Odia Recipes
Taste of Odisha
Taste of Odisha
If you are born an brought up in Odisha, chances are that you must have come across the Bara, Piaji and Aloo Chop in the road-side eateries. These might be gradually diminishing in popularity as modern fast-foods make their way into the younger generation of Odias. It is worth mentioning here that thr word 'Piaji' is a derivative of 'Piaja' (onion in Odia). We have the pleasure in presenting the recipe of Piaji.
½ cup Bengal gram (chana dali)
4 cloves of garlic (rasuna)
2-3 red chillies (sukhila lanka)
1/4th tsp baking soda (khaaiba soda)
1 tsp turmeric powder (haladi gunda)
Salt to taste (luna)
Pinch of sugar (chini)
Pinch of ajwain/carom seeds (juani)
1 onion (piaja)
Bunch of mint leaves (podina patra)
2 Green chilies (kancha lanka)
Oil for frying (tela)
For the dipping:
2 tbsp yogurt (curd)
½ Green chili (kancha lanka)
1 tbsp cilantro (dhania patra)
Salt to taste (luna)
Pinch of black salt (saindhaba luna)
Pinch of sugar (chini)
For preparing Chana dal fritters, soak the chana dal for about an hour. Chana dal puffs up almost to about double its size. Thoroughly drain out water from the dal and grind it coarsely along with garlic and red chilies. Mix in baking soda, salt, ajwain and turmeric to the batter and keep aside. You would observe that almost immediately after adding the baking soda, the batter lightens up and is noticeable while mixing. Chop onion, green chilies and mint and keep it separate. In the meantime, heat up the oil over medium heat. Mix in the chopped onion, green chilies and mint to the batter immediately before frying. This ensures that the batter does not become too watery that may cause the fritters to break apart. Make up small round balls, flatten them and fry till golden brown, For the dipping: Make a coarse paste of cilantro and green chili and add it to the yogurt along with salt, black salt and sugar. Mix and serve chilled.
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The culinary tradition of Odisha is centuries old. It is intertwined with the cultural identity of Odisha, and has evolved over a long period of time to acquire a uniqueness of its own. Odia foods are less spicy and less oily, making them one of the healthiest foods of India. The Mahaprasad served to the deities in the famous Jagannath temple of Puri represents the heritage of the food traditions of Odisha. Rice, pulses and seasonal vegetables serve as the basic ingredient of Odia foods. Besides, fish and sea foods also form a major part of the food preferences in Odisha.
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