Ethnic fermented beverages and foods of Chhattisgarh

Abstract

Chhattisgarh is known as "rice bowl of India" due to enormous production of rice. Rice is the major ingredient of the ethnic fermented food and beverages of Chhattisgarh. Apart from rice, traditional dishes are also made from wheat, barley, and different lentils. Fermentation process has an impact on food's aroma, flavor, texture, and nutritional content besides preservation. The ethnic food of Chhattisgarh serves a wide range of mouthwatering dishes that are enriched with flavor and exceptional taste. With nutritional values, different fermented foods are lays an important ethic place in tribal people's life. Beverages play an important role in the life of tribal people of Chhattisgarh state. Fermented beverages are consumed in festivals, marriages, funeral feast, and other ceremonies cerebrated by tribal peoples. Fermented beverages and foods have several health benefits. Main ethnic beverage of Chhattisgarh is handia, salfi, and mahua. Handia is made up of cooked rice, mahua is made up of mahua flowers, and salfi is obtained from trunk sap of salfi. Some important fermented foods of Chhattisgarh are boree basi, bara, dehori, aeersa, pidiya, bafaur, bijori, rakhiya bari, etc. Most of the dishes are made up mainly from rice or rice flour and consumed during the festivals, marriage ceremony, and special occasions. Fermented food and their recipes give a real treat to the taste buds of people. These ethnic fermented Chhattisgarh beverages and dishes are healthy, cheap, and easy to digest.