KC MAY 2011

Sini M
HEALTH
We have
nutritional Food
It is widely recognised that environmental factors play
a major role in determining the cultural heritage,
survival strategies and food habits of the people. Every
society is more or less adapted to its immediate
environment. Food habits are an integral part of cultural
behaviour and socio-dynamic process existing in every
society. The food habits of the people vary from society
to society and also reflect the adaptive strategies that
each society accepts in eco-cultural context. Seasonality
and economy has strong influences on food availability
and health conditions of the people, which is in one
way or other related to the local ecosystem.
Traditionally in Kerala, people
considered karkkidakam (July-
August) as the month of worries
and woes.
Malayalam month Karkidakam
(July-August) is a rainy season in
Kerala, and this period is generally
treated by the villagers as panjamasam
(lean months). This month is referred to so,
because, it is not the harvesting season in
Kerala, and people face shortage of labour
opportunities, especially works related to
agriculture. Because of this, most of the village
people were in a struggle to meet both ends.
Seasonality and climatic condition adversely affect
the food availability and health conditions of the
people, especially the lower caste people. To
overcome this situation and to escape from shortage of
food, they had developed certain alternative food
strategies on the basis of locally available resources.
These are part of culturally learnt adaptations designed
to enhance survival prospects under adverse
circumstances. The following are some of the food stuffs
preserved by the people as an alternative strategy to
overcome the situation.
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Pukkan
It is a kind of food item prepared and
consumed by the lower caste people of
North Malabar, especially economically
backward families in the past. Earlier, the
rice grains (Oryza sativa) were freed from
bran by hand pounding. During
Karkkidakam, they daily collected water
left after cleaning the rice from the nearby
houses in an earthen pot. The peculiarity
of this rice was that it has not been
cleaned in such away and to be removed
off its coatings. So the grains obtained in
this manner were brown coloured .The
brown covering is rich in nutritious
proteins and minerals and the collected
water contains tavidu (Bran). The tavidu
(bran) is a powdery mass consisting of
aleurone layer (Protein, 5-10 per cent)
and the outer layers of the Kernel
(Carbohydrate, 40-50 per cent). Every day
they collected the water after washing
the rice into a big earthen pot and
allowing it to condense and filtered off
water above the condensed portion. This
part of the water contains the essence of
tavidu (Bran). This process continued up
to one week. In this concentrated water
they also add tiny particles of rice, locally
known as nurikkilari, which they
collected daily while husking and
cooking. After one week they boil this
collected essence till it concentrates and
was consumed as a substitute of Kanji.
The protein rich bran of rice was also
consumed by the people. The main
content of Pukkan is tavidu (Bran) and
it richly contains Vitamin B (Vitamin B1
to B12). It also contains starch, protein
and fat. The Tavidu (Bran) coated rice,
locally known as Karambilari.
One ounce bran coated rice
contains: Starch-2.3gm, Fat-
0.2gm, Protein- 2gm and
the energy received is 98
colorie / one ounce.
Ayurveda says that
tavidu has a
significant medicinal
value in reducing
vatha, pitha, and kafa
dosha.
Mangayandi
kanji (Gruel
prepared with
Mango seeds)
Mango (Mangifera
indica) was another important
item of food. In Kerala, mango trees
were in plenty a few decades ago.
During karkkidakam they prepared kanji
with the seeds of Mango, locally known
as kuratta as an alternative food item.
They collected the seeds during the
season when mango was available in
plenty and stored it. During the period of
food shortage , they take the seeds after
breaking the seed coat and are kept in
sacks and put in the water (sometimes
in nearby streams or ponds ) for 3-5 days.
This is to remove the bitter taste of the
seeds while in use. Sometimes they put
the seeds inside the earthen pot
containing water. Everyday they filtered
off the water and replenish freshwater to
remove the bitter taste. Then they mix
the seeds with nicheri or nurikkilari and
prepare mangayandikanji by boiling it.
This preparation was also an alternative
to Kanji.
Mangayandi kanji also played a vital
role in protecting the health of
economically backward among the
lower caste people of rural areas few
decades back. Mangayandi (seeds of
Mango) contains Vitamin A and C in rich
quantity. It also contains Phospherous,
fat, iron, calcium and galicacid.
Mangayandi (seeds of Mango) is very
important and used as an Ayurvedic
medicine for Kapha and worm infection
in children and it is good for treating
stomach ailments.
Pulinkuru kanji (Gruel
prepared with Tamarind seeds)
It was another substitute for Kanji.
The seeds of Tamarind (Tamarindus
indica) were collected during available
seasons and were stored. During the
shortage of food, it was fried and the fried
seeds were put into an ural (mortar) and
grinded to remove the seed coat. The
seeds then boiled to remove the bitter
taste. After that the seeds are dried in
sunshine. This dried seeds again grinded
to make powder. This powder is then
mixed with nicheri and boils. This is an
important preparation during
karkkidakam. The leaves of Tamarind
were also used to make curries. Tamarind
accelerates digestion.
Manpidikkal
Seeds of Jackfruit (Artocarpus
heterophyllus) were another important
item widely used during panjamasam
(lean months). Few years ago the
availability of jackfruit was in plenty.
During the season of jackfruit people
collected it and the seeds were dried in
sunshine. They stored the extra seeds by
mixing it with mud or soil and kept in
the corner of the kitchen like a hump.
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KERALA CALLING

This is known as Manpidikkal. The
collected seeds were thus kept for one
year. During panjamasam they take small
quantities of it from the hump. Sometimes
they prepare it as curry or put the seeds
into fire, roast it and consumed. 100 gm
seeds of Jackfruit contain: Protein- 6.6gm,
Fat- 4gm, Iron-1.5mg, Calcium- 50mg,
Starch- 25.8gm and little Carbohydrate.
Jackfruit is a rich source of protein. The
seeds of Jackfruit contain an anticancerous
substance called lectin
(starch – protein complex) in
abundance. In addition to these food
items, they also consumed varieties of
leaves. The main leaf items consumed
by the lower caste people are,
Amaranthus, Colocasia esculenta and
Cassia tora.
Amaranthus – Its leaves and tender
twigs were used as vegetable and it
contains iron richly 18.18mg/100g
Colocasia esculenta- The leaves
contain: Starch -25 per cent, Water -68 per
cent, Sugar -3 per cent, rotein -2 per cent
and little Fat. In addition, green leaves
contain large amount of iron, large
amounts of B carotene, folic acid and
protein as well as extensive amount of
pyridoxine, riboflavin and copper.
28 KERALA CALLING May 2011

The traditional food items of the
people of Kerala, especially of lower caste,
were generally the resources available
from their immediate environment. In the
past, rice, tubers, fruits, leaves etc. had
taken a dominant place in their diet. The
excess seeds of these resources they
preserved and the alternative food items
they prepared were used during the
period of food shortage. This natural food
gave them adequate nutrients essential
for their health.
It is seen that human beings these
days changing their traditional way of
life and food habits to modern style. But
its nutritional aspects are still a matter of
controversy. Most of the market based
food items lack nutrients essential for our
health. Today fast foods and other
readymade food items dominate in the
food cultures of Malayalis. Today food
culture of the Malayali is influenced
largely by the Media which are part of
the globalised scenario. It is observed that
market economy and globalisation
forces enriched the food world of the
people today.•
The writer is Lecturer, Department of
Anthropology, Kannur University, Thalassery
Campus.
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