Breakfast. Brunch. Evening snacks. Dinner. Deep fried bara, piaji, singida and gulgula etc are a whole day affair.
Once on a panel, a Odia food writer and yoga expert went on and on about how Odia food is the healthiest and every meal is a meal of superfoods. We do get carried away a little when it comes to regional patriotism.
But the story will be incomplete without accepting that from 6 In the morning to 10 in the night, you can find deep fried goodies every few hundred meters in Odisha. They are so good and I am so lacking in self control that I come back with a stomach upset every time. Because maa ke haath ka khana is no competition for thele ka khana when I am back home. Sorry mother. But you know that’s a fact.
Here is a gallery of my breakfasts over the last week. If you can spot something that is not fried, I will go back for another week and fix it. Also, there is a 8 am jalebi. Many will try to rank these streetfood places and say whole samosa or vada is better etc. But it is a futile exercise and by no means, objective. There will be a good looking thela every five hundred meters and there are vending zones in every locality. Head to the nearest vending zone and follow your instinct.
Here are a few examples of what I had for breakfast when I was in Bhubaneswar.
- We were going to the chousath yogini temple in Hirapur in Bhubaneswar and this guy was standing on the banks of a canal next to Kuakhai river. The river was in full spate and the canal was a picture of serenity. How can one say no to deep fried goodies against that backdrop!
We had bara, singida which is samosa, piaji and gulgula. This comes with a side of ghugni and a green chilli. The old man who was serving gave a joyous scream when we started photographing. And, we got a few jalebis for free.
The Odia jalebi or jilipi is deep red, thick and dripping with syrup. It is crunchy outside but mushy inside.
2. This couple can be found in the vending zone across Shiraz Restaurant in Unit 4, Bhubaneswar. The woman cooks, the man sells. What’s important about the stall is that they sell singida or samosa that has stir fried potato fillings and not mashed potatoes. In the east, that is a big deal. Bhaja alu singida becoming more and more difficult to find and the few that persevere are worth the recognition.
Another notable point about the stall was that they served puri and alu kasa and chakuli or dosa.
3. Now, the most quintessential Odia breakfast – dahi bara and alu dum. Everyone has their own favorites and there is a loudly spoken agreement that the best ones are in Cuttack. But I love the one that you get near Ram Mandir in Bhubaneswar. Two guys set up their stalls next to the school, close to the spot where food trucks park in the evening. I don’t have a favorite. Choose any.
While you have the dahi bara and alu dum, never forget to ask for extra dahi. Get a bowl of it and do a bottoms up for the perfect finish.
