Odia Foods

Spongy cottage cheese balls in sugar syrup. Bengali classic. High GI from the sugar syrup, but slightly better than gulab jamun as it's not fried.

A starchy tuber popular in Indian cooking with a moderate GI and good fiber. Best eaten in controlled portions.

Odisha's signature dessert of fresh chhena (cottage cheese) and sugar slow-baked until caramelised. High in protein for a sweet, with a moderate sugar load.

A wholesome Odia dish of toor dal cooked together with vegetables like pumpkin, raw banana and yam, tempered with cumin and panch phoron. Dal and vegetables make it low-GI and filling.

Cooked rice fermented overnight in water, eaten cold in Odisha, Bengal and Assam as a cooling summer staple (panta bhat). Fermentation lowers its GI relative to fresh rice and adds gut-friendly bacteria.

A light Odia dish of mixed vegetables (pumpkin, brinjal, beans, potato) lightly cooked with minimal spices and a touch of milk. High in fiber and low in carbs.

A soft Odia fermented pancake made from a ground rice and black-gram batter, similar to dosa. Overnight fermentation makes it lighter and slightly gentler on blood sugar than plain rice.

A classic Odia fish curry in a tangy mustard-and-garlic gravy. High in protein and omega-3s with very little carbohydrate, so it has a minimal effect on blood sugar.

An Odia dish of soft-cooked brinjal in a lightly spiced yogurt gravy tempered with mustard and curry leaves. Low in carbs and rich in probiotics from the curd.