Do you know that that tribal flavours from Chhattisgarh have made to Gordon Ramsay's menu? yes you heard it right Dona Pudge and Chapda chutney made it’s way on the Micheal stars menu. Such is this amazing cuisine. Renowned homestay owner and tour guide of Manjhipal ,Rajnish Panikar says his wife, Urmila Nag Panikar, a native of Bastar, had prepared these dishes for Ramsay, which got him hooked to them.
Recently on Labour Day, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel appealed to the citizens via a video message to consume 'Bore Baasi' mentioning that it is good for health. Bore Baasi happens to be cooked fermented rice, that is an absolute coolant and comforting dish that is consumed in summer months in eastern states. CM along with his cabinet was seen relishing Bore Baasi.
Garima Tiwari who is a Digital creator and presents #ChhattisgarhiCuisine to the world. Exploring & documenting #regionalrecipes that are cooked today and those that have been lost in history.
Her Instagram post relives memories of bore baasi. She writes –
"It was the month of May, the heat was at it's peak. The year was 2001 and I was 10 years old. The construction of our home was underway. I used to visit with my father and watch the hard-working mason and their family work through the day.
During lunchtime, daily I used to sit with them and watch them having their lunch which was Rice 🍚 soaked in water, which they used to eat with tomato chutney, salt, chilli 🌶️ , curd and leafy vegetables (bhaji).
I was intrigued to see them having this simple yet hearty meal. I always wondered how they can eat such a dish which is watery and bland until the last few years when my perspective about Chhattisgarhi food changed. When my sister got married to a Chhattisgarhi family, where her father in law used to eat bore basi daily, I came to know how healthy this dish is.
It's simple, keeps the body temperature cool, it is easy to digest and the bonus is - it's DELICIOUS. The closest dish similar to it is Pakhala Bhat, which is eaten widely in Orissa. Today (May 1) marks the celebration of #borebaasiday. I was really happy when I heard about the date 1st May, the date is just perfect.
Labour Day and the peak of the summer season.
Happy #borebaasi day to all of you!
A Chhattisgarhi plate would mostly see much mix and melange of all seasonal and local produce that are loaded with regional flavours.
Award-winning filmmaker and festival curator Yasmin Kidwai recently organised the Slow Brunch event in Delhi that gave a sneak peek into Chhattisgarh through its cuisine, natural beauty, performing arts and crafts. She says “our world view has changed during the pandemic and we are seeking new experiences. People are today curious about indigenous knowledge and local culture. With domestic tourism on the rise, travellers have become more open to off beat experiences in new destinations.”
The state that boast of its forest feast and Mahua trees, Chhattisgarh is blessed with natural wealth. Author and food writer Colleen Taylor Sen has also in her essay Wild Food: Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery 2004, written that The diet of the tribals (of Bastar) is austere.
Here’s a quick glimpse of the few famous Tribal dishes as mentioned by Rajnish:
Suram
Bastar has a variety of indigineous tribal foods and beverages that connect with nature. One of these beverages is "Suram". Suram is often prepared throughout the Bastar region, but its mostly prepared and consumed by Dandami Madiay tribe. In preparing Suram, dry mahua is boiled and filtered with a clean cloth and kept in a container for three to four days so that its alcohol content may increase. Since Suram is low in alcohol content, it is consumed by all the family members.
Aamat
Aamat requires no oil in its preparation. For this reason, it is considered a healthy dish. In the preparation of Aamat, rice is grinded in the dheki and then ginger, garlic, dry chili, tamarind, coriander salt are added. After grinding, a paste is prepared. A variety of vegetables, including Basta (curry), gram, radish, munga, etc. can also be added. Some people also mix chapda in it. Its often called the Chapada Aamat. Aamat is one of the most popular dishes of Bastar being prepared in every household.
Jondhra Page / Mandia Page
Page is one of the most nutritious recipes. It may be the Jondhra page or the Mandia page. Jondhara page corn grains are ground in a dheki to make the porridge powdered. Afterwards, corn powder is added to the boiled corn porridge. Similarly, Mandia (RAGI) is ground into stones and powdered.
If you want to experience these awesome regional delights make a visit to Batsar.