India is the land of chutneys. Nearly every region in the country has at least one type of chutney or similar condiments that spotlights local flavours. One of the most extraordinary kinds of chutney found in India is the red ant chutney. This unique delicacy is made in Odisha, Chhattisgarh and surrounding areas. Recently, a video showing the making of this chutney went viral on Instagram. It has clocked more than 25 million views so far. In the reel shared by @foodguyrishi, we see the step-by-step preparation of the red ant chutney. The vlogger explains the details in a voiceover.
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The first step is to remove the red ants from a tree, which the vlogger says is "the biggest task". Next, the ants and their eggs are collected in a container and separated from other materials and elements. Commenting on the process of sorting them out - where we see a woman also eating some of them live - the vlogger says that people in the area do indeed consume them in this way.
Next, the woman starts assembling the other ingredients for the chutney. On a grinding stone, she adds dried red chillies, garlic and chopped onions. She grinds them together by hand and then adds the ants and their eggs to the mixture. Finally, the chutney is ready and the vlogger is seen tasting it. He mentions that this chutney is beloved by children as well as adults in the region. He adds that it said that it is also supposed to be good for those with a fever. Watch the full viral video below:
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Odisha's red ant chutney was granted the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag on January 2, 2024. Made with red weaver ants, this "kai chutney" has a recipe similar to the one shown in the above viral video. The ants used for it are known to otherwise lead to sting-causing skin blisters and are found in the forests of Mayurbhanj, including the Similipal forests, which is the second-largest biosphere in Asia. Click here to learn more about this chutney.
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