The food tastes different in every state of India! Similar ingredients (like brinjal, potato, tomato, and curd) taste different due to spices. Traditional meals have been developed with preserved cooking methods, keeping the usefulness of ingredients in mind. These dishes are not just a storehouse of nutrients but are also a part of our culture.
Here is a listing of ingredients that are exclusive to Odia thali:
DALMA
Dalma is a special dal is made in Odisha, which is called the mother of pulses. Do you know that dalma prasad is also offered to Lord Jagannath? This dalma is cooked with vegetables and is also very healthy. It is made with special tempering of Oriya spices and is mainly eaten with rice.
PAKHALA
In Odisha, Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam and Chhattisgarh, Pakhala Bhata is made in many different ways. First, it is cooked by soaking cooked rice in water and sour curd. Usually, it is left overnight and then served in Odisha with potatoes, fried fish and papad.
GHANTA
Ghanta, this dish is prepared by mixing many types of vegetables, and it is eaten in Odisha during festivals. Due to various varieties of vegetables (mixed in it), nutrition is also very high. People like to eat it with rice or chapati and dal soup.
BESARA
Mustard seed is widely used in Odia cuisine. Besara has many variations, where the main ingredient, mustard, is ground and made into a fine paste and then cooked with veggies (along with fish).
SAAGA
Saaga is eaten with great enthusiasm in Odisha thali. It is prepared with green tea and is consumed with green leafy veggies, lentils, rice or chapati in spinach or mustard leaves.
KHATTA
Khatta is the famous chutney of Orissa. This sour chutney of Orissa can be easily made at home. It is made by blending tomato, ginger, pomegranate and jaggery.