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Tribes of Jharkhand are known for their sustainability and Indigenous cuisine, which helps them survive in forests under harsh conditions. Get to know about different kinds of Indigenous spices which are used regularly by the tribes for nutritional meals, giving their lunches and dinners a flavourful taste.
It is important to know that even amidst the greenery of forests there are only a few seasons, a tribe gatherer finds different types of foods in terms of leafy greens, berries, and edibles. Every time during the season, different types of spices and Indigenous Herbs are either eaten fresh or preserved through various drying techniques producing spices.
Keep on reading to learn more about these Indigenous spices and explore more about Jharkhand.
Pipli
The tribal inhabitants of Jharkhand utilise pipli, often called long pepper, as a traditional spice. It tastes like black pepper but has a stronger flavour, including sweetness and spiciness. Tribes use Pipli in medicinal mixtures to cure fevers, stomach problems, and respiratory conditions. It is frequently powdered and added to pickles, chutneys, and curries to boost flavour and health benefits.
Satawar
It has many health advantages. Jharkhand's tribal groups employ the widely revered medicinal herb satawar, known as shatavari. It is well known for enhancing immunity, promoting fertility, and balancing hormones. The roots are either boiled to make a tonic or dried and powdered into a powder. Tribes drink satawar with milk and honey, or in soups and herbal beverages. It is a mainstay in traditional medicine because of how nicely its mild, somewhat bitter flavour melds with other components.
Rakta Chandana
Jharkhand's tribes utilise Rakta Chandana for culinary and medicinal purposes. The wood is pounded into a powder and added to different recipes to enhance flavour because of its cooling characteristics. It adds a distinctive flavour to tribal herbal remedies with a slightly sweet and woodsy taste.
Bhilawa
It is a natural spice that the tribal inhabitants of Jharkhand use for both medical and culinary purposes. Due to its strong, bitter flavour, the nut is frequently used in small amounts to flavour chutneys and curries. Bhilawa is also known to have medical benefits, especially for treating joint pain and skin ailments. To make topical ointments, the tribes extract the nut's oil, and the dried seeds are pulverised and used as a spice.
Chirata
The bitter herb chirata is widely prized for its therapeutic qualities by the Jharkhand tribal groups. It has historically been used to treat liver problems, indigestion, and fever. For maximum medicinal impact, tribes usually dry the herb, steep it in tea, or combine it with other spices. Chirata is rarely used in large amounts in recipes due to its strong, bitter flavour. But because of its cleansing qualities, it becomes a vital component of indigenous diets.
