Fermented rice

Fermented rice, a traditional Indian summer food, is rich in probiotics and essential minerals that boost digestion and immunity.

Fermented rice water is the water left behind after soaking cooked or raw rice for hours, preferably overnight.

In Odia, 'Tonka' means tadka, and 'Torani' means the leftover water from boiled rice. This rice water is mixed with lemon, fresh leaves, and a few everyday ingredients.

To make panta bhat, the first step is fermentation. The quality of the rice is important, and panta shouldn't ideally be made with rice that's too fine or aromatic (like long-grain Basmati).

Assamese summer cuisine uses seasonal produce, souring agents, and minimal spices to create light, cooling dishes ideal for hot weather.

Pakhala Bhata recipe is quite simple but requires fermentation. It is due to this step that pakhala bhata is considered great for digestive system.

Handvo rewards patience. The soaking, the fermentation, the slow flame, none of it is difficult, but all of it takes time.

Koji is a naturally occurring culture used most extensively in Japan to ferment rice and soya and make popular foods like soy sauce, miso, sake, mirin, rice vinegar and vegetable pickles.

Bore baasi is prepared using the extra rice left from the last meal. It is also called panta bhat in Bengal, pakhala in Odisha and poita bhat in Assam.

Annam Ganji Recipe: While annam ganji or rice kanji is popular in the Southern region, you will also get its equivalent in the Eastern regions of India - panta bhaat and pakahala.