In a land known for its exotic ways of life, there is something
to surprise you at every turn. A lot of such exotic elements come from the food
of India. Apart from the well known vindaloos, naans and various curries, Indian
food also has some relatively unknown foods like black rice, fermented soya
bean, bamboo shoot delicacies and red ant chutney!
Yes, you read it right. We said red ant chutney. This exotic
condiment, known as chaprah, is a spicy, pungent chutney, sour in taste. This
is made from the eggs of red ants combined with the ants. It is a tribal dish
from the state of Chattisgarh in India and is a favorite among the Dhuruva
tribe.
The ants are packed with formic acid which is said to have
medicinal properties which are effective against stomach ailments. The ants are
also believed to raise libido which is another reason for chaprah being so
popular.
Red ants and their eggs are collected by sticking a thick
stick on an ant hill for the ants to crawl over. Once the stick gets covered
with ants and eggs, they are shaken into a container. Tribal cooks believe that
queen ants are best as they are fat and juicy. The collected raw ingredients
are sun-dried and then ground into a paste with spices such as chili, ginger,
salt and tamarind. The result is a fiery, decadant dish that makes an excellent
garnish as well as a condiment on its own.
0 comments:
Post a Comment