<p>The eclectic flavour of the East is here to stay in the City, introduced by Prakash Samantaray and Hara Mohapatra, the owners of Dalma. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Situated in Koramangla, 6th Block, it serves exclusively Oriya cuisine. It has almost become a second home for the small Oriya population in the City, who often visit the restaurant to savour the food which instantly transports them back home. <br /><br />“We were working in a leading MNC in Bangalore for the past ten years. As soon as we had enough capital, I decided to start my own venture and that’s how Dalma was opened almost two years back. <br /><br />Initially, we had only Oriyas coming in. Now with the non-vegetarian items gaining popularity, people from different communities are coming as well,” says Prakash.<br /><br />Mustard, being the key ingredient of Eastern food, is used quite generously in the dishes at Dalma. “We cook dishes which are quintessentially Oriya and all the dishes which are prepared here are cooked at Oriya households regularly. The rates have been kept reasonable so that people from all strata of society can enjoy the food,” says Prakash.<br /><br />“Dalma is actually an Oriya dish, which is prepared with pulses (dal) along with 12 different kinds of vegetables and assorted spices. It is extremely healthy and filling. The whole concept was to bring East Indian flavours to the South,” he explains. <br /><br />As it is pocket-friendly, one can dig into a mini-meal which consists of rice, dalma, sada besara — which is vegetable cooked in mustard with a generous topping of ghee; misra bhaja, which is fried dry vegetables and tamatar khatta which is tomato chutney. <br /><br />All this is available at Rs 50 and if it still does not satiate one’s hunger, it’s best to <br />order a vegetarian thali for Rs 100. East Indians are known for their sweet tooth and kheer is a must have at Dalma. <br /><br />Fine rice is cooked for hours in milk till it thickens into a mouth-watering paste — the nearest one can get to perfection. A treat for non-vegetarians, Dalma serves different kinds of meat at varied prices. <br /><br />The lip-smacking mutton jhal has a brilliant aroma and is cooked with onions, tomatoes, potatoes and finally to top it all, a dash of cardamom. The other mouth-watering savouries that can be tasted are jhanks tarkari: vegetables are cut vertically and cooked in spices for this dish. Aloo gobhi, chena tarkari (cottage cheese) and tatiya<br /> besara, which is spinach and mushroom cooked in thick mustard gravy, are also available. <br /><br />Seafood, which is among the favourites of the customers, is equally inviting <br />and Dalma serves a host of sea as well as freshwater fish like crab, prawn, lobster, <br />rohu etc. <br /><br />One can order the non-vegetarian dishes separately as well as with the meals. “We have a fair number of people visiting on weekdays but on weekends, it is packed.<br /> Festivals are busy days too. I don’t want to go back to a regular nine-to-five job anymore as I enjoy playing host to all those who visit the restaurant. For now, I am concentrating on serving authentic Oriya food and I love every bit of what I am doing,” Prakash wraps up.</p>
<p>The eclectic flavour of the East is here to stay in the City, introduced by Prakash Samantaray and Hara Mohapatra, the owners of Dalma. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Situated in Koramangla, 6th Block, it serves exclusively Oriya cuisine. It has almost become a second home for the small Oriya population in the City, who often visit the restaurant to savour the food which instantly transports them back home. <br /><br />“We were working in a leading MNC in Bangalore for the past ten years. As soon as we had enough capital, I decided to start my own venture and that’s how Dalma was opened almost two years back. <br /><br />Initially, we had only Oriyas coming in. Now with the non-vegetarian items gaining popularity, people from different communities are coming as well,” says Prakash.<br /><br />Mustard, being the key ingredient of Eastern food, is used quite generously in the dishes at Dalma. “We cook dishes which are quintessentially Oriya and all the dishes which are prepared here are cooked at Oriya households regularly. The rates have been kept reasonable so that people from all strata of society can enjoy the food,” says Prakash.<br /><br />“Dalma is actually an Oriya dish, which is prepared with pulses (dal) along with 12 different kinds of vegetables and assorted spices. It is extremely healthy and filling. The whole concept was to bring East Indian flavours to the South,” he explains. <br /><br />As it is pocket-friendly, one can dig into a mini-meal which consists of rice, dalma, sada besara — which is vegetable cooked in mustard with a generous topping of ghee; misra bhaja, which is fried dry vegetables and tamatar khatta which is tomato chutney. <br /><br />All this is available at Rs 50 and if it still does not satiate one’s hunger, it’s best to <br />order a vegetarian thali for Rs 100. East Indians are known for their sweet tooth and kheer is a must have at Dalma. <br /><br />Fine rice is cooked for hours in milk till it thickens into a mouth-watering paste — the nearest one can get to perfection. A treat for non-vegetarians, Dalma serves different kinds of meat at varied prices. <br /><br />The lip-smacking mutton jhal has a brilliant aroma and is cooked with onions, tomatoes, potatoes and finally to top it all, a dash of cardamom. The other mouth-watering savouries that can be tasted are jhanks tarkari: vegetables are cut vertically and cooked in spices for this dish. Aloo gobhi, chena tarkari (cottage cheese) and tatiya<br /> besara, which is spinach and mushroom cooked in thick mustard gravy, are also available. <br /><br />Seafood, which is among the favourites of the customers, is equally inviting <br />and Dalma serves a host of sea as well as freshwater fish like crab, prawn, lobster, <br />rohu etc. <br /><br />One can order the non-vegetarian dishes separately as well as with the meals. “We have a fair number of people visiting on weekdays but on weekends, it is packed.<br /> Festivals are busy days too. I don’t want to go back to a regular nine-to-five job anymore as I enjoy playing host to all those who visit the restaurant. For now, I am concentrating on serving authentic Oriya food and I love every bit of what I am doing,” Prakash wraps up.</p>
