Gajapati: India's love for food needs no introduction. The diverse variety of unconventional dishes that people enjoy in various states and tribal communities is unique. One such tribal dish is the from Odisha's Gajapati will leave you amazed but only if you are an adventurous foodie.
It's surprising to know that a special sauce from 'wild black ants' (black pismire) made in Guma block of Gajapati district is a local delicacy. The sauce forms an indispensable part of all their grand feasts and is relished whole-heartedly by the tribe members.
Also known as 'Kai' sauce, this special tribal dish is considered to be an effective medicine against the novel coronavirus disease. People of the tribal community believe that Kai sauce has tremendous medicinal value and everybody, irrespective of their age bracket, enjoys its taste.
Tribal people enjoy this sauce with watered rice and gruel which is made of ragi. The tribal people wander about the forest and collect these ants from their hives on trees and then burn them in the fire. The sauce is prepared by grinding the dead ants with onion, garlic, salt and chilly with the help of a stone.
Apart from adding fiery flavours to your meal, this sauce boasts of many medicinal qualities. People of the village believe that this sauce has the potential to cure diseases like arthritis and can also improve one's vision. The tribal people claimed that no one in their village has contracted corona. Reason? They consume Kai sauce.
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Scientific facts state that ants contain formic acid that can combat bacterial infections and most of the people belonging to tribal community eat Kai sauce. Since many years, the local tribe has been using these ants as part of their daily diet.
However, experts opined that this sauce is unfit for human consumption. One of the medicinal specialists of Gajapati said that there is no mention of medicinal value of this Kai sauce.
However, according to experts, this sauce is not fit to be taken as food and there is every possibility of being affected by several types of diseases due to its consumption and it is inedible stuff.
"There are chances that people may develop stomach ailments. There is a need to sensitise the tribal people about its possible harmful effects and dissuade them from consuming this," he added.
The government is formulating several plans in order to bring about a change in the lifestyle of the tribal people. Apart from the government machinery, many voluntary agencies are also working in this region in order to ensure that the benefits of the plans reach the tribal people. However, till date, the tribal community had not been able to come out of their traditional thoughts and way of life.
