You might be really curious to know that India's culinary landscape includes insect dishes for centuries! Entomophagy, which is the process of eating insects as food is a really common practice in India and has been deeply rooted in the ancient dietary practices of especially tribal and indigenous communities.
Let's dive into the fascinating world of India’s insect cuisine.
Eri Polu (Assam) Eri polu is a traditional dish of Assam which is made using Silkworm Pupae. Assam is known for silk farming, especially Eri Silk in general. The silkworm pupae left after silk extraction is mainly used to prepare the dish. The pupae is cleaned out and then it is fried with spices and seasoned with ginger, garlic and chilli to be incorporated into curries and stir-fried dishes. Eri Polu is a rich source of protein and it's known to be a delicacy among people because of its unique texture and slightly nutty taste.
Chaprah (Chhattisgarh) This dish originates from Bastar region of Chhattisgarh and it is common among the Gond and other indigenous communities. Chaprah is a spicy chutney prepared by crushing red ants and their eggs with salt, chillies and spices. It is often mixed with ginger and the acidic juice of ants which gives it a distinct juicy, tangy flavour, also adding to the nutritional value of the dish.
Fried Grasshoppers (Nagaland) Fried Grasshoppers is a traditional delicacy in Nagaland and north-eastern states where insect consumption is a common practice. Cooking Grasshoppers in Naga style involves cleaning and drying the Grasshoppers after removing the wings and the legs. The insect is then stir-fried or deep-fried until crispy, often seasoned with salt, chilies, and indigenous herbs.
Sago Worms (Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland) The larvae of the red palm weevil is found in sago palm trees. It is used to prepare sago worms which is known to be a delicacy in Northeast India. Sago worms can be raw or cooked. The insects are cleaned with water and then served fresh and live if eaten raw. The other way is to fry the worms with spices or they can also be roasted with bamboo over fire. The dish provides a unique eating experience as the cooked worms are creamy and tender!
Termite Chutney (Jharkhand) Termite chutney, also known as kurkut/gharua chutney is a special and nutritious treat in tribal regions of Jharkhand and Odisha. Once the termites are collected and cleaned, they are then dried and roasted with garlic, onions, and tribal spices. This is followed by grinding the roasted termite into a paste with chilies and tomatoes. The chutney is popular among the Santhal tribe and other indigenous communities because of its highly nutritious value along with a tangy flavour.
From Assam’s protein packed silkworm pupae to the tangy termite chutney of Jharkhand, these dishes along with others, constitute the lesser known food heritage of India as Insect dishes. These traditional delicacies are often disregarded in mainstream Indian cuisine yet they hold a significant position in ancient and cultural heritage of the Indian food traditions as they have been consumed by people across different regions of the country since centuries which also highlights the fact that insect eating provides nutritional and ecological benefits to the insect eating communities.
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