Dalma, the deliciously nutritious pulse and vegetable broth and an integral part of Oriya food menu, is beginning to titillate the tastebuds in more and more parts of the country.
Dalma, the mansa kasa (mutton curry), sorissa machha (fish curry), kankada jhola (crab curry) and the quintessential pakhala (cooked rice soaked in water, with curd and topped by spice tadka) are now etching their own gourmet space. The man behind this is hotelier Debasish Patnaik, who is also one of the proprietors of the famous four-star hotel The Crown in the city. It was his interest to popularise Oriya cuisine that gave birth to Dalma, a specialty restaurant serving authentic delicacies from Orissa.
Till a decade ago, south
Indian restaurants dotted the nook and cranny of Bhubaneswar. Typical Oriya food was neither available to the locals nor the tourists. "This drove us to address this niche market. It made good business proposition too,’’ says Debasish.
While most states have their own distinct cuisine, Orissa till late had failed to establish its own. "There lied the motivation. To raise our own distinct, delicious and simple food, that would reach the level of gourmet”, he says. Post the success of Dalma, there were many offshoots but it did not perturb the entrepreneur. "It’s a good indication. Now there are 20 restaurants offering Oriya cuisine; it’s a healthy trend," says the proud owner of the chain which has two outlets in Bhubaneswar, one each in Bangalore and Rourkela, and by next month, will have one in New Delhi and Puri too.
The Dalma offers thalis, besides eight to 10 veg dishes and as many non-veg dishes too. On an average, it would cost two people Rs 250 for a sumptuous spread, though the thali with eight to 10 variations could cost Rs 80. There are home-trained chefs who are deputed at different outlets depending on the requirement. "We create our own manpower and that works wonders,'' says Debasish.