Pakhala Bhata
Veg
Vegan
Fermented rice water — cooked rice soaked in water overnight or for several hours until it ferments slightly, becoming cool, sour, and deeply refreshing. Eaten at room temperature or chilled, with a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, sliced onion, green chilli, cucumber, and grated coconut alongside. The summer staple of Odisha eaten by farmers, fishermen, and rural households to beat the extreme Odisha heat; there is a dedicated Pakhala Dibasa (World Pakhala Day) on 20th March each year.
Cuisines
Jharkhand
Odia
Best for
Breakfast
Lunch
Recipe
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 60 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 1 cup | rice |
| 3 cups | water |
| 1 cup | curd |
| 1 teaspoon | mustard seeds |
| 1 teaspoon | cumin seeds |
| 1 teaspoon | ginger |
| 2 tablespoons | oil |
| 1 tablespoon | coriander leaves |
| 1 teaspoon | green chili |
| — | salt to taste |
Instructions
- 1 Wash the rice thoroughly and cook it with 3 cups of water until soft.
- 2 Once cooked, allow the rice to cool down to room temperature.
- 3 In a large bowl, mix the cooled rice with curd and salt to taste.
- 4 In a small pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
- 5 Once they start to splutter, add grated ginger and chopped green chili.
- 6 Sauté for a minute and pour the tempering over the rice and curd mixture.
- 7 Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
- 8 Let the mixture sit for 2-3 hours or refrigerate overnight for a more fermented taste.
- 9 Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Tips
For a more authentic taste, allow the Pakhala to ferment overnight.