Dasara visitors will be getting a chance to taste wild roots, tubers and bulbs found in the forests of Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts.
Minor forest produce will be offered either roasted or steamed with pure honey to visitors as traditional tribal food during the Dasara festivities starting next month.
Tribal communities in this region largely depend on forest produce for food. The wild tubers look similar to sweet potatoes but taste completely different. According to tribals, they need to be baked at least for half an hour to ensure that the pulp inside is fully cooked.
Ensuring supply
Though baked wild tubers were served at the Dasara food festival two years ago, the organisers could not meet the demand because of inadequate supply. This year, arrangements have been made to ensure sufficient supply, with tribal welfare organisations and officials joining hands with the Dasara committee.
Tribals from Basavanahalli tribal settlement in H.D. Kote taluk and Haralahalli settlement in Hunsur taluk will bring wild tubers, which are described in Kannada as “Noore Genasu”, and bake them using dried wood under a banyan tree at the venue of the food mela.
Krishnaiah, who heads the Karnataka State LAMPS (Large-sized Adivasi Multipurpose Cooperative Societies) Cooperative Federation, said three to four types of wild tubers were available and the tribals would bring to serve Dasara visitors. “Tubers are highly nutritious. Baked tubers taste better when served with honey,” he said.
B. Kavera, secretary of the Karnataka Adivasi Rakshana Parishat, said other tribal food items would also be introduced at the food mela.
Kumar of Nellorepala Hadi and Madhukumar of Maralukatti Hadi, who are considered specialists in cooking tribal food, said many delicacies can be prepared using wild tubers, leaves and roots.
