4 reasons to visit Sattvik
If you happen to pass by Bodakdev and get stuck in traffic again, blame it all on the festival that serves lip-smacking delights, Sattvik Traditional Food Festival 2018, by SRISTI. As foodie Varsha Shah said, “I haven’t had enough of the festival. I wish it is held every six months, especially during summers when mango is widely available because the rural tribes dish out some amazing dishes made of mango.”
Sattvik boasts an eclectic range of food items prepared from less-cultivated but nutrition-rich crops and aims at enriching the lives of the ones living in the urban area.
We have been there almost every day and it being the last day today, we cover the whole festival in five points. So, what are the five reasons to visit Sattvik? Read on…
Reason 1 : The food, OBVIOUSLY!
There is some fascinating fare at the fest, but try getting a recipe out of the stall owners, and you will be dejected. Dr Vineeta Khot, Dr Debina Bhattacharya and Bushra Saiyed are lab researchers at SRISTI, who have been studying rare crops and soil microbiology and developing them into products beneficial for people. One is Mahuda ice cream. While Mahuda Masti is dry Mahuda flowers with vanilla as base, Mahuda Crunch has a hint of chocolate in it. “We introduced the chocolate flavour to attract children. Maduda has many medicinal properties and we have just started exploring the possibilities. Ice cream is our first attempt. Yet people are sceptical thanks to its alcoholic properties. But this ice cream is made from dry flowers, before it is fermented and is completely non-alcoholic,” informs Khot.
Niti Bhansali too kept the recipe of her detoxifying soup a secret, only revealing the ingredients that go into its making. The Almond Leafy soup comprise almonds, cheel, palak, the flower, leaves and stem of cauliflower, and peas and its cover. Other hush-hush recipes include gluten-free cupcakes, zalawadi jhinjhara shaak (made of spring garlic, palak and spring onions), Jaipuri chaat, dal dhokli with a twist, Siddu, bajri pizza, bajra basket, lal bhindi sherbet, pumpkin kheer, aloe vera halwa, et al.
Reason 2 : Fest beyond food
Festival curator Prof Anil Gupta was seen interacting with a bunch of school kids. You can also find a potter from Rajkot, Rameshbhai Saganbhai, preparing decorative pieces and old and experienced Lakshmanbhai M Rathod making adornments like cycles, swings, dining tables, sofa sets, pedal rickshaws, puzzle games and keychains using wires giving us artsy feelings. Organic hair pack, hair oil, shampoo, aloe vera gel are also available. If you see some Rajasthani women dressed in traditional attires working on beads, you are in the jewellery stall that sells ornaments from Chhota Udaipur. If healthier living is your goal, then you will find a replacement to your non-stick pans here. Earthen vessels of varied shapes coated with pohim is just the apt vessel for your crispy dosa. Made by Rathwa community of Chhota Udaipur, the vessels have been named Hariyali Handi by SRISTI. You can also find a stall selling medicinal plant, Stevia, besides a workshop where you can catch a cook preparing like ragi upma, coconut kheer, lila haldar ladoo and jackfruit seeds ladoo. Besides these, there are variety of stalls selling vegetables and organic food products.
Reason 3 : ‘Cause Amdavadis approve!
We caught up with a family of three as they gorged on some traditional dishes. “We are having the Adivasi thali: makkai ki roti, rice and umbadiyo (a variant of Undhiyu, here the vegetables are roasted instead); and ragi idli and sambhar. We loved umbadiyo the most,” Shivraj and Vineeta Gadvi revealed. A foodie mother-son duo seemed to be the most enthusiastic people there. “I came here with my friends yesterday and almost emptied our wallets. We had four types of chaat – ratalu, green corn, sprout bhel and potli, four types of desserts – kulfi, gulab jalebi, stuffed gulab jamun, and four types of drinks – sugarcane, coconut, kokum and paan shots. And today, we have already tried akhrot paak, ratalu chaat, a rotla prepared using seven types of water, and rabdi, said Chiranjeev Shah on his ‘delicious’ day.
Reason 4 We got you recipes!
Walnut mushroom soup
By: Khushboo Doshi, Ankit Doshi
Ingredients (6 people)
Walnut 200gm; cultivated mushroom 500gm; onion; garlic; black/white pepper; salt to taste; peanuts for topping
Directions
Soak walnuts and mushroom in water and par-boil to retain their minerals. Crush them with onions, garlic, black/white pepper (good for blood pressure) and add salt. While boiling these, keep adding water until you get the desired consistency. Top with peanuts and serve hot.
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Herbal Chocolate Paan
By: Krishna R Nagar
Ingredients
Calcutti leaves 100; gulkand 1 small bottle; saunf 200gm; dhana dal 200gm; chanothi leaves; jethimadh powder 50gm; variyali to taste; sakar to taste; aamla powder to taste; mint powder to taste
Directions
Wash and cut the leaves. Mix variyali, gulkand, dhana dal, sakar and add water to form a thick paste. Add paan, aamla and mint powder to the mixture. Place this mixture in the sunlight for four to five days. Make small balls out of it and it is ready to serve.
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Ratalu ni poori
By: Sonal Dixit, Paras Dixit
Ingredients
Ratalu (purple yam); besan; dhana; mari; spices (turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt)
Directions
Remove skin of the yam and slice into thin strips. Prepare a thick paste of besan with water. Add turmeric and chilli powders and salt to taste. Coat the ratalu strips with the besan paste and deep fry in hot oil. Top with dhana and mari.
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Coconut Milk Chhaas
By: Sonal Dixit, Paras Dixit
Ingredients
Coconut 1; mint to taste; curry leaves; lemon juice; jeera powder; coriander leaves
Directions
Crush coconut and blend with all the ingredients into a mixture. Filter ingredients through a sieve and mix with chhaas. Top with fresh coriander leaves and serve chilled.
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Pumpkin Manda
By Manishaben Vasava
Ingredients
Pumpkin 250gm; red rice flour 500gm
Directions
Boil flour and stir. Prepare a dough and make small rotis out of it. Boil again. Serve hot with rigan no olo.
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Soya paneer jalebi
By: Ganpat Singh
Ingredients
Singoda (water chestnut) flour 250gm; soya paneer ½ of singoda atta; ghee; caramelised sugar; elaichi; kesar
Directions
Mix flour and crushed soya paneer and prepare a dough. Shape them into jalebis and deep fry. Add elaichi or kesar to caramelised sugar and boil. Add jalebis to this and coat well. Serve.
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