Red ant chutney: a classic dish of tribes in eastern states
Jan 12, 2022
You may have heard about red ants in your locality or your Indian home itself when you are faced with an ill-fated ant infestation in your abode. While the circumstances may be different we all can agree on one thing almost any distancing from the minuscule monster is appreciated wholeheartedly. However, that is not the case for the Bastar district of Chattisgarh comprising several tribal communities where red ants are seen as a source of livelihood among many. The groups are mainly Gonds, Marias, and Bhatras to name a few.
While the exact origin story of red ant chutney seems very obscure, the delicacy is consumed far and wide owing to its extreme spiciness. The red ants both in their adult form and larvae are crushed and put in bags when seized from forests and then dried until satisfactory. They are put in a mortar and pounded until similar to a semi-solid paste. The red ants are then combined with onions, tomatoes, coriander, turmeric, chili, and many more such spices and are cooked together with oil. It is served after being prepared or preserved for later in air-tight containers for further use.
The hunting for red ants is peculiar yet a painstaking task in itself. The tribal folk gather themselves into small groups and go hunting the grounds in search of sal trees; the primary nest-building place for red ants.
The people though in groups are likely to face extreme challenges while against the red ants. The prime time for collecting ants is likely at dawn when the ants are inactive and are unable to strike back in humungous clusters. There must be some proof of the deliciousness of the “chaprah chutney” as called by the natives of the tribes belonging to Chattisgarh in their local tongue for it to make headlines in the famous chef Gordan Ramsey Michelin restaurant’s menu dated back in 2018. Word is that this specialty is soon to be given the GI tag which will provide aid in cementing the tribal cuisine to the forefront of the global market and will prove to be a source of recognition to the amassed tribe’s culture forgotten through the ravages of time.
Resources:
https://magikindia.com/bastar-chhattisgarh/
https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/red-ant-chutney-chaprah-india