The holy city of Puri, known worldwide as Jagannath Dham, is not only a place of spirituality but also renowned for its wide range of delicious dishes, from the temple's 'Chhappan Bhog' to local cuisines.
In this story, let’s explore the delicious cuisine of Puri.
Abadha: Served at the Lord Jagannath Temple, it comprises all the dishes of Mahaprasad and is the favourite among the locals and visitors alike.
Malpua: Offered to the Lord Jagannath in the morning, it’s a sweet delicacy made from flour, milk, bananas, cardamom, and fennel seeds.
Rasabali: One of the sweet dishes served as Chhappan Bhog, it’s a cottage cheese fritter, deep fried in ghee and soaked in fragrant milk.
Khaja: Offered to the Lord Jagganath as ‘Sukhila Prasad’, it’s a multi-layered deep-fried flaky sweet dish made from flour, oil, and sugar.
Chenna Poda: This delicious treat is made from cottage cheese, oil, jaggery, milk, ghee, and a plethora of dry fruits adding flavour to the delicacy.
Ukhuda: Another ‘Sukhila Prasad’ is Ukhuda or fried puffed rice, sweetened with sugar.
Dalma: A zero-oil-based dish made with lentils and vegetables, is another most loved dish in the state and is also included in the list of India’s President’s food menu.
Poda Pitha: Shree Jagannath’s favourite dish, it’s made from rice flour, coconut, jaggery, cardamom, and dry fruits.
Santula: A vegetarian Odia curry mainly made with papaya, potato, brinjal, and tomato, and cooked in ghee along with panch phoran.
Khichdi: An integral part of the Chhappan Bhog, it’s made with lentils in pure desi ghee.