To mark ongoing Vanmahotsava & Azadi ka Amrit kaal, Food Craft Institute, in collaboration with Tree Talk founder, Om Prakash Sharma, PCCF (Rtd.) Vidyarthi, Member J&K Biodiversity council and Department of Horticulture organized Forest Food Festival-Kandmool Utsav, focusing on ethnic traditional & innovative cuisine development & on the spot demonstration for herbal innovators.
Appreciating the initiative of Food craft Institute under the stewardship of the Principal Food Craft Institute, Jyoti Bhatti, Chief Guest Director Horticulture Ram Savak highlighted potential of cultivated & wild fruits in cuisine making, pickle & jam making, beverage & juice development with special focus on skill development of unemployed youth in J&K.
Om Prakash Sharma ,Retired PCCF familiarized participants with different kinds of herbal displays like beverages (Oleaster, Barberry juice),herbal teas (Kachnar, Kakoha, Brammi, Bhojpatra),vegetable dahi raita (Sullu spurge, Gualmanda, Timbru), rice preparation with herbs (Watercress, Timbru, Thyme, Telosma, Moringa, Curry patta), innovative poori using herbs (Thyme, Timbru, Kaimblu, Watercress, Kala zira, mint), traditional Ribdu khatta (using stems of Remusatia vivipara),innovative sauces & pickles (Kasrode fern, Sohanjna root, Timbru fruits, Thyme leaf, Dheu, Kachnar, Amara, Surangal, Tarad),sweet desserts (using floral colour of Mawal Kalga, Daruharidra), innovative lassi & snacks (Euphorbia royleana,Thymus serphyllum, Pueraria tuberosa)
The Principal FCI Jyoti Bhatti, while welcoming guests & herbal innovators, shared his learning of previous year’s food innovations and felt amazed to see the diversity of edible plants growing in the wilderness. He briefed participants about ongoing skill development programmes/ training courses run by Food Craft Institute.
Applauding the concept of value addition to traditional forgotten foods, he thanked Director Horticulture & other experts for their valuable insights in diversification of skills in the domain of food processing, preservation, value addition & forest food innovation.
The guests were mesmerized to see the preparation of various forest herbs in cuisine development, eye appealing presentation and service by the students of Food Craft Institute who are trained and groomed to become professionals in the Hospitality sector. He also thanked Director Horticulture for sparing his valuable time and words of motivation for the students of FCI Jammu. He also thanked O.P. Sharma IFS (Retd) for guiding in conduct of his event and arranging the sparingly available raw materials and herbs from far flung areas like Marwah, Bani, Pouni, Reasi etc.
Dr. Sanjay Khajuria, Chief Scientist and Head KVK Samba gave detailed insights into preservation and promotion of the forest food crops, which is the need of the hour to generate livelihoods. He strongly advocated to preserve our green gold. He applanded the Principal and his team for the innovative work being carried out by his team.
Dr. Sanjay Singh, Regional Director Ayurveda Research Institute, Jammu also highlighted the importance of forest foods and its health importance with regard to Ayurveda.
Later a fruit tree plantation drive was carried out followed by presentation of certificates of appreciation to herb collectors, innovators & cuisine professionals for providing expertise & technical support to the event. Those who were facilitated included DFO Billawar Vivek Modi, Prof Suman Sharma GDC Bishnah, Kewal Singh Parihar from Bani & others.
Department of Horticulture arranged grand display of cultivated fruits like Kamlam (Dragon fruit), Longan (Dragon’s eye),Mango (late maturing cultivars), Guava, Citrus, apple fruit diversity with processed & preserved fruit products including pickles, jams, juices & marmalades.
Prominent among others present included Ashwani Kumar, Chief Horticulture Officer, Jammu, Sandeep Gupta, Research Officer, Vijay Kumar, DFO Marwah Forest Division & Deepu Pandita.
Everybody appreciated the efforts of Food Craft Institute, Jammu in organizing this event consecutively for the 2nd year in order to promote the edible forest foods with multiple health benefits towards the larger benefits of the society. The lesser known food with health benefits need to be promoted to make our ethnic and traditional foods known to the world. More than 100 participants attended the celebration of the said event. The programme concluded with Fruit Plant Sapling distribution to all the participants by Directorate of Horticulture Jammu.
