Bhubaneswar: With the day temperature on the rise, the focus in Odisha has shifted to ‘Pakhala’, the traditional Odia dish comprising cooked rice soaked or lightly fermented in water, with an assortment of mouth-watering side trimmings.
A probiotic-rich and hydrating meal, it is said to provide relief from the effects of high temperature and prevent heatstroke and is traditionally consumed in Odisha round the year though the demand for the iconic meal shoots up during the summer months because of its myriad health benefits.
Like the previous years, the School of Hotel Management (SHM), faculty of hospitality and tourism management of the SOA Deemed to be University here, will be organizing the ‘Pakhala Utsav’ from April 1 to 5 with the objective of promoting the rich culinary heritage of the state. The dish, having other names or its variants, is also popular in other eastern Indian states as also the neighbouring countries of Nepal, Bangladesh and parts of Myanmar. It is also included in the recipe of the Lord Jagannath Temple at Puri.
‘The theme for this year’s festival will be ‘Odia Village: Handloom and Handicrafts Heritage’ which will offer the visitors a peep into the state’s rich rural traditions’, Prof. Susanta Ranjan Chaini, Dean of SHM, said.
Visitors can enjoy the food in the institute between 12 noon and 3 pm on the festival days (priced at Rs. 250 per head) in an ambience of a vibrant rural setting featuring mud huts, earthen pots and bamboo structures while the students, faculty and staff will be sporting traditional Odia attire.
The festival is being organised by the students under the guidance of Prof. Chaini and faculty members.
Variants of Pakhala including ‘Usuna Pakhala’, ‘Arua Pahkala’, ‘Dahi Pakhala’, ‘Lembu Pakhala’ and ‘Ada Pakhala’ will be served with side dishes which would include non-vegetarian offerings like ‘Patrapoda Machha’, ‘Chingudi Chhecha’ and ‘Machha Kalia’ and vegetarian accompaniments like ‘Patrapoda Chhatu’, ‘Aloo Baigan’, ‘Nadia Bhaja’, ‘Aloo Kalara Batti Tarkari’, ‘Saga Badi Bhaja’, ‘Kancha Amba’, ‘Tamato Chhecha’ and ‘Badi Chura’.
The initiative, Prof. Chaini said, aligns with the institution’s vision of nurturing future hospitality professionals while preserving and promoting indigenous food traditions. The event also seeks to create awareness among young chefs about the importance of local ingredients, sustainability and traditional cooking techniques, he said.