II. Cereal based fermented sweets and snacks
1. Jilebi
2. Gulgule
3. Seera
4. Chhuchipatra pitha
5. Podopitha
6. Bhaturu
7. Kulcha
8. Chitou
9. Selroti
Other cereal based fermented foods - Manna, Kurdi, Thuktal, Aska, Anarshe, Torani, Aenkadu/Askalu, Aet, Aktori, Baari, Babroo, Bhatooru, Chhangpa, Chhura, Doo, Khatta, Khawalag, Mande/Manna, Malpude, Mangjangkori, Marpinni/Marjag, Patande, Tchhoso roti, Tchog, Tcung, Thuktal, Tiskori, Sang, Shunali.
1. Jilebi
Place of origin/usage: South India.
Nature of food: Cereal based.
Time of consumption: Festival seasons.
Usual composition/ingredients: Wheat, sugar and curd.
Method of preparation of initial batter/raw materials: The batter is prepared using refined wheat flour having 40-45% solids mixed with curd (2-3%) which is obtained by auto fermentation of milk similar to yoghurt. The batter is allowed to ferment overnight.
Condition(s) of fermentation: Fermentation at an ambient condition (25-30°C), for 14 - 16 hours resulting in fermented batter which is thick but free flowing.
Microorganism(s) involved: L. fermentum, S. lactis, Lactobacillus buchneri S. faecalis and Saccharomyces bayanus
Whether native fermentation or inoculum is added: Curd is used as an inoculum.
Method of cooking: The batter is filled into a jilebi forming device and by manually operating the lever, the batter is extruded as, cylindrical strands of 6-8mm diameter on to hot (175-180°C) vegetable oil. During the flow of batter, the hand held forming device is moved in such a manner, to form two or three concentric circles (3-8cm diameter) of the extended stands. These are deep fat fried till the crust becomes crisp and then the product is removed and dipped for 2 min in warm sugar syrup (55-60°Brix) to get jilebi having characteristic crisp crust and syrup core.
Changes in physical and chemical profile: The pH decreases from 4.4 to 3.3 and there is a 9% volume increase in the batter. Both amino nitrogen and free sugar decrease during fermentation
Reference(s): Ramakrishnan 1977, Prakash et al., 2004.
2. Gulgule
Place of origin/usage: Himachal Pradesh.
Nature of food: Cereal based.
Time of consumption: Religious and social ceremonies.
Usual composition/ingredients: Wheat flour and starter material (‘Malera’ – see the chapter ‘Prepared Starter for fermented food production’).
Whether native fermentation or inoculum is added: Inoculum in the form of starter ‘Malera’ (previously fermented left over dough) is added.
Method of cooking: Wheat flour is made into viscous slurry by adding water, sugar and ‘Malera’ (starter). This sweetened slurry is made into small oval shape to be deep fried in oil until brown.
Reference(s): Thakur et al., 2004.
3. Seera
Place of origin/usage: Himachal Pradesh.
Nature of food: Cereal based.
Time of consumption: Festival seasons.
Usual composition/ingredients: Wheat, sugar and ghee.
Method of preparation of initial batter/raw materials: Wheat grains are soaked in water for 2-3 days so as to allow fermentation to occur by natural microflora. After 2-3 days the grains are ground, steeping is done to allow the starch grains and some proteins to settle down and then bran is separated. Starch and proteins are removed and sundried.
Method of cooking: The dried material is made into slurry by soaking in water, which is then poured into hot ghee, sugar is added and cooked.
Reference(s): Thakur et al., 2004.
4. Chhuchipatra pitha
Place of origin/usage: Orissa.
Nature of food: Cereal and pulse based.
Time of consumption: Festival times as snack.
Usual composition/ingredients: Par-boiled rice, black gram, coconut, sugar and curd.
Method of preparation of initial batter/raw materials: Batter is prepared similar to Chakuli [See chapter Cereal based (with/without pulses) fermented foods, Item No: 15].
Whether native fermentation or inoculum is added: Curd is added as an inoculum.
Method of cooking: The fermented batter is flattened thin over a hot greased pan using a spatula. The fillings of grated coconut, curd and sugar are taken in the centre of the pancake. It is then folded into a square shape for frying.
Shelf life of food: Two days and is usually taken without any adjunct due to its sweet taste.
Reference(s): Roy et al., 2007(b).
5. Podo pitha
Place of origin/usage: Orissa.
Nature of food: Cereal and pulse based.
Time of consumption: Festivals Seasons (Bijoya dashami and Raja festivals).
Usual composition/ingredients: Par-boiled rice (Oryza sativa L.) and black gram (Phaseolus mungo L.), minced coconut, raisins, cashew nuts and sugar.
Method of preparation of initial batter/raw materials: Batter is prepared similar to chakuli. Fermented batter (as done for making chakuli) is mixed with minced coconut, raisins, cashew nuts and sugar. The mixture is packed using Shorea robusta C.F.Gaertn. (Sal) or banana (Musa paradisiaca L.) leaf.
Method of cooking: The packets are then covered all round with hot charcoal in an earthen oven to bake in low but continuous heat for 5-10 hours. Completion of cooking is checked by inserting a sharp object through the centre of the batter mass and observing if the batter has stuck to the surface. No adherence of batter to the object indicates completion of cooking even at the centre.
Shelf life of food: It has a shelf life of three days and is usually taken without a side dish.
Reference(s): Roy et al., 2007(b).
6. Bhaturu
Other names, if any: Indigenous bread.
Place of origin/usage: Himachal Pradesh.
Nature of food: Cereal based.
Time of consumption: Flat deep-fried, leavened bread product and consumed as a snack.
Usual composition/ingredients: Wheat and starter material (Khameer/ Malera – see the chapter ‘Prepared Starter for fermented food production’).
Method of preparation of initial batter/raw materials: Wheat flour and water is mixed along with starter (Khameer/ Malera) and is made into dough. Then, the dough is fermented at 25-30°C for 7-8 hours or overnight.
Microorganism(s) involved: Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Debaromyces hansenii and Saccharomyces fermentati. Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Lactococcus lactis.
Whether native fermentation or inoculum is added: Inoculum in the form of starter ‘Khameer/ Malera’ is added.
Method of cooking: The fermented dough is spread into a small chapatti (about 1cm thick) and kept for 15-20 min. afterwards; the chapatti is deep fried in the vegetable oil
Reference(s): Tamang, 1998, Thakur et al., 2004; Kanwar et al., 2007.
7. Kulcha
Place of origin/usage: Northern India.
Nature of food: Cereal based.
Time of consumption: Snack.
Usual composition/ingredients: Wheat and the starter (Khameer/Malera – see the chapter ‘Prepared Starter for fermented food production’).
Method of preparation of initial batter/raw materials: It is prepared similar to Bhaturu. Wheat flour and water is mixed along with starter (Khameer/ Malera) and is made into dough. Then, the dough is fermented at 25-30°C for 7-8 hours or overnight.
Microorganism(s) involved: Saccharomyces sp., Candida sp., Hansenula sp., Saccharomycopsis sp., Kluveromyles sp., Rhodotorula sp., Pichia sp., Torulopsis sp., Trichosporon sp. and Debaromyces sp.
Whether native fermentation or inoculum is added: Inoculum in the form of starter Khameer/Malera is added.
Method of cooking: They are fried on a griddle.
Reference(s): Parveen and Hafiz, 2003 and Thakur et al., 2004.
8. Chitou
Place of origin/usage: Orissa.
Nature of food: Cereals and pulse based.
Time of consumption: Festival seasons.
Usual composition/ingredients: Par-boiled rice (Oryza sativa L.) and black gram (Phaseolus mungo L.).
Method of preparation of initial batter/raw materials: Itispreparedfromvarying proportions of par-boiled rice (Oryza sativa L.) and black gram (Phaseolus mungo L.).A little amount of boiled rice may be added, and black gram may be substituted with juice of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) or palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer L.) fruit during summer. Rice is washed, soaked, dewatered and briefly sun-dried. Dried rice grains are pounded in an iron or wooden mortar and sieved to obtain a fine powder. Black gram is soaked until the seed coat is easily removable by applying a gentle pressure. The grains are rubbed with hands to loosen seed coats, which are allowed to float away. The black gram is then made to a smooth paste using a stone grinder. The paste is beaten repeatedly by hands with a little amount of water and mixed with rice powder, appropriate amount of lukewarm water and salt. The batter is left to ferment under cover for 4-5 hours during summer (12-15 hours during winter).
Method of cooking: Fermented batter is mixed with sugar and grated coconut. It is then taken in a special earthen mold or in deep bowl and covered with a lid. The junction is closed with a wet cloth and water is sprinkled intermittently. It is fried on a low heat.
Method of consumption: Taken with curry, sugar, curd or tea.
Reference(s): Roy et al., 2007(b).
9. Selroti
Place of origin/usage: Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
Nature of food: Cereal based.
Time of consumption: Confectionary.
Usual composition/ingredients: Rice, banana, honey, ghee and spices.
Method of preparation of initial batter/raw materials: Local variety of rice (Oryza sativa L.) ‘Attey’ is sorted, washed, and soaked in cold water for overnight or 4 to 8 hours at ambient temperature. Sometimes, milled rice is also used for Selroti preparation. Water is then decanted from the rice by using bamboo made sieve called chalni and spread over a woven tray made up of bamboo, locally called ‘naanglo’ and dried for 1 hour. Soaked rice is pounded into coarse powder in a wooden mortar and pestle known as ‘okhali’ and ‘mushli’, respectively. Larger particles of pounded rice flour are separated from the rest by winnowing in a bamboo tray. Then the rice flour is mixed with nearly 25% refined wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) flour, 25% sugar, 10% butter or fresh cream and 2.5% spices/condiments containing large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.), cloves (Syzygium aromaticum Merr.), coconut (Cocos nucifera L.), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), nutmeg (Myristica Houtt.), cinnamon (Cinnamomumfragrans zeylanicum Bl.) and small cardamom (Elletaria cardamomum Maton.), are added to the rice flour and mixed thoroughly. Some people add tablespoon full of honey or unripe banana or baking powder (sodium bicarbonate) to the mixture, depending on quantity of the mixture. Milk (boiled/unboiled) or water is added, kneaded into a soft dough and finally into batter with easy flow. Batter is left to ferment naturally at ambient temperature (20-28°C) for 2 to 4 hours during summer and at 10-18°C for 6-8 hours during winter.
Method of cooking: The oil is heated in a cast iron frying pan locally called ‘tawa’. The fermented batter is squeezed by hand or daaru (metallic serving spoon), deposited as continuous ring onto hot edible oil and fried until golden brown and is drained out from hot oil by poker locally called jheer or suiro or also by a spatula locally called jharna.
Method of consumption: It is served as confectionary bread with boiled potato curry, pickle prepared from string beans and meat. It can be served hot or cold.
Shelf life of food: It can be stored for two weeks at room temperature.
Reference(s): Tamang and Sarkar, 1988, Yonzan and Tamang, 2009.
The following fermented cereal based foods are also consumed traditionally by the people of Orissa, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim (Blandino et al., 2003; Thakur et al., 2004, Savitri and Bhalla, 2007).
Other fermented cereal based foods consumed traditionally by the people of Orissa, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim
Product / Raw material / Usage of food / StateManna / Wheat / Thin rotties / Himachal Pradesh
Kurdi / Wheat / Salty noodles / North India
Thuktal / Barley / Steamed cake / Himachal Pradesh
Aska / Rice / - / Himachal Pradesh
Anarshe / Rice / - / North India
Torani / Rice / - / Orissa
Aenkadu / askalu / Rice flour / Slurry / Himachal Pradesh
Aet / Wheat flour / Thin rotties / Himachal Pradesh
Aktori / Wheat / Thick rotties / Himachal Pradesh
Baari / Wheat flour / Slurry / Himachal Pradesh
Babroo / Wheat flour / Fried disk / Himachal Pradesh
Bhatooru / Wheat flour / Rotties / Himachal Pradesh
Chhangpa / Roasted barley flour / Solid dough / Himachal Pradesh
Chhura / Wheat flour / Rotties / Himachal Pradesh
Doo / Roasted barley flour / Solid dough / Himachal Pradesh
Khatta / Gram, walnut powder / Curry / Himachal Pradesh
Khawalag / Roasted barley flour / Slurry / Himachal Pradesh
Mande/Manna / Wheat flour / Thin rotties / Himachal Pradesh
Malpude / Wheat flour / Fried disk / Himachal Pradesh
Mangjangkori / Buck wheat bran / Thick rotties / Himachal Pradesh
Marpinni/Marjag / Roasted barley flour / Sweet dish / Himachal Pradesh
Patande / Rice flour / Thin rotties / Himachal Pradesh
Tchhoso roti / Kodra flour / Thick rotties / Himachal Pradesh
Tchog / Roasted barley flour / Hard balls / Himachal Pradesh
Tcung / Wheat flour / Steamed cake / Himachal Pradesh
Thuktal / Roasted barley flour / Steamed cake / Himachal Pradesh
Tiskori / Wheat bran / Rotties / Himachal Pradesh
Sang / Wheat grains / Thick soup / Himachal Pradesh
Shunali / Wheat flour / Soft balls / Himachal Pradesh