Dishes mentioned in Mahabharata that are popular even today
If you ever thought that people during the timeless epic of Mahabharata only used to savor raw fruits and vegetables, you are wrong. It is believed that people across society used to eat pretty much everything, including some modern-day Indian dishes that are mass favorites today. No, we aren't kidding! These foods have been mentioned in ancient texts dating back several centuries!
Gol gappa or pani puri
Gol gappa, which is also known as pani puri, puchka, phulki, or paani ke batashe, is among the most popular Indian street foods that are widely available in multiple parts of the country. Legends have it that this offering was first introduced by Draupadi when her mother-in-law asked her to make something with the leftover aloo ki sabzi and dough.
Kheer
Kheer is a lip-smacking dessert made with milk and rice that is prepared to celebrate all things happy and festive. For Yudhishthira, the eldest of the five Pandava brothers, it was an offering that he used to enjoy every day. Not just that, the reference to this milky dish can be easily found in Udyoga Parva: Bhagwat Yana Parva: Section CXLIII.
Sashkuli
Sashkuli is the Sanskrit name for a round pie made with rice or barley boiled in syrup. The Bhagwat Gita describes this dish as a large cake made of rice flour, sesame seeds, and sugar which is given the shape of an ear and then fried in ghee. The famous dessert jalebi stands in close resemblance to this ancient offering.
Krisara
Krisara is a thick paste featuring rice, sugar, milk, sesame seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, and saffron. It may look like kheer but is actually very different from it. However, it is safe to call it a more blended version of kheer as the rice in it is completely mashed. It has its mention in Santi Parva, the 12th of 18 books of the Mahabharata.
Avial
Avial, which is a curry made with yogurt and coconut milk, is a scrumptious dish from Kerala. However, if legends are to be believed, this dish was first invented by Bheem, the second among the five Pandavas, when he was cooking food for Rishi Durvasa. He only had a few vegetables and yogurt when he cooked this curry.
