Winter is the season of comfort, good food, and warmth. It’s that time of the year when one wants to snuggle up by the fireside with a cup of hot coffee or tea in hand. The season offers a vast variety of green vegetables and juicy fruits. There are multiple dishes in the traditional Odia Cuisine which act as perfect winter supplements to warm you up in this chilly winter. Let us have a look at a few of these delicious dishes.
Start with a Refreshing Breakfast:
- Enduri Pitha:
Enduri pitha is a dish which welcomes winter. It is made with fragrant and antioxidant-rich turmeric leaves on Prathamastami, celebrating the family’s firstborn child. According to the making process, it is also called Haldi Patra Pitha. A batter made with rice and urad dal layered with a mixture of sauteed coconut, jaggery, cardamom, and black paper, rolled up in turmeric leaves and steamed. Served with hot & spicy ghuguni or dalma is the perfect combination to enjoy it.
- Khira Gaintha:
Khira Gaintha is a unique and highly elevating sweet dish of Odisha. Rice balls are cooked in thickened milk laced with nuts, cardamom, sugar, and coconut. Khira Gaintha is a special dish in our mummy’s kitchen on the occasion of ‘Bakula Amabasya’. Rich in flavour, Gaintha is a temple food of Odisha which is offered to Lord Jagannath on this special occasion.
- Gajar Halwa:
Your winter is incomplete if you don’t have Gajar (Carrot) Halwa in the winter food list. The dish always maintains its position on top of all winter foods. You can only get the actual flavour of Gajar Halwa if you make it with the fresh red carrots of winter because this season brings a bounty of fresh vegetables to your table. Made with easily available ingredients like milk, sugar & ghee, you can also add khoya or condensed milk to make it rich.
Lip-smacking lunch for your hungry tummy:
- Ghanto Tarkari:
You must have tried mixed vegetable curry in your home, but in Odisha, it is made in a unique style. In this classic Ghanto tarkari, you will find some classic veggies like raw banana, khada saga, elephant yam (Mati Alu), white pumpkin, etc which are essential ingredients of an authentic Odia curry. This unique dish is prepared on the occasion of Samba Dashami and Dwitibahana Puja. The dish is also preferred as a natural remedy for cough and cold.
- Simba Rai:
Another interesting vegetable from the crew of winter veggies is flattened bean which is known as Simba in Odia. Simba rai is a very popular dish in Odisha. It is a strong-flavoured curry made out of besara (mustard paste) and a perfect accompaniment to hot steaming rice in your lunch.
- Kanji:
We have tasted many dishes prepared from Dahi/Curd like Dahi Baingan, Dahi Kadi, Curd rice and many more. But, have you ever tasted Dahi Kanji? It is an authentic Odia dish made by using curd, contains a huge amount of healthy nutrients and promotes digestion. Along with curd, the dish includes rice water, turmeric and different kinds of vegetables. It is one of the Chappan Bhog offered to Lord Jagannath.
- Leafy Foods:
Winter is the time when nature is bounteous, and you can find a variety of leafy greens growing in kitchen gardens, roadsides, grazing fields etc. A mix of saag like spinach, mustard greens, tender cauliflower leaves, onion leaves, radish leaves etc could be cooked with garlic and aromatic mustard paste. Saga bhajaa (fry) is an integral part of the Odia platter which is also offered to the deities during festivals.
Savory Evening Winter Snacks:
- Dhanu Muan:
Dhanu Muan is a sweet and tasty Odia snack which is closely linked to Dhanu Sankranti. It is a crunchy ball made with a mix of ghee, khai (puffed rice), jaggery, toasted coconut, spices like cardamom and black paper. It is made in different shapes like square, round and heart.
- Sijha Manda:
Hot Sijha Manda is another sweet treat with a lot of ritualistic significance during Manabasa Gurubara (Thursday) and is offered to goddess Laxmi. It is prepared using rice dough, stuffed with a mix of coconut, jaggery, cardamom etc. After that, it is steamed and turned into stuffed rice balls. This delicious sweet dish is perfect food for an evening snack.
Treat yourself with these finger-licking winter delicacies which help boost your immunity and give you energy to live a healthy life.
Winter is the season of comfort, good food, and warmth. It’s that time of the year when one wants to snuggle up by the fireside with a cup of hot coffee or tea in hand. The season offers a vast variety of green vegetables and juicy fruits. There are multiple dishes in the traditional Odia Cuisine which act as perfect winter supplements to warm you up in this chilly winter. Let us have a look at a few of these delicious dishes.
Start with a Refreshing Breakfast:
- Enduri Pitha:
Enduri pitha is a dish which welcomes winter. It is made with fragrant and antioxidant-rich turmeric leaves on Prathamastami, celebrating the family’s firstborn child. According to the making process, it is also called Haldi Patra Pitha. A batter made with rice and urad dal layered with a mixture of sauteed coconut, jaggery, cardamom, and black paper, rolled up in turmeric leaves and steamed. Served with hot & spicy ghuguni or dalma is the perfect combination to enjoy it.
- Khira Gaintha:
Khira Gaintha is a unique and highly elevating sweet dish of Odisha. Rice balls are cooked in thickened milk laced with nuts, cardamom, sugar, and coconut. Khira Gaintha is a special dish in our mummy’s kitchen on the occasion of ‘Bakula Amabasya’. Rich in flavour, Gaintha is a temple food of Odisha which is offered to Lord Jagannath on this special occasion.
- Gajar Halwa:
Your winter is incomplete if you don’t have Gajar (Carrot) Halwa in the winter food list. The dish always maintains its position on top of all winter foods. You can only get the actual flavour of Gajar Halwa if you make it with the fresh red carrots of winter because this season brings a bounty of fresh vegetables to your table. Made with easily available ingredients like milk, sugar & ghee, you can also add khoya or condensed milk to make it rich.
Lip-smacking lunch for your hungry tummy:
- Ghanto Tarkari:
You must have tried mixed vegetable curry in your home, but in Odisha, it is made in a unique style. In this classic Ghanto tarkari, you will find some classic veggies like raw banana, khada saga, elephant yam (Mati Alu), white pumpkin, etc which are essential ingredients of an authentic Odia curry. This unique dish is prepared on the occasion of Samba Dashami and Dwitibahana Puja. The dish is also preferred as a natural remedy for cough and cold.
- Simba Rai:
Another interesting vegetable from the crew of winter veggies is flattened bean which is known as Simba in Odia. Simba rai is a very popular dish in Odisha. It is a strong-flavoured curry made out of besara (mustard paste) and a perfect accompaniment to hot steaming rice in your lunch.
- Kanji:
We have tasted many dishes prepared from Dahi/Curd like Dahi Baingan, Dahi Kadi, Curd rice and many more. But, have you ever tasted Dahi Kanji? It is an authentic Odia dish made by using curd, contains a huge amount of healthy nutrients and promotes digestion. Along with curd, the dish includes rice water, turmeric and different kinds of vegetables. It is one of the Chappan Bhog offered to Lord Jagannath.
- Leafy Foods:
Winter is the time when nature is bounteous, and you can find a variety of leafy greens growing in kitchen gardens, roadsides, grazing fields etc. A mix of saag like spinach, mustard greens, tender cauliflower leaves, onion leaves, radish leaves etc could be cooked with garlic and aromatic mustard paste. Saga bhajaa (fry) is an integral part of the Odia platter which is also offered to the deities during festivals.
Savory Evening Winter Snacks:
- Dhanu Muan:
Dhanu Muan is a sweet and tasty Odia snack which is closely linked to Dhanu Sankranti. It is a crunchy ball made with a mix of ghee, khai (puffed rice), jaggery, toasted coconut, spices like cardamom and black paper. It is made in different shapes like square, round and heart.
- Sijha Manda:
Hot Sijha Manda is another sweet treat with a lot of ritualistic significance during Manabasa Gurubara (Thursday) and is offered to goddess Laxmi. It is prepared using rice dough, stuffed with a mix of coconut, jaggery, cardamom etc. After that, it is steamed and turned into stuffed rice balls. This delicious sweet dish is perfect food for an evening snack.
Treat yourself with these finger-licking winter delicacies which help boost your immunity and give you energy to live a healthy life.
