AUTHENTIC ODIA BIRI BARA RECIPE | TRADITIONAL ODISHA STREET SNACK
Odia Biri Bara is one of the most popular street snacks from Odisha, known for its perfectly crispy outer layer and soft, fluffy interior that makes every bite truly irresistible. It is commonly served fresh at street food stalls, especially during breakfast hours and in the evening as a light snack. Loved by people of all age groups, it holds a special place in Odisha’s rich and vibrant food culture.
Traditionally, Odia Biri Bara is enjoyed with spicy ghugni, Odia-style coconut chutney, or even with a simple cup of hot tea, making it a comforting choice for both breakfast and evening snacks.
In this recipe, we bring you an easy and authentic way to prepare Odia Biri Bara at home. With simple, easily available ingredients and clear step-by-step instructions, you can recreate the same street-style flavor of Biri Bara in your own kitchen.
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED FOR ODIA BIRI BARA RECIPE
- 1 cup urad dal (black gram), soaked overnight
- 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoon of semolina (rava or suji)
- 1 teaspoon of finely chopped mango ginger (Aam Ada)
- 2 to 3 finely chopped green chillies, add as per taste
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 6 to 8 curry leaves, roughly chopped
- Coriander leaves, roughly chopped
- Salt to taste
- Oil for deep frying of the vadas
HOW TO MAKE ODIA BIRI BARA – STEP BY STEP RECIPE
- Soak and Grind the Urad Dal
- Wash 1 cup of urad dal (black gram) thoroughly in water 2 to 3 times. Drain the water completely.
- Soak the dal in fresh water for 8 to 10 hours or overnight.
- Drain the water and grind the dal into a thick, fluffy batter. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of water if required while grinding.
- Whisk the dal batter using a whisker or with your fingers it becomes light, smooth, and fluffy.
- To check whether the batter is ready, drop a small portion into a cup of water. If the batter floats on the surface, it is ready. Otherwise, whisk it for a little longer and test again.
2. Prepare the batter
- Add cumin seeds, semolina (suji), chopped mango ginger, green chilies, finely chopped onion, chopped curry leaves, coriander leaves, and salt to the batter. You may add ginger if mango ginger is not available.
- Mix all the ingredients well until everything is evenly combined. The dal batter is now ready.
3. Shape the Bara
- Wet your hands slightly. Take a small portion of batter and gently flatten it into a round shape with a hole in the center (medu vada style).
4. Fry the Bara
- Heat oil in a deep frying pan or kadhai on medium flame. The oil should be hot but not smoking.
- Carefully slide the shaped bara into hot oil. Fry on medium flame until golden brown and crispy on both sides.
5. Serve
- Remove and drain excess oil on paper towels. Serve hot with ghugni and coconut chutney.
