Red ant chutney gets tagged
In January this year, the tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district in the eastern state of Odisha was spotlighted when its unique red ant chutney — locally known as kai chutney or kurkutti chutney — received the Geographical Indications tag or GI tag, putting the tribal dish in a cohort that includes the Assamese Bihu dhol and the Banaras thandai. Issued by the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the GI tag ties a product and its unique qualities to a specific geographical location. Since its enactment in 2003, the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, of 1999, has issued GI tags to over 600 products across India.
Now the red ant chutney of Mayurbhanj has found pride of place on the GI list.
According to Akash Mohanty, a culinary guide based in Baripada, Mayurbhanj, the red ant chutney is found in the tribal belt of Odisha, mainly in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, and Sundargarh districts. It is also popular in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
Red ant chutney to break a fever
The Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology, which has an extension in Baripada, Mayurbhanj, has been trying to get the chutney a GI tag for the past few years, said Mohanty. There are 24 tribes in this district, with the Santhal tribe being one of the predominant ones. “The red ant chutney is beneficial for the immune system. Whenever I had a fever during my childhood, I tried the chutney. My grandmother was aware of its benefits,” he said.
A connoisseur of local cuisine, Mohanty said that red ant soup is also popular in the region. “The red ant chutney is prepared with small chilies called dhanua (similar to the bird’s eye chili), cloves of garlic, and salt. Coriander seeds and leaves are also added. The white-colored larvae are an important part of the chutney,” said Mohanty. The larvae are called bhato in Odiya since they resemble rice.
The weaver red ants are usually found on large trees like mango and jackfruit. Traditionally, it was the Mankadia or Mankidia tribe, who lived in deep forests and were adept at climbing trees, who collected the red ants for the chutney. The task is not painless and the tribesmen often get bitten when collecting the ants. Once they find the ant nests and take them down, they are stored in containers lined with stones. According to Mohanty, this kills the ants. The ants are then sold in the local markets.
Bhubaneswar-based Susanta Dalai, who works on uncultivated forest foods, said tribal communities across villages in Odisha collect red ants. While he recalled seeing red ants being sold in sal leaf bowls for ₹20 a pop in Sambalpur, Mayurbhanj remains the epicenter for ant collection.
Brining tribal staples to the masses
Cuttack-based chef, Rachit Kirteeman, has worked in the food industry for the past 15 years and has seen a growing “craze” for the GI tag in the past few years. “The GI tag carries the name of the place along with the product. However, the number of people consuming red ant chutney in Bastar, or say Chhattisgarh, is higher than that of Mayurbhanj,” Kirteeman claims.
Kirteeman, who wants to bring lesser-known tribal foods to the masses, once did a tribal pop-up in Kolkata. “When I did the two-day pop-up in Kolkata called Odisha Table last year, I failed to get the required amount of ants from Mayurbhanj. So, my friends in Bastar helped me procure it. Mainly, coastal Odisha cuisine is talked about. I wanted to showcase the tribal food of the state and also the food enjoyed by the farming community,” he said.
Kirteeman says that the GI tag craze has picked up in the past few years. “The GI tag carries the name of the place along with the product. However, the number of people consuming red ant chutney in Bastar, or say Chhattisgarh, is higher than that of Mayurbhanj.” The chef added that a few of his friends from non-tribal communities also eat the chutney.
Keertiman observes that there is little to no documentation of tribal food in Odisha. He suggests small groups with a mission to highlight tribal foods should visit major cities across India and showcase tribal recipes. There is a market, albeit small, where diners are ready to sample tribal food without stepping out of their cities. Farmlore in Bengaluru serves a version of the ant chutney in one of their dishes. A 12-seater chef’s table called Papa’s Bombay in Mumbai, also serves the red ant chutney.
A note of caution
Alka Jena, an economist working with the Odisha government, takes a special interest in Odia cuisine. She said red ants are mainly collected during the monsoon. Ever since the chutney got the GI tag, the demand for red ants has soared. “But it is also important to preserve the biodiversity of a particular area,” said Jena. She said the volume of dried red ants is just enough for personal consumption.
“I am not much open to the idea of farm-to-table. Maybe the tribal communities can be empowered through the concept of ecotourism where guests get to savor the red ant chutney,” she said.