Wild Food Festival ’23

A rainy afternoon spent learning about monsoon wild foods from Palghar, Maharashtra, and hearing from Adivasi communities preserving them.
Photo courtesy of Cassidix Media Works.

Celebrating wild foods found in Maharashtra’s Palghar district during monsoons, the 4th edition of the Wild Food Festival was organised by TL partner producer OOO Farms, an organisation that works with indigenous communities across Maharashtra and Gujarat to revive native Indian varieties of crops. The festival brought together city-dwellers, people from Kokni and Warli adivasi communities, and experts to spotlight indigenous wild foods in Maharashtra and the people who preserve them.

 

Hearing from wild food experts, including adivasi custodians of foraging, allowed many of us city-dwellers, who are often divorced from what’s on our plate, to imagine our relationship with food in new ways. Able to tangibly feel, touch, taste, and see a massive range of wild foods, and listen to stories around them, attendees were overwhelmed by this world of food they previously knew nearly nothing about.

Attendees sampled over 40 dishes cooked by members of adivasi communities, Kokni, Warli, Mahadev, and Koli. Ingredients spanned grains, vegetables, fruits, flowers, maize, and more. Photos courtesy of Cassidix Media Works.

Wild food experts and cooks from the adivasi communities discuss their plan for the 40 dishes to be put out that afternoon. Photo courtesy of Cassidix Media Works.

The day-long festival, with over 431 attendees, began with an introduction to wild foods by OOO Farms, and a captivating performance by Dhinda Baba, an expert Tarpa musician. It was followed by talks from archaeologist Kurush Dalal and farmer-scientist Debal Deb on the importance of wild foods in diets, culture, and ecology. Focusing on the fact that the last known domestication of food, plant or animal, was conducted 3000 years ago, Debal Deb also reiterated the importance of recognising traditional scientific methods as legitimate sources of knowledge.

STAKEHOLDERS FROM THE COMMUNITY Spoke ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FORAGING TECHNIQUES IN MARATHI (DIALECTS), WHICH SAILESH FROM OOO FARMS TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH FOR THE AUDIENCE. PHOTO COURTESY OF CASSIDIX MEDIA WORKS.

FARMER-SCIENTIST DEBAL DEB, ONE OF THE EXPERT SPEAKERS AT THE FESTIVAL, THREW LIGHT ON THE HISTORY OF WILD FOOD AND DOMESTICATION. PHOTO COURTESY OF CASSIDIX MEDIA WORKS.

The Locavore’s Wild Food Project team shared their findings on wild foods that grow from the pre-monsoon showers until the end of the monsoon. We displayed information about the wild foods documented during our visits to Palghar and conducted a tasting of innovative dishes, such as bamboo shoot & pomelo salad, and mahua sourdough. Conceptualised by professional chef collaborators in an effort to make wild foods more accessible, these dishes were prepared using techniques that previously had not been applied to these wild produce. The combination of flavours was so new to all the attendees; the sharp sweetness of the pomelo, with the earthy textures of bamboo surprised all of us on the team too. Nearly 200 wild foods, millets, and a native seed bank were on display, while traditional Warli art also featured in the milieu.

WHEN PEOPLE TOUCH AND FEEL THE TEXTURES OF DIFFERENT WILD FOODS, THEY ARE COMPELLED TO REALISE HOW MUCH DIVERSITY AND WEALTH IS STORED IN FOODS WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT. PHOTO COURTESY OF CASSIDIX MEDIA WORKS.

IN PREPARATION FOR THE EVENT, ORGANISERS FROM THE COMMUNITIES SPENT NUMEROUS DAYS AND NIGHTS FORAGING FOR WILD FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, WHICH TRAVELLED TO MUMBAI FOR THE WILD FOOD FESTIVAL. PHOTOS COURTESY OF CASSIDIX MEDIA WORKS.

THE WILD FOOD ZINE, LAUNCHED AT THIS FESTIVAL, CAPTURES THE EFFORTS OF A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM TO DOCUMENT AND PRESERVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE Maharashtra's Monsoon WILD FOODS. PHOTO BY CHEFTZAC.

THE WILD FOODS COOKED FOR THE ATTENDEES OFFERED SEVERAL NEW TASTES AND TEXTURES. PHOTO COURTESY OF CASSIDIX MEDIA WORKS.

ATTENDEES GOT TO SAMPLE KHARSHINGA PICKLE AND BAMBOO SHOOT & POMELO SALAD BY CHEF GRESHAM, MAHUA SOURDOUGH WITH MAHUA CHUTNEY BY CHEF PRANAV AND CHEF NEHA FROM SUBKO COFFEE, TERDA TART BY CHEF AKSHAY, PENDHRA CHOKHA BY CHEF JYOTI, RUSHINA MUNSHAW-GHILDIYAL, AND CHEF RAJESH, AND AKARGHODA SALAD BY CHEF LAKHAN FROM MIZU, AND MORE. PHOTO COURTESY OF CASSIDIX MEDIA WORKS.

Many of the leaves and greens featured on the menu may seem familiar or similar to each other from a distance. However, when eaten together, one realises the nuance and depth in flavours of each wild green: some are bitter, and some are light and floral, while others are earthy and distinctly grassy. Eating diversely opens our palates to subtleties in taste.

 

The event concluded with lunch cooked by the adivasi communities which included over 40 dishes—khurasani chutney, khava poli, mahua chikki, and more—prepared with ingredients such as kena, sapud, aaliv, and kakad.

 

Sandeep Gajakas, who attended the event, said, “It was an absolute revelation! Traditionally, we consume certain vegetables and don’t look beyond what is commercially available. We discovered hundreds of fruits and vegetables that have been around for thousands of years, and didn’t even know about. Taste-wise, they were equal—in some cases, much better—than our staples.”

 

The Locavore was delighted to be part of this initiative by OOO Farms to draw attention to the fading food traditions of the adivasi communities in Maharashtra.

At The Locavore, we love planning and executing events that highlight India’s diverse local foods, celebrating community, sustainability, and cultural heritage. Our events feature engaging workshops, discussions, immersive experiences and other formats that connect you to India’s rich food culture. Interested in collaborating or having us organise an event? Reach out at connect@thelocavore.in.