Odia cuisine hardly finds mention in food festivals though Odia food has a long list of delicacies that one doesnt get to eat or taste on regular basis. So when there is an Odia food festival, there are many who evince interest to try some of these rare delicacies. To satiate the desire of Odia food lovers Hotel Suryansh is hosting ‘Taste of Odisha’, a food festival dedicated to the choicest of variants in Odia cuisine.
Chef Subodh Mohapatra of the hotel informs that the food in Odisha varies according to the region.
“For instance, in the areas around Puri-Cuttack the food is sweet (sugar, jaggery is used on account of the influence of the Jagannath temple), tamarind and curry leaves are used in regions closer to Andhra Pradesh and mustard paste and kalonji are used closer to Bengal. The coastline offers abundant seafood, while prawns come from the Chilka lake,” says Mohapatra.
Subtle flavours
Odia food is certainly not all masala and oil though the flavours are delicate. And this is amply demonstrated at the festival with dishes that are delectable and devoid of anything unwanted. Simplest of dishes, 11 vegetarian, seven non-vegetarian besides rice and nine sweet dishes figure on the menu.
For the sea food lovers there are prawns and fish items in many combinations.
For veggies, Aloo Potalo Rassa (Parval and Potato curry), Chattu Rassa (Mushroom curry), Dahi Baigana, Baigana Bharta, Vegetable Maura, Chenna Tarkari, Badi Chura, Dali, Kosala Saaga (chopped green leaf topped with coconut), Ghuguni (white peas curry) and Gobi Aloo Bhaja form part of menu.
Machha Charchari, Chungudi Tarkari, Mansa Tarkari, Machha Besara, Kukuda Aloo Tarkari and Sorisa Macha is available for non-vegetarians.
Panch Phutana (a mixture of cumin, mustard, fennel, fenugreek and kalonji) has been used in most items besides turmeric, red chillies, garlic and onion. Since the Odias are mainly rice eaters, two varieties (plain and sweetened) are in the menu.
For dessert, popular Odia sweet delicacies chhena jilapi, Kheer Sagar, Rasagulla, Khajja, Magaja Laddu, Chenna Poda, Jilapi, Gulab Jamun are lined up. The kheer uses Govindbhog rice, oodles of ghee and is a thick one - filling too.
While the vegetarian thali is priced at Rs 149, the non-vegetarian one is available at Rs 199.
The food festival also serves the traditional Odia snacks like Chakuli-Mansa Tarkari, Masala Mudhi, Jhura Pakudi and Aloo Dum, Bara-Guguni, Dahi Bara and Aloo Dum, Gup Chup and chaat. Every snack item is priced at Rs 30.
The Odia food festival is on till November 22.