Vikas Khanna, Ranveer Brar and now Harsh Goenka wowed by Odia flavours
Odia cuisine is one of the most underrated, but with time, it is slowly getting its due. The most recent acknowledgement came from industrialist Harsh Goenka.
We all know that Indian cuisine is incredibly elaborate, with every state bringing its own flavour palette, signature dishes, cooking techniques, and culinary identity to the table. Yet, when conversations around Indian food begin, they often remain limited to Punjab's parathas and chole bhature, South India's dosas and idlis, Hyderabad's biryani, or Bengal's iconic fish preparations.
But there's a lot more.
While these dishes absolutely deserve their cult status, Indian cuisine offers a much wider and more diverse spread. Beyond the internet’s favourite comfort foods and viral street snacks lies an entire world of regional cuisines that often get overlooked during the mainstream discussions.
This very thought was recently highlighted by industrialist Harsh Goenka in one of his posts on X, where he turned the spotlight towards the underrated yet deeply comforting Odia cuisine.
The taste of Odisha
What stood out to him was the restraint and balance that defines the cuisine. Unlike heavily rich or overly spicy preparations, Odia food focuses on subtle flavours, allowing ingredients to shine through naturally. "No overload of cream, butter or chillies. Just balance, mustard, fermentation, texture and freshness," he wrote.
The food is comforting without being heavy and flavourful without relying on excess spice or richness. And in this health-conscious era when people are counting calories and opting for healthy cooking options, this type of cuisine seems to fit right in.
Rooted in simplicity, seasonality, and nourishment, the cuisine celebrates earthy flavours and traditional cooking methods that have been passed down through generations.
It's all about the mustard-based gravies, lightly spiced vegetables, fermented batters, pithas, lentils, and fresh local produce that form the heart of everyday meals.
Hailing the flavours, Goenka also shared some of the dishes he tried, all prepared lovingly at home. The homely spread included Dahi Bara Aloo Dum - a popular street food featuring lentil dumplings topped with curd and spicy potato curry; Drumstick-Brinjal Besara - a vegetable curry cooked in mustard paste.
Then there was also Chhena Tarkari - a curry made with soft, fresh chhena; Chakuli Pitha - a soft fermented rice-and-lentil crepe - and Aloo Patra Besara where potatoes and colocasia leaves are cooked in a mustard-based gravy.
Some of the other popular dishes from this cuisine include Pakhala Bhata, a fermented rice preparation popularly eaten during summers, Dalma, a wholesome lentil dish cooked with vegetables, and Santula, a light and healthy vegetable preparation.
Seafood also plays an important role in the cuisine, with dishes like Macha Besara and Chingudi Jhola being household favourites.
If you have a sweet tooth, chances are you may already know about the irresistible Chhena Poda – a baked, caramelised cottage cheese dessert - or Rasabali, where soft chhena patties are soaked in thickened milk.
Because Odisha borders West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Odia cuisine shows traces of those neighbours — for example, the frequent use of mustard (a Bengali influence) and the presence of curry leaves, tamarind and coconut in coastal/southern districts (influences from Andhra and southern India).
The emerging food scene
Slowly, the conversations around Odia cuisine are simmering.
In a podcast with content creator Ishan Sharma, chef Vikas Khanna called Odia cuisine underrated. Khanna spoke about the state’s unique frying and fermentation techniques, while also giving a special mention to pakhala — a staple during Odia summers.
Recently, celebrating the regional cuisines of India at his restaurant Bungalow in New York, he shared how the delicacy – Dahi Bara Aloo Dum - was completely sold out too. And this is not the first time he has spoken highly of the cuisine.
A couple of years ago, during an interview with Ranveer Allahbadia, he shared how he was completely bowled over by the bold flavours, chillies, garlic and buttermilk-based preparations in Odia food. The experience left such an impression on him that introducing the cuisine to the menu at his restaurant eventually felt like a full-circle moment.
There's more.
Earlier this year, chef Ranveer Brar was also named the ambassador of Odisha cuisine. So, yes, people are talking about the sublet flavours and also enjoying it.
Ask anyone who has tried Odia cuisine, and they will tell you that its beauty lies in its quiet confidence. It does not try too hard to impress with excessive richness or dramatic presentation. Instead, it wins hearts through warmth, balance, and honest flavours.
We all know that Indian cuisine is incredibly elaborate, with every state bringing its own flavour palette, signature dishes, cooking techniques, and culinary identity to the table. Yet, when conversations around Indian food begin, they often remain limited to Punjab's parathas and chole bhature, South India's dosas and idlis, Hyderabad's biryani, or Bengal's iconic fish preparations.
But there's a lot more.
While these dishes absolutely deserve their cult status, Indian cuisine offers a much wider and more diverse spread. Beyond the internet’s favourite comfort foods and viral street snacks lies an entire world of regional cuisines that often get overlooked during the mainstream discussions.
This very thought was recently highlighted by industrialist Harsh Goenka in one of his posts on X, where he turned the spotlight towards the underrated yet deeply comforting Odia cuisine.
The taste of Odisha
What stood out to him was the restraint and balance that defines the cuisine. Unlike heavily rich or overly spicy preparations, Odia food focuses on subtle flavours, allowing ingredients to shine through naturally. "No overload of cream, butter or chillies. Just balance, mustard, fermentation, texture and freshness," he wrote.
The food is comforting without being heavy and flavourful without relying on excess spice or richness. And in this health-conscious era when people are counting calories and opting for healthy cooking options, this type of cuisine seems to fit right in.
Rooted in simplicity, seasonality, and nourishment, the cuisine celebrates earthy flavours and traditional cooking methods that have been passed down through generations.
It's all about the mustard-based gravies, lightly spiced vegetables, fermented batters, pithas, lentils, and fresh local produce that form the heart of everyday meals.
Hailing the flavours, Goenka also shared some of the dishes he tried, all prepared lovingly at home. The homely spread included Dahi Bara Aloo Dum - a popular street food featuring lentil dumplings topped with curd and spicy potato curry; Drumstick-Brinjal Besara - a vegetable curry cooked in mustard paste.
Then there was also Chhena Tarkari - a curry made with soft, fresh chhena; Chakuli Pitha - a soft fermented rice-and-lentil crepe - and Aloo Patra Besara where potatoes and colocasia leaves are cooked in a mustard-based gravy.
Some of the other popular dishes from this cuisine include Pakhala Bhata, a fermented rice preparation popularly eaten during summers, Dalma, a wholesome lentil dish cooked with vegetables, and Santula, a light and healthy vegetable preparation.
Seafood also plays an important role in the cuisine, with dishes like Macha Besara and Chingudi Jhola being household favourites.
If you have a sweet tooth, chances are you may already know about the irresistible Chhena Poda – a baked, caramelised cottage cheese dessert - or Rasabali, where soft chhena patties are soaked in thickened milk.
Because Odisha borders West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Odia cuisine shows traces of those neighbours — for example, the frequent use of mustard (a Bengali influence) and the presence of curry leaves, tamarind and coconut in coastal/southern districts (influences from Andhra and southern India).
The emerging food scene
Slowly, the conversations around Odia cuisine are simmering.
In a podcast with content creator Ishan Sharma, chef Vikas Khanna called Odia cuisine underrated. Khanna spoke about the state’s unique frying and fermentation techniques, while also giving a special mention to pakhala — a staple during Odia summers.
Recently, celebrating the regional cuisines of India at his restaurant Bungalow in New York, he shared how the delicacy – Dahi Bara Aloo Dum - was completely sold out too. And this is not the first time he has spoken highly of the cuisine.
A couple of years ago, during an interview with Ranveer Allahbadia, he shared how he was completely bowled over by the bold flavours, chillies, garlic and buttermilk-based preparations in Odia food. The experience left such an impression on him that introducing the cuisine to the menu at his restaurant eventually felt like a full-circle moment.
There's more.
Earlier this year, chef Ranveer Brar was also named the ambassador of Odisha cuisine. So, yes, people are talking about the sublet flavours and also enjoying it.
Ask anyone who has tried Odia cuisine, and they will tell you that its beauty lies in its quiet confidence. It does not try too hard to impress with excessive richness or dramatic presentation. Instead, it wins hearts through warmth, balance, and honest flavours.
