India's cooling summer dish that costs less than a dollar

For centuries, the people of Odisha have turned to pakhala – a fermented rice dish – to beat the heat. Now it's gaining global attention.

It was a scorching hot day in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha in eastern India. As the temperature soared, my university friends and I rushed to the cafeteria for the meal we looked forward to most in summer: a bowl of pakhala (water rice). Light and tangy, the dish gave us immediate relief from the oppressive heat. Two decades later, as I sit in my apartment in the dry heat of Riyadh, it remains my go-to comfort food in summer, especially after a long day in the sun. 

Pakhala is Odisha's unique summertime ritual. Also known as "poor man's gruel", the simple dish is made from leftover cooked rice soaked in water and fermented overnight in an earthen pot. It is usually mixed with yoghurt, tempered with mustard seeds, dried red chillies and curry leaves and served with a variety of sides such as mashed potatoes, sautéed green leafy vegetables and fried fish.

Odias (people of Odisha) have consumed pakhala since ancient times since it's affordable and easy to prepare, yet nutritionally rich. "The earliest documented use of pakhala dates back to the 12th Century, when the dish was offered to Lord Jagannath (a Hindu deity worshipped in Odisha) at the Jagannath Temple in Puri," says Ritu Pattanaik, food historian and the author of the cookbook 259 Inherited Recipes of Odisha. "Even today, pakhala is one of the best foods to have when temperatures rise."

Odisha has always been an agrarian society, and rice is a staple. "In the olden days, it was typical for women in the house to add water to leftover rice from lunch. There was no refrigerator at the time, so this prevented the rice from spoiling. In the morning, men ate this fermented rice and water before heading out to work in the fields. Pakhala gave them energy and helped them beat the afternoon heat."

Central to pakhala's benefits is the slightly sour, probiotic-rich fermented water known as torani, which hydrates and protects the body against heat stroke. Once water and rice have undergone fermentation, torani becomes a rich source of lactic acid bacteria, which protect the stomach and intestines from infection and aid digestion.

"However, the benefits of torani don't end there," adds Dr Balamurugan Ramadass, professor at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Bhubaneswar. "In addition to probiotics, torani is a rich source of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) with antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. It also contains vitamin K, which [helps] heals wounds faster."

He notes that torani delivers instant energy to an exhausted body, "which is why farmers consume one to two litres of it before going to work every day. An average person with a desk job can have two to three cups of torani daily and still benefit from this healing beverage."

So trusted are torani's health benefits that India's National Disaster Management Authority advises people to drink it during heatwaves. In a country where extended summer heatwaves are becoming the norm, drinks like torani are increasingly seen as functional superfoods that both cool and nourish the body. 

"One of the simplest ways to increase your torani intake is to consume pakhala instead of plain rice or bread for lunch," says chef Abinas Nayak, winner of MasterChef India Season 6. He notes that pakhala is straightforward to prepare. "Take leftover cooked rice, pour water over it and leave it in an earthen pot to ferment overnight. Pakhala will be ready in the morning."

Because of the humble ingredients and simple cooking method, a bowl of pakhala costs less than a dollar to buy – and significantly less to prepare at home. "In some ways, pakhala is the great equaliser in our society. It's accessible to and loved by everyone, regardless of class, income or background," says Nayak.

Pakhala is deeply ingrained in Odisha's sociocultural fabric. It is common to eat a bowl before each new beginning, be it a new job, house or relationship. "At the end of every Odia wedding, the bride's mother feeds pakhala to her newlywed daughter and son-in-law to ensure that the marriage runs smoothly," says Pattanaik. Flask back to 2009 and my own wedding rituals: the fact that I had two pakhala kansas (bronze bowls) in my bridal trousseau suddenly makes sense. "Yes, your mother put those bowls to make sure your relationship with your husband was cool like pakhala," Pattanaik adds with a smile.

For many Odias, pakhala is a nostalgic trip back to childhood. "In summertime, my mother would always have a bowl of pakhala and some mashed potatoes waiting for me when I got home from school," Nayak reminisces. "That was the meal I always cherished and still do now. It is the taste of home and comfort for me."

Though once considered too basic or old-fashioned to feature on modern menus, pakhala is enjoying a revival. With the mercury rising year after year and Indians becoming more receptive to native foods, pakhala is becoming increasingly popular, especially during the hot spells of April and May. Every year, the pakhala craze begins in early March peaks on Pakhala Dibasa (Pakhala Day) on 20 March and continues until the last monsoon arrives in mid-June. This is when restaurants across Odisha begin serving elaborate pakhala platters with a variety of sides. 

The trend is spreading across India and the world, with home cooks and food bloggers regularly sharing pakhala images and videos on social media, and cooking contests featuring inventive twists on the dish. Pakhala gatherings have become commonplace across the globe, including the US, UK and the Middle East, where Odias like me congregate to savour this nostalgic meal that's inextricably linked to our identity. Nayak has helped popularise the dish on social media and by preparing sumptuous pakhala platters at national events.

"By promoting Indigenous foods like pakhala, we are not only tapping into our rich culinary history but also rediscovering lost superfoods," he says. "People are now seeing value in how our forefathers ate and that makes me happy."

Restaurants are capitalising on this growing trend by offering elaborate pakhala platters with side dishes such as alu bharta (spiced mashed potatoes), baigana bharta (mashed aubergine), tomato poda (smoked tomato), sukhua (dried salted fish), saga bhaja (sauteed greens) and badi chura (crushed sundried lentil dumplings served with a dash of mustard oil and garlic).

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"These sides, however, are more than just add-ons; they are carefully selected for nutritional balance and texture. That's what makes them special," explains chef Alka Jena, who chronicles the history and recipes of Odia dishes on her food blog Culinary Xpress. "The fish provides protein, saga bhaja adds fibre and badi chura adds crunch and umami."

"On a scorching hot day, there's nothing quite like relishing a bowl of pakhala with a variety of sides and washing it down with some sour torani," Jena adds. "It not only cools your tummy but also provides a glimpse into Odisha's rich culture and heritage."

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