SWADESHI MANDI- MAHAMANDI- 15 August 2020

MAHAMANDI, organised every year by the Marketing Interest Group of National Institute of Industrial Engineering, is a unique event where the students get an opportunity to get a real-time experience of doing business on the streets and learning the tricks of the trade. The Covid-19 pandemic and country wide lockdowns meant that the event went online and the concept for this year is, ‘Swadeshi Mandi’ and being  'Vocal for the Local'. 

On the occasion of the 74th Independence Day, we would like to showcase a hidden gem from Nagpur, Maharashtra- SAOJI MASALA.

Because Saoji nhi khaya toh kya khaya? 

Now coming to the history of the masala, it was Halba Koshti, the weaver community of Madhya Pradesh that made 'Saoji' their signature dish. The community migrated to Nagpur in 1877 to work in the Empress Mills which Jamshedji Tata set up there. What makes Saoji special is the unerring measure of its ingredients. To the uninitiated, the dish is a mix of spices. But how to mix and match becomes the moot question. Prod the cooks and they reveal a vital ingredient, Jute oil. The traditional dish is prepared in jute oil and cooked only in clay pots.

Over to the ingredients now, we have succeeded in finding out the secret mixes of Saoji masala over the time. There are four masalas-two dry and two wet. The dry or powdered masalas have a total of 32 ingredients. They are made in two forms: Bhukri masala(12 ingredients) and Kala masala(20 ingredients). The third is Batlo, a fresh paste made of ginger, garlic, onions and cumin. The fourth is a paste of coriander seeds, cashew nuts, sunflower, poppy seeds and almonds. The combinations may differ from one household to other. Many non-vegetarian and vegetarian delicacies are prepared using the masala in the Vidharbha region. 

And before to try it, let me warn you, it is SPICY. But then, that is why it is loved so much. 

Let me just list down a few positives of spices and spicy foods, if you are not yet incited to try the dishes:

1. Spicy foods have been shown to help with weight loss.

2. Capsaicin, contained in chillies, has been shown to work as an endorphin.

3. Spices in the food even help fight cancer cells.

4. It contains spices which are rich in anti-oxidants.

We have numerous such gems hidden in our country. This is just an effort to bring forward one of these, for the people of our country and the world to see. We want to promote the idea of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Make for the World’.

A special thanks to Professor T.Prasad a.k.a. Mandi Sir for starting this amazing concept of Mahamandi and giving us the opportunity to express our ideas via the Swadesh Mandi.

 SOCHO-BECHO-SEEKHO

#NitiePrasad  #VocalForLocal