Literally “burnt cheese,” this is Odisha’s beloved cheesecake made from fresh chhena (curdled milk), semolina, sugar, and cardamom, baked until it caramelizes. It’s also Lord Jagannath’s favorite dessert! ¹⁾

A soul-warming stew of split lentils and vegetables (like raw banana, pumpkin, papaya), tempered with panch phoron (five spices) and sometimes coconut. Offered as bhog in temples. ²⁾

Odisha’s iconic summer meal: fermented rice soaked in water, served cold with yogurt, green chilies, and fried or mashed vegetables. Cool, probiotic, and deeply traditional. ³⁾

A sweet aromatic rice dish prepared with ghee, sugar, raisins, and cardamom. Served in temples as part of Mahaprasad, often as an alternative to pulao. ⁴⁾

A tangy curry of mushrooms in a mustard-poppy seed paste — earthy, pungent, and uniquely Odia. ⁵⁾

Deep-fried chhena patties soaked in thickened sweetened milk. It originated from Kendrapara and is a staple sweet in Odia festivals. ⁶⁾

A mildly spiced vegetable medley, boiled and sautéed with very little oil, turmeric, and green chilies. Light and highly digestible. ⁷⁾

Roasted paddy (khai) mixed with grated coconut and jaggery — a sacred and crunchy snack, often served during temple rituals and festivals. ⁸⁾

A sweet-sour vegetable stew made with raw mango or tamarind, jaggery, and mustard seeds. A balance of flavors rarely found elsewhere. ⁹⁾

A signature mustard-based curry, often made with vegetables like pumpkin, potato, or banana stem, and spiced with a blend of mustard seed paste, garlic, and chili. ¹⁰⁾

A rich and creamy prawn curry cooked in coconut milk, flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom — delicate yet luxurious. ¹¹⁾

A yogurt-based curry made with fried eggplant slices, tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Cooling and perfect with rice. ¹²⁾

A Baripada specialty: spicy goat meat curry served with puffed rice (mudhi). Unusual and delicious — crunchy and meaty at once. ¹³⁾

Traditionally cooked in a clay pot sealed with dough, this mutton curry is slow-cooked with whole spices for hours. Deeply flavorful and rustic. ¹⁴⁾

A fermented rice and urad dal cake, mildly sweet with coconut and jaggery, baked on low flame or in charcoal. Served especially during Raja Parba, a festival celebrating womanhood and Earth’s fertility. ¹⁵⁾