All the world’s a platter

Koktuiwon the funnelshaped deep purple blue pink and white flowers of wild turmeric is used by the Thangkul Naga tribe to flavour curries and soups In Manipuri it is called yaipan tikhur in Hindi kethuri halodhi in Bengali and tavakeera in Marathimdashthe wannabe turmeric that blooms in the rainy season from July to August unfortunately is never seen in the local market We stumbled upon it in a book Future of Taste published under the First Food series by the Centre for Science and Environment CSE New DelhiThis consolidated document has essays from authors and easytomake and nutritious recipes based on local biodiversity including weeds and trees to longlasting seeds plants with short life cycles and even those parts of cultivated plants that are generally wasted that can help us survive the growing food shortages due to climate change There are over 100 recipes made from foods that are very different from those produced by our current unsustainable agricultural systemsSadly farmers only grow what people eat and what they can sell in bulk because they too have families to feed Millets which need very little water are convenient cheaper to grow and not consumed by the masses hence they donrsquot draw demand Sunita Narain director general of CSE sets the bookrsquos tone in her Foreword where she points out that ldquothe choice of food that farmers grow is in the hands of consumers ndash us what we eat and why we eat it If we change our diets it provides signals to the farmer to grow differentlyrdquoMeghalayarsquos indigenous crop varieties and knowledge have made its communities resilient to climate changeVibha Varshney who conceptualised and researched this book has written several essays one of which caught our attention the fish mint a herb that tastes and smells like fish and has several benefits The plant has beautiful white flowers and broad heartshaped leaves which can be used in a fullbodied saladChef Jatin Mullick reminisces about kaladi cheese which was invented by the nomadic tribal Gujjars centuries ago to preserve milk in a solid form during the sweltering summer months ldquoSold in the markets of Jammu and Kashmir it is now available yearround and so are other fruits and vegetables it makes us appreciate seasonal produce far less than we used to Both seasonal and alternate produce are the need of the hour besides putting less pressure on the ecosystem environment and food chain it pushes chefs to innovate and be creativerdquo he saysYaipan with potatoesBesides the challenges with sourcing and consistent supply Mallick feels ldquoThe demand for alternative cuisine still needs to come from the customers who are in for a treat if they have diverse options to choose from but again it is on the chef to introduce it to them as wellmdashrdquoChef Manish Mehrotra a champion of local cuisine shared a beautiful recipe of ragi shrikhand cannaoli for the book He says ldquoOur food has always been hyperlocal with different textures different flavours and colours before brownyelloworange gravies took overrdquo He remembers the simple gandheria sugarcane cubes served cold with a splash of rose water from his childhood and how he recreated it in his kitchen ldquoGandheria is a dose of nostalgia for many but now itrsquos time to make it relatable for the nextgen so they can have newer memories with it The bael fruit I picked last week went into our kitchen to be made into bael ki shikanjimdasheveryone loved it Itrsquos important to refine the memories with the timerdquo he addsFish mint saladSunday midday spoke to Shailesh Awate cofounder of OOO farms who works closely with the Kokni Warli Mahadeo Koli Katkari Bhils and Rathva tribes to make wild food available to urban areas He says ldquoHuman civilisation and biodiversity are at a crossroadsmdashwe are heading towards species extinction Working with the tribals on their land has taught us that they still have the wisdom to mindfully eat food of all colours shapes sizes and forms while we find it backward and unprogressive Our monocropped culture makes us savour apples but we have no clue about Mahua a delicious fruit that grows in Mumbai We find nutritionally deficient kale and celery more appetising than over 200 wild vegetables that grow in the cityrdquoDahasamani a coolant made from the barks of the Himalayan cherry tree has several health benefits and wards waterborne diseasesIn the book each of the essaysmdashwritten by noted food writers and historians like Pushpesh Pant Jui Pethe Donald Hillbert Nongkynrih and Chaitanya Chandan amongst othersmdashis a wealth of information It serves as a base for surviving food shortages brought on by uncertainties of extreme weather events Their wellresearched pieces and healthy and nutritious recipes offer a deep insight into the biodiverse food world of which we get the first tasteSpicy lasoda sabjiIngredients250 gm lasoda1 tsp chilli powder1 tsp coriander powder12 tsp turmeric powder1 tbsp dried mango powderSalt to tasteMethodBoil the fruits for about 810 minutes Drain out the water and remove the stalks and seeds from the fruits Fry the fruits lightly in oil Add spices and salt along with a little water and cook for around five minutes Enjoy the sabji with millet rotisChilbil kheerIngredients100 gm Indian elm seeds chill1 litre milk50 gm sugar50 gm dry fruits almonds cashews 50 gm ghee50 gm khoyaMethodWash the dried chilbil seeds and grind coarsely on a sil batta grinding stone Heat the ghee in a wok add the crushed chilbil seeds to it and roast Add milk and boil till the seeds are soft Add the dry fruits and sugar and continue to cook till the milk is thick The kheer is ready to eatBabool sabjiIngredients50 gm babool pods young tender1 large onion1 large tomato2 green chilli1 small raw mango5 pods garlic1 tsp chilli powder1 tsp coriander powder12 tsp turmeric1 tsp optional dry mango powder optional12 tsp cumin14 tsp asafoetida12 tsp garam masala2 tbsp mustard oil Salt to tasteManish Mehrotra and Jatin MallickMethodBreak the babool pods into pieces with one seed each Wash and boil them in salted water till they turn soft and lose their bitterness Squeeze out the water and keep the pods aside Chop the onion garlic green chillies raw mango and tomato into small pieces Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and asafoetida When the seeds start to sputter add onion and garlic and cook for half a minute Put in the tomato green chilli and raw mango along with coriander powder turmeric chilli powder salt and dry mango powder only if the raw mango is not sour enough Mix the ingredients well and add the pods Add a little water if the ingredients are dry this will help mix the pods and spices After cooking for a few minutes switch off the flame and sprinkle garam masala The sabji should be on the spicier side and pairs well with millet rotis