page_title: Culture of Odisha
section_title: Odia cuisine
hierarchical_section_title: Culture of Odisha / Odia cuisine
caption_attribution_description: Bikalanda Kar's Famous Salepur Rasagola (Large)
context_page_description: Odisha is one of the 29 states of India, located in the eastern coast. It is surrounded by the states of West Bengal to the north-east, Jharkhand to the north, Chhattisgarh to the west and north-west, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to the south and south-west. Odia is the official and most widely spoken language, spoken by 33.2 million according to the 2001 Census.
  The modern state of Odisha was established on 1 April 1936, as a province in British India, and consisted predominantly of Odia-speaking regions. April 1 is celebrated as Odisha Day.
context_section_description: Odisha has culinary tradition spanning centuries if not millennia. The kitchen of the famous Jagannath temple in Puri is reputed to be the largest in the world, with a thousand chefs, working around 752 wood-burning clay hearths called chulas, to feed over 10,000 people each day.
  Rasagolla, one of the most popular desserts in India, is an extension of the cuisine of Odisha and West Bengal. It had been enjoyed in Odisha for centuries and neighbouring Bengal, like the well-known rice pudding, kheeri (kheer), that is relished all over India.
  In fact, some well-known recipes, usually credited to Bengal, are of Odishan origin. This is because during the Bengal renaissance, Brahmin cooks from Odisha, especially from Puri, were routinely employed in richer Bengali households. They were famed for their culinary skills and commonly referred to as Ude Thakurs (Odia Brahmin-cooks). As a result, many Odia delicacies got incorporated into the Bengali kitchen.
  Chena Poda is another famous sweet delicacy in Odisha with the origin from Nayagarh District, Odisha.
  Pakhala, a dish made of rice, water, and yoghurt, that is fermented overnight, is very popular in summer, particularly in the rural areas. Odias are very fond of sweets and no Odia repast is considered complete without some dessert at the end. A typical meal in Odisha consists of a main course and dessert. Typically breads are served as the main course for breakfast, whereas rice is eaten with lentils (dals) during lunch and dinner. The main course also includes one or more curries, vegetables and pickles. Given the fondness for sweet foods, the dessert course may include generous portions of more than a single item. Odia desserts are made from a variety of ingredients, with milk, chhenna (a form of ricotta cheese), coconut, rice, and wheat flour being the most common.
caption: Salepur Rasagola.Rasagola, famous throughout India originated from Odisha