Red Ant Chutney from Chhattisgarh Will Now be a Part of Gordon Ramsay's Menu

We may have our regular sabzi and roti in our meals but nobody ever denies taking a chutney or pickle for accompaniment. A garlic or pudina chutney or sour lemon pickle adds the distinct flavour to your meal experience. For the spicy food lovers, if you ever visit Chhattisgarh, then there is one thing you might want to try- the red ant chutney! Oh yes, and it is just as sharp as the sting you feel on the ant’s bite. And it has become so famous today that it will now be a part of celebrated British chef Gordon Ramsay's menu.

Ramsay along with his team had come to India in 2010 to make a documentary on Indian food. He visited Bastar in Chhattisgarh and tried this unique dish, the taste of which has still remained with him. It would not be wrong to say the people of Bastar district in Chhattisgarh take the chutney recipe to a whole new level. This spicy red chutney is made of red ants and their eggs! It is one of the famous local dishes from India. Locally they call it as ‘Chaprah.’ Chaprah literally translates to a basket of leaves. These ants make their nests out of these leaves, interestingly, the chutney is also served in a leaf basket.

The red ants are found in abundant numbers and thanks to this local dish, the tribal children now fancy collecting these red ants as their favourite past-time. The red ant chutney is made by crushing these stinging ants in large numbers. It forms a pungent dry paste in which they add salt, sweeteners, some ginger and coriander. The tribal community here relishes it. And don’t just think of it as a hot and spicy addition but it also has some medicinal properties.

The ants and their eggs are said to have some anti-bacterial properties which provide immunity against some bacterial infections. It is also said to be an excellent source of vitamin B 12 and Zinc. Other than providing some proteins and providing a stronger immunity, the red ant chutney is also said to help reduce fatigue and improve your memory.

And you thought a chutney is just to add the extra flavour to your food, here’s the red ant chutney, with a lot of health benefits.

So if you’re the food lover and love trying out new bizarre stuff then you must visit Bastar in Chhattisgarh and get some stingy flavours to your tongue. Don’t say we did not warn you!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 15, 2018 11:39 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).