Photos by Content Volunteer, Achyut Siddu.
HOST
CO-HOST
CONTENT VOLUNTEER
The venue surprised and delighted me with its decor. I am very proud to be part of The Locavore’s initiative, LFC!
Supriya
The Indrahar Pakodas, brought by Tanya, are a classic snack from Madhya Pradesh made with a mix of lentils like moong, masoor, urad, and chana dals. Ground into paste, the lentil dough is then cooked, cooled, cut into pieces, and pan-fried. Crispy outside, soft inside, and perfect for when it’s raining!
The Soya Chana Dal Kebab, brought by Somyajeet, is a hearty vegetarian reimagination of Bhopal’s beloved appetiser, paired here with a mint-coriander chutney.
An LFC spread that truly travelled the country: Himachal’s curd-based curry Madra, Rajasthan’s Bajra Khichdi, Madhya Pradesh’s sweet-savoury Bhutte Ka Kees, Maharashtrian Sabudana Thalipeeth, Bhopal-style smoky Soya Kebabs, Jodhpur’s fiery Mirchi Bada, Karnataka-style Ragi Podi Idlis, and the Gujarati favourite, Dhokla!
MEET YOUR HOST
What does local mean to you?
Local food, for me, is more than just what we eat. It’s a connection between farmers, the land, and our own well-being. It keeps farmers’ hands busy and hearts hopeful, brings us food that’s fresh, pure, and full of life, and protects our environment by travelling fewer miles. It carries the taste of our soil, our seasons, and our culture. It moves us, with every bite, to becoming truly self-sustainable.
When I was a child, my father was transferred to a small village in Madhya Pradesh where we had our own baadi (kitchen garden). He grew fresh vegetables, and my mother would tell us, “Whatever you want to eat, go pluck it.” We ate it with fragrant local rice and homemade matha (buttermilk). The freshness, simplicity, and love in those meals created a taste so pure that I have never experienced it again in my life.
The Harchhat festival in Madhya Pradesh is celebrated in the Hindi month of Bhadrapad. This day marks the birth of Lord Balram, who carried a hal (plough), and is celebrated by eating uncultivated foods. People traditionally enjoy Pasai Ka Chawal (local, uncultivated red rice) with curd, Mahua, and a unique curry made from five rarely consumed leaves, such as pumpkin and bottle gourd. It is served on plates made of chhula (palash) leaves, making it a truly distinct experience.
Sugarcane. Since an early age, I eagerly awaited the Makar Sankranti mela on the banks of the Son and Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh to get fresh sugarcane. I would relish it under the winter sun, sitting on my terrace.
The Local Food Club can offer a platform to organic farmers, rural communities, and indigenous people working for food security, organic seed preservation, local recipe documentation, and medicinal plant use. It can also foster connections between traditional knowledge and sustainable practices.
I see LFC flourishing by not only promoting nutritious food but also embracing physical, mental, and cultural health, and preserving the heritage that sustains both, people and environment, for generations to come.
But my vision as a member and cheerleader for LFC is to see it accommodate people from backgrounds beyond what this space is right now. While we can engage with food cultures through what we read and consume, it is important to bring people with undocumented lived experiences around food together in the same room. As a dedicated member of LFC in my city, my hope is to help it grow by expanding my own scope of understanding, being endlessly accommodating, listening better, and gently encouraging others to do the same.