Jharkhand Cuisine
Jharkhand cuisine refers to the style of cooking being practiced by the local residents of the state.
Jharkhand is the 28th State of Indian Union came into existence on 15th November,2000 by bifurcation of erstwhile composite State of Bihar.
Today the population of Jharkhand is mix of old residents, migrants from various part of country but majority are tribal. The tribal population of Jharkhand consists of 32 Schedule Tribes.
The cuisine of Jharkhand is characterized by use of local ingredients like various types of green leafy vegetables, tubers, local mushrooms, fishes and meat. The food is cooked in traditional pots or earthen pots or bamboo hollows or even in leaves. The use of fat and spices is minimal but the food is very satisfying and has lots of medicinal properties. The food is very light on stomach, healthy and less oily. Rice is the staple food goes well with maar jhor (rice starch and local greens curry) or Maar (rice starch) or some chutney or lentil or non-veg curry.
Jharkhand has various species of mushrooms like badakhukri (large mushroom), patiyari (Termitomyces heimii),rugra or putu (Geastrum), Jamun Khukhri (Boletus edulis ) etc. and this is very integral part of their diet. This state is also very rich when it comes to the varieties of saags or potherbs, some wild and some cultivated. Experts estimated there are around 100 varieties of saag of medicinal value, which are eaten by local residents. However, it is worth noting that different species of saag are essential part of some of the festivals and rituals celebrated in the state.
Noni saag is a prerequisite in the festival of Jeetia, celebrated mostly by mothers wishing a long life for their sons. The botanical name for the noni saag is Portulaca oleracea and is a weed difficult to eradicate. Kado, yet another variety is used by the karamayatin or devout sisters during Karma, which is a festival that celebrates the brother-sister relationship, in Jharkhand. The botanical name for Kado or the Kado phool or flower is Limnophila rugosa and plant smells like Fennel (Saunf) and has a delicious taste.
In the beigning rainy season (hindi month of Asardh), Aasaria saag is cooked by priests of villages with other herbs and is given to villagers for consumption. It is believed that it protects those who eat it, from diseases and snakebite. Asaria is otherwise known as Capparis zeylanica.
On the first day of sowing of rice saplings, Munga is prepared with pulse and is believed to be sacred. It is also believed that a good crop may be obtained by eating this particular mix of pulse and saag on this day. When the new crop or the Gora Dhan, which is the rice crop grown simply by spreading the seeds, is harvested, the boiled rice flake or the Chura of this crop is eaten primarily with Poi or the Basella alba and Pechki or the Colocasia esculenta. Again the reasons are rooted in the beliefs of the local people.
Whether it is a beginning of a new life or praying for the peaceful passage of those who have departed, saags are part of every meal. Some of very common saag are — Beng Saag (Centella asiatica), Sisunak Saag (Urtica dioica), Chiniya Saag (Brassica pekinensis), Hirmichiya Saag (Enhydra fluctuans), Sanai Saag (Corchorus olitorius), Kudrum (Hibiscus cannabinus), Neem Saag (Azadirachta indica) etc.
The local residents also really heavily on non-veg like local fishes, goat meat, country chicken, pork etc. Mahua daru and Handia are local alcoholic beverage prepared using flower of Mahua tree and rice respectively.
Food habits
People prefer to start their day with rice. Rice is preferred with maar jhor or chakor jhor or kurthi dal. Some people also have some chilka and chutney or dhuska with ghoogni or subzi.
The festival menu is obviously different from the regular meals. A simple vegetable meal generally consists of dal (lentil), bhaat (rice),maar jhor (greens and rice starch), baas kareel (bamboo shoots), tarkari (vegetable preparation), chutney ( vegetables dip), chokha (mashed vegetable), achar (pickles), The non-vegetarian would have mutton curry (meat), machli (local fish curry), jhilu jhor (chicken curry) etc.