Experiencing a traditional Banjara meal at a serene countryside farmland of Kaaram Food And Agro in Vidarbha's Yavatmal district was a fascinating opportunity to get introduced to wonderful new flavours and food traditions. Apart from the unique and soul satisfying gustatory experience, we were also enamoured by the ingenuity and resourcefulness of this community that reflected in the simple spread.
We started the day with a quick tour of a village close to the farm. There we met a onion farmer, saw his lovely old style house and visited the village temple. Soon after we headed for the farm. There we joined two traditionally dressed ladies in plucking amaranth and roselle leaves in the farm for the lunch spread. Meanwhile the rustic style open kitchen set up was all ready for meal preparation. Everything was to be prepared over wood fire in earthenwares. Before beginning with the cooking, our host Shravan from Karam Foods gave us a brief overview about their amazing range of spices that are prepared with high quality ingredients sources from the best places. One of their versatile sice mix is the chicken masala that can be used in any non veg dishes. The robust aroma of those spices spoke about their great quality.
The cooking process began with Ambadi Toor Dal which is split pigeon pea lentil cooked with roselle leaves. This was followed by Banjara Solai, a no oil dish made of goat’s offal, blood and sorghum flour. This dish is a delicacy over here and along with Kadai it forms the part of the prasad that is offered to the local deity.
Next we moved on to the making of Hirvya Solayachi Bhaji, a mildly spiced side dish made of roughly crushed fresh green pigeon peas. As the dish simmered away, the moved on to Rajgire Ki Bhaji or a simple stir fried amaranth leaves. Next was the turn of Lapad roti. These thin and soft griddle baked flatbreads entails a skilled making process where a pliant dough ball is stretched out
by being trashed between the two palms. The roti are then stacked one above another and then baked nicely, one by one.
After this they prepared the Kadai, a coarse whole wheat flour, jaggery and sugar based sweet dish. Next in the queue was Banjara Mutton Curry, a rustic style mutton curry whose key ingredients are roasted onions and dried coconut and poppy seeds. The combined aroma of the spices, coconut, poppy seed and meat got us all excited about this delicacy.
It was a hearty meal packed with lots of nutrients, flavors, ingenuity and love. Relishing this colourful and soul satisfying spread consisting of primarily traditional Banjara recipes from the region prepared with farm desh ingredients and amidst the serene surrounding of a countryside farmland somewhere in Yavatmal was a gastronomic experience that we will always cherish.
More about Kaaram Food:
www.kaaramfoods.com
/ kaaramfoods
About the host:
anubhavsapra.com/
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Text by Swetaleena Nayak