TANKA TORANI – An invigorating probiotic drink from the holy land of Puri Jagannath

Born in the holy city of Puri, the temple culture is invisibly ingrained in my heart. Puri, a coastal town in Eastern India, has unusual hot, humid summers. To battle the heat, this ancient beverage has been served to the large crowd of devotees throughout the year.

The name “TANKA TORANI” is derived from the Odia language; “Tanka” refers to the cooling, and “Torani” means fermented rice water. This sacred drink originates from Jagannath temple and is made from leftover temple Mahaprasad rice soaked in water overnight, in an earthen pot. It contains ingredients that enhance the flavour, making it refreshing, tangy, and slightly spicy, while also acting as a natural electrolyte and digestive aid.

I have been living in Bangalore for two decades and married to a man from the northern part of India. My hubby has fallen in love with Tanka Torani for its simplicity and taste. This is now part of our lives in every possible way, binding our roots and love for the family. This is a testimony that simple things in life matter the most, bringing us true happiness. Recently, Anju and Manju, sisters from Puri, presented “Tanka Torani” on MasterChef India 2026.

INGREDIENTS

Base: 1/2 cup or about 50gms soft cooked rice

Dairy: 4-6 tablespoons of fresh Curd

Flavorings: 1-2 green chillies (slit), 4-5 torn lemon leaves, 1 inch freshly crushed ginger

Seasoning: 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1 lemon (sliced), rock salt to taste

Optional: 1 tsp Mustard oil, ½ tsp black Mustard seeds, 8-10 fresh Curry leaves

METHOD

For this dish, one can use freshly cooked rice or leftover rice. Just ensure that the rice is well-cooked and preferably of the raw variety. Soak the rice in about one litre of drinking water in an earthen pot covered, overnight in peak summer. In other days, you can leave it covered for about 18-24hours for extra fermentation.

Gently mash the fermented rice in the water with your hand. Roughly strain the mixture to keep only the liquid with small rice particles. Then add rock salt as per preference, curd, roasted cumin powder, green chilies, torn lemon leaves, and crushed ginger. Lastly, add lemon juice, lemon slices, stir well, and infuse for 15 minutes before serving. Add ice cubes if desired.  Add a tempering (tadka) of mustard seeds and curry leaves in mustard oil for extra flavour.

A simple homemade version of the drink

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Namrata in a traditional attire from Odisha; with her husband Nitin (An ardent admirer of the beverage)

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Namrata is an ex-IT professional turned business-woman and lives in East Bangalore