India’s food history is often told through dishes that have travelled and adapted well. But what about the foods that rarely make it beyond the regions, communities and households that have kept them alive? A wild fig mashed into chokha, a seasonal Sindhi snack or a local rice variety grown for generations may not appear on restaurant menus, but their stories are just as revealing. Some are becoming harder to find because the ingredients themselves are disappearing. Others are losing ground to cheaper crops, changing preferences and the economics of farming. Together, they raise an uncomfortable question: what happens when a food becomes so specific, and difficult to sustain, that we stop noticing its absence?
Ottamb, Goa: The Souring Fruit We Are Replacing
Ottamb, also known as vatamba or vat, is a wild fruit from the jackfruit family used to add sourness to Goan cooking. The unripe fruit is sliced, salted and sun-dried for use throughout the year. It lends a milder sourness than kokum to fish curries, pork preparations and vegetable dishes. Urbanisation has made the fruit harder to access in parts of Goa. Dried mango can replace it in some recipes, but the substitution changes the flavour. As the ingredient becomes less common, the knowledge of harvesting, preserving and cooking with it risks disappearing too.
Gular Chokha: The Wild Fig We Stopped Eating
Gular, or cluster fig, grows across much of India, yet it rarely features in everyday urban cooking. In Bihar, its tender fruits are steamed, mashed and mixed with onion, garlic, green chillies and raw mustard oil to make chokha. Known as dumur in Bengal, it also appears in curries and fritters, while Lucknow has its own gular kebabs. Its substantial texture makes it a distinctive ingredient, but familiar vegetables increasingly dominate everyday meals. Some people are also wary of preparing wild figs because of the tiny insects they may contain. As fewer households cook with gular, the practical knowledge needed to select and prepare it becomes easier to lose.
Meghalaya’s Red Rice: When a Grain Becomes Occasional
Indigenous red sticky rice varieties have long been cultivated in Meghalaya, including in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills. In some communities, varieties such as Khaw Pnah Saw are increasingly associated with weddings, funerals and other gatherings rather than everyday meals. Changing preferences for softer, less sticky white rice have affected demand, while traditional cultivation can be labour-intensive. Small farms and annual harvests also limit supply. Preserving these grains means keeping them in everyday dishes and supporting the farmers who continue to grow them, rather than reserving them solely for special occasions.
Meher Dhan, Chhattisgarh: A Rice That Needs Buyers
Meher Dhan, a traditional rice variety from Dantewada in Chhattisgarh, is suited to dryland cultivation and requires less water than conventional paddy. It has also been noted for resistance to the brown planthopper, a pest that can damage rice crops. Yet useful agricultural characteristics do not automatically guarantee a market. Farmers need reliable demand and viable returns to continue cultivating traditional varieties. Conserving their seeds is important, but ensuring that the grain reaches kitchens is equally crucial to its survival.
Tilak Chandan, Uttar Pradesh: The Lost Aroma of Rampuri Khichdi
Rampuri khichdi, a winter dish made with rice, urad dal and spices, was traditionally prepared with Tilak Chandan, a short-grained, aromatic rice also used in kheer. By the 1980s, the variety was nearing disappearance as farmers shifted towards hybrid rice. Revival efforts have faced practical challenges. Tilak Chandan takes longer to grow, is more vulnerable to pests and fungal infections, and produces low yields. Its distinctive aroma and association with Rampur’s food traditions make it worth preserving, but farmers also need a reliable way to cultivate and sell it.
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