NGO News Desk :: For centuries, the food on our plates reflected the local biodiversity. People selected some of the common products either for their taste or for their health benefits. With time, they became integral parts of our culture but people forgot their health benefits. Biodiversity lost its appeal. First Food is a reminder of the potential of food, its ability to satiate hunger, quench thirst and to heal.
It provides nearly 100 recipes from different parts of the country where people still choose wisely. While taking us on this gastronomical journey, this book reminds us that all is not well with the biodiversity and our kitchens are no longer as rich
as they once were. It also tells us that biodiversity is best protected if it is celebrated in our kitchens. Food biodiversity needs our care and attention. Today with monocultures taking over, the only biodiversity that will remain will be stored inside the
cold and controlled environments of gene pool laboratories. It will not flourish in the living world around us. The world that gives us life and the joy of living. We cannot imitate nature. We cannot manufacture biodiversity. But we can choose to live with it. We
can value it in the wild and in the farm. We can savour its taste and smell. This is joy of living. This is what we must not lose. Ever.
The emphasis is on appreciating the science and art of nature. If we can make nature part of our lives again; make the connection between what we eat and why we eat it, then we can also safeguard this resource for tomorrow. But if we lose the knowledge and culture of our local cuisines then we lose more than their taste and smell. We lose nature.
BREAKFAST AND SNACKS
●Makhana parantha ● Makhana cereal ● Makhana snack
● Ambadi chi bhakhar ● Mahua bhakhar ● Ambadi chi bhaji
● Sattu parantha ● Litti ● Sattu dough ● Pantabhat
● Gahat dal parantha ● Mahua poda peetha ● Mahua rasputuka
● Arbi patode ● Navara stew ● Jute pakora ● Masala paanachi wadi
● Bhang pakora
MEALS
● Gongura pappu ● Gongura pulusu ● Bhatwani ● Amla ki dal
● Amla raita ● Moringa thoran ● Guar phalli sabzi ● Chaulai ka raita
● Chaulai ka saag ● Jute saag ● Gahat dal soup ● Sangri ki sabzi
● Sangri ki kadhi ● Neem baigun ● Phool ka bhaja ● Ker sabzi
● Fried bamboo shoot ● Bamboo akibiye ● Bamboo ironba
● Bamboo rotuai ● Karanda sabzi ● Shukto ● Makhane ka raita
●Makhane ki sabzi ● Til ke aloo ● Kinema curry
●Papaya salad ●Papaya dal ●Papaya flower fry
● Bajra khichdi ● Bajra bhakari ●Kanhi ● Singhare ki sabzi
● Singhare ki puri ●Thechwani ●Khuree ●Tapioca sabzi
● Kachnar kadhi ●Kachnar chane ki tarkari ●Kachnar aloo ki tarkari
●Corn soup ● Selni khula ●Omavalli leaf raita ●Mushroom soup
CHUTNEYS AND PICKLES
●Karanda pickle ●Neem pachidi ●Mulberry jam ● Bhang ki chutney
● Amla chutney ●Amla achar ● Bhangjeera chutney
BEVERAGES
●Bael sherbet ●Rhododendron squash ●Kokum sorbet ● Sattu drink
●Thandai ●Kanji ●Kanji vada ●Rasam ● Thambli
● Bhangjeera tea ●Palash sherbet
SWEETS
●Haldi patra pitha ●Bajra kheer ●Ragi kheer ●Makhana kheer
● Sattu laddoo ●Amla murrabba ● Chaulai ka laddoo
● Singhare ke katle ●Til ki patti ●Til ke laddoo
ABOUT THE PLANTS
●Makhana ●Mahua ●Drumsticks ● Jute ●Khejri ●Bamboo
●Pulses ●Papaya ● Rice ●Karanda ●Neem ●Rhododendron
● Carrots ● Spices ●Amla
TRADITIONS
●Marathi food for Bong palate ● Thank the microbes
●Bitters for starters ●Against the grain
● Celebrating food security ●An heirloom in muslin
●Sweet surrender
