I love Punjabi cuisine, and South Indian snacks; but hey! Indian Cuisine is not only about them!
Yes, I really love my Indian food. More so, my Odia food-which is very diverse, simple, yet delicious and healthy!
Especially when abroad, sighting an 'Indian' Restaurant in itself makes me jump off my feet in excitement. I love the dishes and buffet spreads there on offer. But what saddens me everytime is: I find invariably what all are offered as Indian food is basically Punjabi ( main course) or South Indian( snacks). Or at the most, some Bengal sweets, some Gujurati pharsan. Nothing from the other areas, especially the Eastern part of India - Odisha, Bihar, Bengal, North-Eastern states - which have great and very ancient history and heritage of richly diverse, tasty and healthy cuisines, because of their unique flora and fauna, that inspires both veg and non-veg eating habits!
Worse still, inside our own country- India, after Punjabi and South Indian cuisines, vary many popular dishes of Odisha are either not known beyond the state boundaries, or known as part of Bengal cuisine! Historically, Bengal and Bihar were part of undivided Utkal( Odisha) and so we share culinary tastes and recipes to a great extent.Plus many Odia cooks migrated to Bengal later mostly as chefs, and during the British era mostly,their recipes gradually came to be known as part of Bengali cuisine. There is nothing for heart burn here. Food has always been, is and will always remain one of the most effective integrating factors for the human race across the globe! Just look around and see the scale, variety and greatness of fusion food everywhere.
I only want that the odia dishes must be popularised in our own country as well as abroad by the food entrepreneurs, and be known rightfully as from Odisha. It is so balanced and light that the health quotient is tremendous, compared to many other cuisine, for travellers and those who have to regularly eat out.
I would say, let the eating joints, restaurants, hotels start experimenting by offering a few of these dishes on their menu. I can bet, as a tourist, instead of having rich, spicy dishes without much vegetable two times everyday, you would prefer a simple rice/roti, simple daal, mixed fry or curry in Odia style. Simple, tasty, healthy and inexpensive!
Just want to add one more aspect. Odisha shares her border with so many states that you would find a Telengana & Andhra in Berhampore( Southern Odisha), West Bengal & Jharkhand in Balasore( Northern Odisha), Chhatisgarh in Mayurbhanj ( western Odisha). Especially, we have much in common in cuisines with South India and West Bengal. Even Bihari cuisine has many similarities with ours - especially the recipes for fish curry, goat meat curry and chokkha( our bharta).
Come, let us explore!
Especially when abroad, sighting an 'Indian' Restaurant in itself makes me jump off my feet in excitement. I love the dishes and buffet spreads there on offer. But what saddens me everytime is: I find invariably what all are offered as Indian food is basically Punjabi ( main course) or South Indian( snacks). Or at the most, some Bengal sweets, some Gujurati pharsan. Nothing from the other areas, especially the Eastern part of India - Odisha, Bihar, Bengal, North-Eastern states - which have great and very ancient history and heritage of richly diverse, tasty and healthy cuisines, because of their unique flora and fauna, that inspires both veg and non-veg eating habits!
Worse still, inside our own country- India, after Punjabi and South Indian cuisines, vary many popular dishes of Odisha are either not known beyond the state boundaries, or known as part of Bengal cuisine! Historically, Bengal and Bihar were part of undivided Utkal( Odisha) and so we share culinary tastes and recipes to a great extent.Plus many Odia cooks migrated to Bengal later mostly as chefs, and during the British era mostly,their recipes gradually came to be known as part of Bengali cuisine. There is nothing for heart burn here. Food has always been, is and will always remain one of the most effective integrating factors for the human race across the globe! Just look around and see the scale, variety and greatness of fusion food everywhere.
I only want that the odia dishes must be popularised in our own country as well as abroad by the food entrepreneurs, and be known rightfully as from Odisha. It is so balanced and light that the health quotient is tremendous, compared to many other cuisine, for travellers and those who have to regularly eat out.
I would say, let the eating joints, restaurants, hotels start experimenting by offering a few of these dishes on their menu. I can bet, as a tourist, instead of having rich, spicy dishes without much vegetable two times everyday, you would prefer a simple rice/roti, simple daal, mixed fry or curry in Odia style. Simple, tasty, healthy and inexpensive!
Just want to add one more aspect. Odisha shares her border with so many states that you would find a Telengana & Andhra in Berhampore( Southern Odisha), West Bengal & Jharkhand in Balasore( Northern Odisha), Chhatisgarh in Mayurbhanj ( western Odisha). Especially, we have much in common in cuisines with South India and West Bengal. Even Bihari cuisine has many similarities with ours - especially the recipes for fish curry, goat meat curry and chokkha( our bharta).
Come, let us explore!
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