Pakhaḷa is a traditional dish from Odisha, India, consisting mainly of cooked rice that is washed or fermented in water, resulting in a mildly sour liquid component called toraṇi. The dish is commonly consumed during the summer months due to its cooling properties, though it is eaten year-round, particularly at lunchtime.
Preparation involves combining rice with curd (yogurt), cucumber, cumin seeds, fried onions, and mint leaves. Pakhaḷa is typically served with side dishes such as dry-roasted vegetables (including potato and brinjal/eggplant), fried lentil dumplings (badi), leafy green vegetable fritters (saga bhaja), or fried fish.
Variants of pakhaḷa are found throughout eastern India and the northeast, with regional adaptations in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bengal, Assam, and Tripura.