Odisha, along with parts of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, observed the Nuakhai festival on August 28. More than just a harvest festival, the occasion is a celebration of new beginnings, gratitude and family bonding. Nuakhai marks the first consumption of the new season's rice, where families come together to offer the first grains to their deities and share the meal with their loved ones. A major part of the communal festivities is relishing the traditional sweet Sarsatia. Recently, a video of the dessert preparation process was shared by an Odisha-based digital creator on Instagram.
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The clip opens with a person preparing the delicacy. “Nua Khai blessings with the sweetness of Sarsatia – a taste of tradition,” read the side note. Sarsatia are crispy, triangular-shaped delights that are deep-fried to golden perfection. This Nuakhai festival staple balances a wholesome crunch with subtle sweetness, making the dish irresistible for those with a sweet tooth.
Unlike other desserts, Sarsatia is made from the resin of the twigs or roots of the ganjer tree, also known as Ganjari. First, the outer layers of the Ganjari sticks are peeled for pulp extraction, after which the roots and twigs are cleaned thoroughly. Next, the twigs are soaked overnight, and the following morning, they are mixed with sugar, water and rice flour to create a thick and smooth batter. The batter is then poured in thin strings into a kadai of hot oil – much like in the video – and fried until golden. And voila! Sarsatia is ready to be savoured.
Watch the full video below:
The ingredients required are: 2 cups of Ganjari pulp, 500 gms of rice powder, 250 gms of ghee or oil and 250 gms of sugar.
The video has received multiple reactions.
“This dish resembles the sweet dish called ghevar,” pointed out a foodie.
“It's yummy actually,” quipped another.
“It looks so delicious,” agreed one person.
Another called Sarsatia the “fried version” of Idiyappam.
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“It tastes good with liquid jaggery or sweet milk and fresh coconuts,” suggested someone else.
So far, the video has received over 15.7 million views.