Pakhal ପଖାଳ (Daily Food of Odisha)

Pakhal is an Oriya term for an Indian food consisting of cooked ricrmented in water.The liquid part or the juce is known as turani(ତୋରାଣି ). It is popular in Odisha, Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. The Bengali name for this dish is Panta Bhat. Eating pakhal has been recommended to prevent heat stroke in hot weather. In its heyday, the Hotel Jagabandhu in Cuttack, Orissa was famous for its Pakhal, attracting customers from around the state. A traditional Oriya dish, it is also prepared with rice, curd, cucumber, fried onions and mint leaves. It is popularly served with roasted vegetables as potato,brinjal,Badi & saga bhaja or fried fish.

Pakhala is a simple and popular cuisive of Odisha and gew other states. Pakhala is simple Cooked Rice soaked in water, It may be the basics freshly cooked rine or left over rice. Add water, curd, salt as per the taste.Its ready to serve with fish fry or nay other vegetable fry, Badi Chura(ବଡି ଚୁରା) , Saga Bhaja (ଶାଗ ଭଜା ) and many more side dishes

Recipe:

• Cook rice and allow it to cool (do not freeze).
• Fry some cumin seed and grind it to fine powder.
• Add curd and fried cumin seed powder, coriander leaves and salt to taste.
• Serve it with fish fry and spinach.

Ingredients of Pakhala Bhata

• 2 Cups cooked rice
• 1 Cup cold water
• 1 Cup curd
• To taste salt
• 1/2 tsp chopped ginger
• Few drops of lemon juice or lemon slice
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp Panchforan
• 1 pinch asaefotida (Optional)
• 7-8 curry leaves
• 1 whole dry chilli

How to Make Pakhala Bhata

• Add water to freshly cooked rice or left over rice. Rice should be completely immersed in water.
• Keep it covered for 8-12 hours or Leave it overnight.
• Next day add curd, Lemon Slice or few drops of lemon juice and salt to taste and Small juliennes of Mango Ginger
• Prepare the chonk by adding little oil, One Dry Chilli, Little Mustard seeds /Panch Puran/Cumin Seeds as per the taste, coriander leaves. Do not add hot chonk to the rice, let it come down to room temperature.
• Add the chonk to the rice and serve it with roasted vegetables as potato,brinjal, Badi & saga bhaja or fried fish.