Recently, industrialist Harsh Goenka shared his admiration for Odia cuisine. Describing it as one of the most underrated cuisines, Goenka shared his appreciation for Odia food after trying homemade dahibara aloodum, chakulipitha and more. In a post on X, Goenka wrote, “Indian cuisine conversations often revolve around Punjabi, South Indian or Bengali food. Odia cuisine deserves a much bigger place on that table.” “What struck me most was its restraint. No overload of cream, butter or chillies. Just balance, mustard, fermentation, texture and freshness,” he added.
Well, this isn’t the first time that Odia cuisine is grabbing spotlight. Chef Ranveer Brar, who has been appointed as the brand ambassador of Odia cuisine by the state government, has been vocal about his praise for Odia food, especially dalma and pakhala bhata.
Similarly, Michelin chef Vikas Khanna has repeatedly praised Cuttack famous dahiba ra aloodum as a “genuine dish.” In fact, he recreated the dish and served it at his New York restaurant, Bungalow recently.
Considered as one of India’s oldest surviving culinary traditions, Odia food is rooted in temple traditions, coastal influences and agrarian life styles. Unlike many regional cuisines shaped primarily by royal courts or foreign invasions, Odia food evolved around spirituality, seasonal living, and simplicity.
Dating back nearly a thousand years, it draws inspiration from the temple food of Lord Jagannath, which till date is cooked in earthen pots over firewood, without onion or garlic. Dishes such as dalma, khichdi, khatta, and various rice preparations offered to Lord Jagannath have become staples of Odia households.
Similarly, ancient Odisha’s maritime connections also influenced its cuisine. During the Kalinga era, Odia traders, known as Sadhabas sailed to Southeast Asia, carrying spices and culinary practices across the Bay of Bengal. The fish, prawns, crabs and dried fish preparations also evolved alongside its maritime economy. Lighter spices and mustard-based gravies suited to long sea journeys and humid climates.
Agriculture and climate also shaped its cuisine’s diversity. While the fertile river plains encouraged extensive rice cultivation, making rice the cornerstone of every meal, hot and humid weather made pa khala bhata — fermented rice soaked in water, a staple food to adapt to the hot and humid summer. So, long before “probiotic diets” became globally fashionable, Odias had already integrated fermentation into their daily eating habits!
However, despite being one of the most sophisticated culinary traditions, Odia cuisine remained underrated as it lacked national-level branding, restaurant chains and media visibility unlike Punjabi or South Indian cuisines. Dishes like dalma and pakhala were harder to commercialise in a market dominated by rich, spicy foods.
Besides, limited culinary entrepreneurship and diaspora-led promotion kept Odia food out of mainstream India’s gastronomic imagination for years.
But thanks to social media, culinary tourism, GI-tag campaigns and renewed pride among younger Odias, its cuisine is moving from the margins to the mainstream. What was once overlooked is now being rediscovered as one of country’s most balanced, sustainable food traditions.
Global conversations around healthy eating and sustainable food have helped Odia cuisine stand out. Fermented dishes like pakhala are now appreciated for their probiotic and climate-friendly value rather than “poor man’s food.”
The Odisha government is also actively promoting culinary tourism by supporting Odia restaurants and food festivals across India. The state government’s announcement to offer financial assistance for the opening of premium restaurants serving authentic Odia cuisine across Indian cities and tourist destinations is a case in point.
But then, challenges remain. Unlike cuisines that built strong restaurant ecosystems and aggressive branding, Odia food still lacks national-scale chains, documentation and culinary entrepreneurship.
The writer is a journalist
