REMINDERS OF ODISHA - FOOD BOARD

I recently discovered the mood board by chance and haven’t stopped using this GenZ-found trend ever since. I cannot describe in words how therapeutic it is, especially when I am down and exhausted and don’t want any major writing or reading done. So, for a lot or all of this writing challenge, you are going to see me posting mood boards one after the other.

 

I am someone who tries to keep emotions and memories related to a person or place alive through food, among many other things. And here is a mood board, or more like a food board, including all the food that reminds me of my year-long stay in Odisha last year. We did have bad and worst food days as well, but I am going to brush them off because I did find some of the best food memories there. 

 

The Cuttack Biriyani - One of the major struggles I faced in Odisha apart from learning their nuanced language and their indifference to Hindi was finding a food that would match my South Indian palate. But it did not take me much time to fall in love with their Cuttack-style biryani with its unique taste and flavour. Adding gulkand (rose preserves) to biryani with other traditional spices gives it an aroma and taste that's unique and memorable. Yes, the flavour is strong as compared to other styles, but it stays in your mind, nevertheless. 

 

Koraput coffee is distinct for being cultivated in the Eastern Ghats by the tribal Odisha farmers, run exclusively in the state. Koraput coffee, for me, means peaceful weekend gateways, long morning walks in the park and rainy afternoons with a book. There is no replacement for that picture in my mind.

 

Mandi - There was one particular day when I was extremely homesick because I saw a Pondy registered vehicle passing by that day. I told my husband we should leave everything behind and just leave for home. I was so persistent that I sounded almost positive to move out at once. Helpless, the man turned to food for help. He searched for hours for a place that would change my mood and that was when we came across this place with its outstanding Mandi and other Lebanese specialities. 

 

The momo haven - I am a momo locator. When I travel to a place, the first thing I search for is a good momo place around. And I must say, Odisha is a haven for some of the best varieties of momo, at least where I stayed. This momo place was exactly opposite my apartment and on bad days, it was our comfort food. 

 

Sheer khurma - This one is special. Because Odisha was a new place to me and my husband. Being South Indian Muslims, we found it extremely difficult to gel with people there, though we came across some of the sweetest personalities. It was the first Eid both of us celebrated a thousand kilometres away from home and it was kind of hard. And then we got a call from someone who wanted to host us for Eid. Happened to be my mama’s friend for 25 years. Our faces suddenly turned all smiley-smiley because we both hated having to spend Eid alone. To say that we celebrated Eid that day as we did at home would be an understatement. The whole family was so welcoming and warm. It is a memory I will take with me forever along with the people associated with it. The sheer khurma was a standout that day that reminded me of my mom’s semiya payasam.

 

The pasta specials - celebrating anniversaries with pasta was the norm during our stay in Odisha. On our birthdays, anniversaries, and any other occasion we found, we went running to this pasta place that was all the way on the other side of the town. Because what is more fun than travelling hundreds of kilometres to have a bowl of pasta on a special eve?

This post is for the #BlogchatterFoodFest 

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