Cuisine of Chhattisgarh facts for kids

The state of Chhattisgarh in India is often called the "rice bowl" because it grows so much rice! This means that rice is a super important part of their food culture. People in Chhattisgarh love to eat delicious and traditional dishes.

Many of the foods from Chhattisgarh, especially those made by tribal communities, use rice and rice flour. They also use curd (like yogurt) and lots of fresh green leafy vegetables. Some popular greens include lal bhaji, cholai bhaji, and chech bhaji.

You'll find many interesting dishes made from rice flour. Some examples are fara or muthiya (which are like rice rolls), cheela (a thin pancake similar to a dosa), angakar roti, and chousela roti (like crispy rice puris).

One special meal for hot summer days is called Bore Baasi. It's simply cooked rice that has been soaked in water, dahi (curd), or buttermilk. People usually eat it with pickle and raw onion. This meal helps keep you cool and hydrated when it's really hot outside!

Famous Chhattisgarh Dishes

One well-known traditional dish is Iddhar. It's made using ground Urad dal (a type of lentil) and kochai patta (a specific leaf). The lentil paste and leaves are layered together, rolled up, and then steamed. After steaming, the roll is cut into pieces and often cooked in a curry made with curd. Sometimes, people use besan (gram flour) instead of urad dal.

Chila and Phara are also very popular dishes. They are both made from rice flour and are usually eaten with a spicy or tangy chutney made from tomato, chili, and coriander.

• Chila is made by mixing rice flour with water to create a thick batter, which is then cooked like a plain pancake.
• Phara is made from leftover rice and rice flour. These are shaped into cylinders and then lightly fried with a special mix of spices called tadka. This tadka often includes jeera (cumin), mustard seeds, curry leaves, tomato, turmeric, salt, and chili.

People in Chhattisgarh are good at not wasting food. That's why they eat Baasi, which is just leftover rice soaked in water and curd, enjoyed with chutney.

Traditional Drinks

In villages, people sometimes drink a special brew. It's made from the small, creamy white flowers of a local tree called Mahuwa.

Images for kids

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  Red Velvet Mite is used as Medicine in Traditional Healing of Chhattisgarh

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  Khurmi, a sweet dish from Chhattisgarh

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  Angakar roti, a type of bread from Chhattisgarh

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  A traditional Chhattisgarhi Thali (meal plate)

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  Chhattisgarhi Chila roti with tomato Chutney

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  Dhuska Roti, also known as Thopa Roti, from Chhattisgarh