Among the Santal of Odisha, the meal revolves around daka—boiled rice—which takes center stage on a leaf plate or brass bowl. Everything else is just accompaniment (utu): a handful of sautéed greens, a light dal, sometimes a bit of river fish on good days. You eat with your fingers, sitting on a mat, and nothing goes to waste. It's not a succession of courses like in the West, but one balanced whole set down at once, where each bite mixes neutral rice with a touch of pungent, bitter, or sour.

Raw mustard oil, with its acrid smell and peppery taste, is the backbone of Odia cooking. It is heated until smoking to break its bitterness, then seeds (mustard, cumin, nigella) are popped in it. With greens gathered near the village and rice, it creates the taste fabric of the whole Santal table—simple and earthy.