bay leaves, cumin seeds, panch phoran, red chillies, chopped coriander leaves, grated coconut, and tempered in pure ghee. Enjoy this drool-worthy dal with crispy papads and steamed rice.

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2. Khicede | The Main Bhog of Jagannath Temple

A mouth-watering meal widely cooked in Odisha. It is spiritually significant as it is cooked as the main bhog offered in Puri’s Jagannath Temple. Offered every day to the Lord, this food is distributed among the devotees as prasad. It is prepared using pure ghee, lentils, rice, light spices, and chopped vegetables. It is a high-nutrition and wholesome meal. This dish can be enjoyed with papad and fresh curd.

3. Chungdi Malai | A Treat for Non-Veg Lovers

It is a delectable non-vegetarian delicacy in Odisha. The most amazing prawn curry is a gastronomic delight for non-veg lovers. This dish is prepared by adding various ingredients, full of flavours, creamy in texture, and awesome in taste. The curry base is made using coconut milk and a dash of ginger. Spices like cinnamon sticks, bay leaf, cumin, cardamom, cloves, and red chilli powder make this dish more delectable. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve it with piping hot basmati rice.

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4. Kanika | The Traditional Food of Odisha

Enjoyed by locals and visitors alike, Kanika is a traditional food of Orissa. It is mostly enjoyed during pujas, festivals, and other special occasions. Sweet in taste, it is one of the chappan bhog, or 56 dishes served to Lord Jagannath. This pulao dish is made with high-quality basmati rice with cashew nuts, sugar, ghee, raisins, cardamom, and cinnamon added to it. It is enjoyed as a dessert after a heavy meal.

5. Santula | Odia Style Curry

High on nutrition-quotient, Santula is a curry dish prepared in a typical Odia style. It has the right amount of spices and lots of veggies added to it. Some major vegetables added to the curry are tomato, potato, raw papaya, brinjal, etc. Boiled vegetables until mushy are added to the curry and flavoured with green chillies, ginger, garlic, mustard seeds, panch phoran, and salt. It is one of the most famous dishes of Odisha. Minimum spices and nutrition-high veggies make it a healthy meal.

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6. Pakhala Bhata | The Major Dish of Pakhala Divas

Made in almost every Odisha household, Pakhala Bhata is prepared in a unique cooking style. Amazing in taste, this dish is made of rice cooked in a mixture of cumin seeds, sour curd, coriander leaves, mint leaves, and water. It is left to soak overnight and enjoyed the next day with roasted vegetables, fried fish, papad, potatoes, and raw onions. The nutritional value of fermented rice is high and carries a unique flavour. This dish is recognised for its importance, and as such, Pakhala Divas is celebrated in the state on 20th March.

7. Macha Ghanta | A Delectable Fish Curry

It is a non-vegetarian dish relished by residents of the state. This is the most amazing Odisha famous dish made up of fried fish and has a rich curry. The curry base is prepared with tomatoes, potatoes, garlic, onions, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, chilli powder, and chana dal. Fried fish is added to the curry. Enjoy it with salad and steamed rice.

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8. Dahi Vada with Aloo Dum | A Perfect Combination

It is one of the most enjoyed and delectable combinations loved and relished by everyone visiting Odisha. Dahi Vada with Aloo Dum, one cool and the other hot, is amazingly preferred together. Dum aloo is made using baby potatoes. A lot of hot spices are added to it to enhance its flavour. Dahi vadas, on the other hand, are lentil fritters deep-fried and then coated with chutneys and curd. The coolness of dahi vadas balances the spiciness of dum aloo.