tribal cuisines

Ingredients of Curry of Jeerhol Flower, west bengal

Making

The ingredients for the curry consists of Jeerhol flower, potatoes, tomatoes, ginger, and green chilies; they make this curry spicy and flavourful. The earthy taste of potatoes makes a good combination with the tang of tomatoes along with the warm effect of ginger and the mild heat from the chilies. These spices, which mostly would include turmeric and cumin among others, then create a very rich flavour profile. The human touch is definitely the mustard oil, which hits up all the ingredients, bringing the natural flavour of these into the dishes.

Curry

This dish is very traditional for the Birhor tribe, representing a strong relationship they have developed over time with nature, along with its changing seasons, produce, and harvest. This is made brilliantly evident with the local products, especially the Jeerhol flower, which is available during spring. The Birhor community has associated this dish with the idea of renewal and riches, usually preparing it during feasting occasions to unite people with a cause and celebrate changing seasons together. Its preparation in most cases is accompanied by the sharing of folklores and customs associated with it, thereby adorning the tribal culture.

Boiling

The preparation of the Jeerhol flower curry starts by boiling the Jeerhol flowers and diced potatoes until soft. Soften and blend flavours. Meanwhile, take mustard oil into another pan and heat it to fry ginger, tomatoes, and green chilies to create a fragrant base for the curry. Then, pour the mixture of boiled flowers and potatoes along with salt and spices and cook until everything has combined perfectly. Simply charming in its simplicity, the simplicity of this method brings out the flavours of the dish. The primary significance of this curry is that it is generally cooked in February-March, commemorating the spring season. This is when nature opens up and promises flowering and, thus, growth. People can come together in this way to share in community feasts where they honour their ancestors through the disposal of earthly gifts.

Jeerhol

The highlight ingredient of this dish is Jeerhol flower or Indigofera pulchella in scientific terms. This flower is not only beautiful in bloom but offers a flower spice that gives all the elegance to the curry. Apart from all that, Jeerhol flowers are nutrients rich flowers valued in the Birhor diet as health enhancers. Also, such use in the kitchen indicates the knowledge of the tribe concerning local flora and its capacity to complete such flora with natural sources-the hallmark of their identity and cuisine.

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