The arrival of winters for Odias brings with it a vast array of delicious foods to be relished. Odia cuisine is full of some flavourful and decadent curries from the humble Dalma and Ghanto Tarkari to the ever-tempting Mangsha Jhola and Machha Besara. Winters were always special to me. As an Odia, I used to wake up to the fragrance of pithas during winters along with Ghuguni. The afternoons were spent relishing a plate of Usuna Bhata (steamed rice) along with Ghanto (Odia mix veg curry) on veg days and Mangsha Jhola (mutton curry) on nonveg days. The lunch was followed by a long afternoon nap. The evening snack was a mandatory combination of Bara and Aloo Dum. The dinner was a plate of comfort food with Rotis and Dalma in it. As evident, every single meal of the day has an appetizing curry to complete the meal. We have curated four flavoursome Odia curries that you can try this winter to warm your soul.
1. Dalma
First things first, Dalma is a quintessential Odia curry made in almost all Odia households at least once a week. The dish is a flavourful melange of veggies, urad dal and tempering of panch phoran. Quite simple yet irresistibly delicious, Dalma is comfort food for Odias. Try this for lunch with rice during winters and you are good to go.
2. Ghanto Tarkari
If you want to savour something filling, wholesome and delicious, then Ghanto Tarkari is the one for you. Made with an assortment of vegetables and pulses and legumes, Ghanto Tarkari is mainly eaten as a side dish with rice and dal or roti.
3. Machha Besara
Odias share an age-old unbreakable bond with fish dishes. Machha Besara is one of the most simple yet delicious fish curries savoured in Odisha. The dish is made by cooking fish in mustard gravy with tempering of curry leaves, dry red chillies and panch phoran.
4. Mangsha Tarkari
No Odia non-vegetarian can say “No” to Mangsha Tarkari. Cooked with a variety of whole spices, ginger-garlic paste and some typical Indian masalas, Mangsha Tarkari is enough to make you drool.
You can enjoy these curries with steamed rice or phulkas for lunch or dinner. Try them out and let us know how you like them.
