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Dahibada Aloodum – Odisha’s Favorite Street Snack

About The Author

Hello! From Chuchura (in Hooghly District) and a foodie, I created this blog with a mission to preserve the food of the land; with a message to encourage and promote clean and real food. I hope you enjoy and gain out of this blog, happy reading!

Looking forward to read and hear your feedback.

Ladles of sweet curd liberally poured over bada and served with sev and chutney/chaat masala – this is what dahibada always meant to me. Aloodum was a different dish that I had with luchis (poori made out of common flour/maida).

And this was before I came to Cuttack in 2007 for my engineering studies.

And I was in for a shock.

Shocked & Intrigued

The first sunday breakfast at the college hostel and I was served a white lentil-based doughnut shaped bada with ladles of aloodum and ghugni. Not to forget, a sprinkle of chopped onions and sev.

I sat and took the first couple of bites – it was tangy, a tad spicy; but where was the dahi or curd in it? I wondered and tried finishing it off.

Back in my room, this question lingered on. Not a great first experience and I asked my Odia friends later – “You call it dahibada aloodum! I got the bada, I got the aloodum, I also got some ghugni, but where the hell is dahi?”

They laughed and told me that the bada was indeed soaked in dahi or curd. “Okay”, I said and moved on!

The first time I had it outside the college premise was a few months later. The dish was served in sal leaves and looked complete desi.

A peek through the large container that housed these badas left me shocked!

“I was lied to”, I told myself.

This is why – the container had badas not doused in curd but curd mixed with water in the ratio 1:30. And a few sprigs of chopped coriander leaves (and curry leaves) went in it along with fried and green chillies.

Many people call it badas drowned in buttermilk and that is an absolute lie. Buttermilk is not diluted curd!

dahibada seller in action
Dahibada aloodum vendor busy serving customers. Image Source: Kalinga TV

Frankly speaking and people of Cuttack might hate me for it – I never liked the dahibada aloodum at Cuttack in all those 4 years that I was in the city for my studies.

Many of my friends from Cuttack still say that I never tried it at the most reputed shops, which is true. However, I have always felt that a couple of shops can never define the dish in a city.

It is the numerous, small kiosks that mushroom the city that define the true flavor of the dish.

Note: Cuttack is very famous for its dahibada aloodum across the length and breadth of Odisha. Very few kiosks in the city serve ghugni with the dish.

Foodie Gyaan on Dahibada Aloodum

The origin of this dish is not very clear, however, it was developed around the Bidanasi region and Barabati Fort at Cuttack.

Both dahivada and aloodum are dishes from the northern and western provinces of India like Rajasthan, Punjab, etc. In all probability, these two dishes were brought into Odisha by the businessmen, traders from the above-mentioned regions.

Legend has it that a resident from Cuttack mixed both the dahivada and aloodum leading to the birth of this dish.

The fan fare increased with time and the dish underwent customization to suit the local palette and is today known as dahibada aloodum.

The badas in dahibada is made from lentils (urad dal) which is a rich source of protein. They are soaked in curd-water which is a rich source of probiotics.

Falling in Love with DahiBada Aloodum

College ended and destiny decided that I should return to Odisha.

Post my training in Mysore, I was posted to Bhubaneswar in 2012, the state capital and neighboring city of Cuttack. Cuttack and Bhubaneswar are separated by a mere 30-minute odd travelling distance, and together called as the Twin cities of Odisha.

In Bhubaneswar, I tried the dish for the first time with some hesitation, remembering my Cuttack days. “I like it”, I told myself.

The next weekend, I tried it from another kiosk as I was out for some personal work.

“Wow!” I remarked. “This is amazing!”

Tangy, spicy, with a bit of crunch – dahibada aloodum soon became a weekend morning ritual. I would wake, freshen up, and walk for 10 minutes to the nearest kiosks for a plate of the dish.

A year or two passed, and I started having dahibada aloodum on office working days with a senior colleague. In no time, I was in love with the dish!

Since then I have tried it in multiple places across Bhubaneswar, and I liked the dish at most places (people from Cuttack, please don’t start hating me!).

Did my preference for flavor change? I don’t know.

The dahibada aloodum in Bhubaneswar is more cosmopolitan than the traditional one in Cuttack – I can confirm.

What separates the dish in Bhubaneswar from Cuttack is the presence of ketchup, green chilly paste, and a spoonful of curd.

My most favorite kiosk is located near IOCL Petrol Pump, near Damana Chowk, while moving towards Patia. The other favorite is located near Infocity Gate.

I confessed. My admission of being in a tangy, spicy love relationship with dahibada aloodum came in 2017 – almost a decade after I first had it.

Pro Tip & Ending Notes

The locals always finish the dish and request for the curd-water mix from the vendor. The vendor happily obliges.

He will take a small bowl, fill it with the curd-water, take a green chilly and smash it with hand in the water. He will throw in a pinch of black salt and pour the mixture in the customer’s plate.

The customer would sip on it. Delighted and happy, he pays and leaves.

I tried and loved every sip of it.

On a summer afternoon, this provides with a much-needed relief. Lie down under a fan or switch on the AC and you will feel sleepy. I did go on to sleep on a couple of occasions!

Dahibada aloodum is a staple dish across Odisha. It qualifies for a complete meal and does not hurt the pocket. It ticks all the right check boxes. What more could I have asked for?

Have you ever tasted dahibada aloodum in Odisha? Which is your favorite outlet?

And if you still haven’t tasted the dish, do give it a try! It’s time for dahibada aloodum to spread its wings outside Odisha.

3 thoughts on “Dahibada Aloodum – Odisha’s Favorite Street Snack”

  1. Pingback: Bhubaneswar Street Food - 9 Must Have Dishes - FinallyFoodie.com

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