The fifth element: Why radhuni needs to be mainstreamed

Jodie R. PalacioFood and Drinks

The INDIAN kitchen can be a noisy space. With the squealing of pans and pots, you can feel the spluttering of whole spices that smolder in hot oil or ghee and then crack open, releasing an unmistakably delicious odor. This method of extracting essential oils from herbs, also known as tempering, can make even the most basic of meals and is a staple of food preparation across South East Asia, including India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Although spices are only used in tiny amounts to temper, the variations in the ingredients could make a particular dish distinct from others. For instance, herbs are utilized in various combinations and different oils according to the region of origin and the recipe. The amount of spices used also varies. The food can also be adjusted prior to the preparation of the dish or towards the end. Food experts and food connoisseurs agree that a slight alteration in the spice can drastically alter the taste and smell of the food.

One of these spices is radiant, also known as wild celery ( Trachyspermum roxburghianum). It is known as a mod in Hindi as well as asamtavomam Tamil or ayamodakam in Malayalam, and radiant is native to Bengali cuisine.

It is generally consumed in panch phoron, which is a mix of five spices that are commonly utilized in the eastern part of Indian food. However, it is finished in Assam, Odisha, and Bihar. The panch phoron is made up of fruit of fennel as well as whole cumin seeds, nigella, and fenugreek, along with mustard at a certain proportion, and in West Bengal, mustard seeds are substituted by the radiant. This subtle change enhances the taste of Bengali food items. Although brilliant is part of the cumin and fennel, which is known as Apiaceae, It adds a strong grassy flavor to panch phoron, which the other spices don’t have. Cumin has an earthy flavor, and fennel gives an aftertaste of sweetness. Nigella seeds possess the taste of onions, and fenugreek gives bitterness and pungency to the mixture of spices.

Anumitra Ghosh Dastidar Chef Anumitra Ghosh Dastidar, of West Bengal, is known for her efforts to promote traditional food. She says that Bengali food is not complete without the radiant. The importance of spice can be seen in the fact that, in the Bengali language, brilliant is cooking. Dastidar likes making use of the sauce to temper lentils as well as in recipes for fish; however, she says that acquiring the spice isn’t an easy task since even Bengalis nowadays aren’t aware of the term radiant. Dastidar is a farmer who sources her kick from regions like Nadia and the Purba Bardhaman district within West Bengal. She recalls that although her great-grandmother used the spice, her mother and grandmother didn’t.

The reason for this decline may be due to the fact that radiant is not a simple spice to cook with. Its aroma comes out only through tempering or roasting dry. It’s quite surprising that the usage of luminous has been restricted to Bengali food despite the fact that it is a native of Southeast Asia and grows across the nation.

Researchers from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Research Complex for the North Eastern Hill Region, Meghalaya, In their book Technological Options for Climate Resilient Hill Agriculture released in 2015, because of the diverse climate conditions in northeastern states, wild celery is able to grow readily throughout the region and is able to be encouraged by farmers. According to them, in the Northeast, its leaves are consumed raw or cooked with rice to make a type of tea. Wild celery seeds possess an astringent taste, and when consumed before the meal, they may aid digestion and improve health.

Researchers from Aga Khan Medical College in Karachi, Pakistan, have looked into the validity of the use of radiant in traditional medicine and discovered that the seeds are able to soothe the airways and stomach and could be used to treat colic, diarrhea, and asthma. The results were reported in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in June 2012. Because of these benefits, Radhuni is greatly sought-after by people in the Ayurvedic industry. A 2017 study, “Medicinal Plants in India: An Assessment of their Demand and Supply,” from the National Medicinal Plants Board, Delhi, as well as the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun, states that the herbal medicinal industry consumes 112 tonnes of radiant every year, and is harvested only by nature. It’s high time that this little-known spice gained its due recognition.

RECIPE: SHUKTO

Ingredients

  • Drumstick: 1
  • Sweet potato: 1
  • Brinjal: 1
  • Bitter gourd: 1
  • Potato: 1
  • Unripe bananas: 1
  • Unripe papaya: 1
  • Dal Bori or sun-dried lentil dumplings between 10 and 15
  • Bay leaves 3
  • Ayurvedic Paanch phoron (with radiant) 1 tablespoon
  • Whole red chilies dried 1.
  • Ginger paste: 1 tablespoon
  • Mustard seed paste two tablespoons
  • Radhuni paste one tablespoon
  • Milk: 1 cup
  • Ghee 2 tablespoons
  • Mustard oil Five to six tablespoons
  • Sugar 1 – 2 teaspoons
  • Salt to taste

Method

Peel the sweet potato, bananas, and raw papaya. Cut into large pieces. Cut off the bitter gourd and brinjal without peeling. All vegetables should be roughly equal in size and cut into equal-sized pieces.

Warm mustard oil in the wok. Fry dal-bori and keep aside. Fry brinjal and bitter gourd pieces and put them away. Mix the oil by adding bay leaves, whole chili, and panch phoron. Incorporate all of the veggies (except brinjal and bitter gourd) and cook at a low temperature. Add radiant, ginger paste and mustard seed paste, and mix thoroughly. Add the cooked Boris, bitter gourd, and brinjal vegetables. Add salt. Then, pour the milk onto the vegetable and mix. Add sugar and adjust the water if necessary. Then cook on low heat until the vegetables become soft. To finish, sprinkle the ghee to cover it. The shukto is now ready to be eaten with rice.