BHUBANESWAR: The Tourism department is set to attempt securing a Guinness World Record for the largest serving of fermented rice ‘Pakhala’ on Friday in an effort to take Odisha’s culinary heritage to the global stage and popularise the rich agricultural diversity of the state.
An announcement to this effect was made by the department during inauguration of the two-day ‘Pakhala Parba’ celebration at Panthanivas here on Thursday. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and deputy CM Pravati Parida along with other dignitaries will join the ‘Pakhala Parba’ celebration on Friday.
Officials said Pakhala of approximately 800-850 kg will be prepared as part of the efforts to create a world record. Approximately 400 kg of Swarna Usna (par boiled) rice will be cooked in a certified commercial vessel until optimal texture is achieved for fermentation.
Around 25 kg of Manikapatna curd will be uniformly whisked into the mixture to accelerate fermentation and create a rich base for the Dahi Pakhala with 1 kg green chillies, 1 kg of crushed mango ginger, 250 gram curry leaves, 300 gram coriander leaves and 40 to 50 lemons added to it to enhance its taste, regulate pH levels and increase probiotic activity. Tourism officials said the hydration and fermentation process will expand the volume, yielding approximately 800-850 kg of Pakhala. The fermented rice will then be presented in around 2,500 sq ft area with dishes arranged along radial spokes resembling the Konark Sun Temple wheel.
Odisha Tourism has also collaborated with Robin Hood Army to ensure that the initiative adheres to a zero-wastage policy. Officials said after completion of the display and record attempt, the prepared Pakhala will be systematically distributed to underprivileged communities, particularly in interior regions and it will be carried out through pre-identified community clusters.
Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida said the state government is committed to taking authentic flavours of Odisha to every corner of the globe. In the world’s largest kitchen at Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Pakhala is offered as a Bhoga to the Lord of the Universe, she said.
“Once considered ‘the common man’s meal’, Pakhala is now being hailed globally as a ‘superfood’ and has crossed boundaries to reach the shores of USA, UK and Australia,” Parida said.