Did you know that during the Puri Rath Yatra festival, authentic Odia cuisine plays a significant role? Yes, you just read that right. During the grand celebration of Jagannath Rath Yatra, these dishes are not just about taste. Traditional Odia dishes carry deep spiritual significance, as they are made with pure devotion to offer the food to Lord Jagannath. Also, these dishes are entirely made without onion and garlic. The food shows purity, balance, and the essence of Odia culture. So here we have curated some of the best and easiest-to-cook recipes like poda pitha, Kanika pulao, khaja, and more for you, which you can make to celebrate the Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra 2025 at home. Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra 2025 Legend: Understanding the Sacred Origins and Historical Significance of Odisha’s Grand Chariot Festival.
Poda Pitha
Poda pitha is a sweet dessert made with jaggery, rice flour, and coconut. The combination of these gives the dish a special flavour. Jagannath Rath Yatra 2025: What Is Lord Jagannath’s Favourite Fruit?
Watch Video for Poda Pitha:
Khaja
Khaja is a traditional Odia sweet popular during the Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra. It is made from layered refined flour dough that is deep-fried until it looks golden and crisp. Then, it is soaked in sugar syrup for a better taste.
Watch the Video for Khaja:
Pakhala Bhakta
Third, Pakhala bhata is a one-pot dish with lentils, ghee, and different spices for more flavour and rice. People often eat it with a combination of papad and curd.
Watch Video for Pakhala Bhakta:
Dalma
The fourth exceptional and traditional Odia cuisine is Dalma. It is cooked with many vegetables, such as raw banana, pumpkin, eggplant, coconut, and mustard, to make a delicious stew in the evening.
Watch the Video for Dalma:
Kanika Pulao
The last one is Kanika Pulao, which has the most aromatic flavour. This Kanika pulao is made with basmati rice, ghee, raisins, cashews, and whole spices like cardamom and cinnamon. Do you know that this sweet pulao is filled with various flavours and is a little golden due to turmeric?
Watch Video for Kanika Pulao:
Well, celebrating Rath Yatra is incomplete without savouring the flavours of this soulful cuisine.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 20, 2025 05:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).