Minus the Manali trance

Itrsquos amusing that the muchtouted modernday mineral resource said to provide wholesome nutrition is in fact a 9000yearold plant a species of which is native to the Himalayas For centuries those native to the region have reaped the benefits of the sustainable and nutritious Himalayan hempFoods such as bhaang ki chutney made from hemp seeds bhaang ka namak roasted hemp seeds mixed with rock salt cumin seeds and local spices used to season cut fruits and vegetables and sana hua neebu raita made with wild hill lemon and hemp are common in the kitchens of Himachal Pradesh and UttarakhandThe addition of hemp seeds and oil added the perfect taste texture and bite to The Hemp Factoryrsquos festive special modaks PicAnurag AhireWhen cannabis was made illegal in India in 1985 it robbed farmers of economic security the crop assured and gave hemp a bad name Its many propagators say itrsquos a misunderstood plantIn its contemporary avatar hemp seed oil hemp hearts and hemp seed powder can be found in dishes like salads burgers pizzas pasta smoothies sandwiches and even dessert Hemp seeds are the hulled nonviable seeds of the cannabis sativa plant and that of other indigenous varieties of cannabisWhen entrepreneur siblings Shalini and Jayanti Bhattacharya were growing up theyrsquod spend a lot of time in the hills connecting with nature They learnt about medicinal properties of many herbs and plants including hemp ldquoIt is both nutritious and great for the environmentrdquo says Shalini who now lives in Barcelona as does her brother ldquoIt is proven to be effective against deforestation and absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere Every part of the plant can be used for multiple purposesmdashfor food for humans and animals medicine fibre to make clothing paper and bedding fuel as well as construction material such as hempcrete Itrsquos also a biodegradable alternative to plasticrdquo Which explains why entrepreneurs are venturing to create naturefriendly hemp sanitary towelsUnfortunately good deeds apart cannabis sativa continues to live in notoriety garnered by itrsquos more rockandroll sapling marijuanaHemp SandwichThe difference between hemp and marijuana says Jayanti is important to note Hemp too comes from cannabis sativa but differs in THC tetrahydrocannabinol content THC is the psychoactive compound that gives the user a high Cannabis plants with less than 0337 THC are classified as hemp and those with more than 0337 THC as marijuana ldquoIndustrial hemp the cultivation of which is regulated in India contains CBD Cannabidiol a chemical found in the Cannabis sativa plant and negligible traces of THC Hemp is the sober responsible cousin marijuana has all the funrdquoThe Hemp Factory cofounders Dhawal Panchal and Kajal Lahane at the Andheri West cloud kitchen PicAnurag AhireIndia has a strong yet complicated connection with cannabis It is one of the five sacred plants mentioned in the Vedas and was classified as a synthetic drug and banned as recently as 40 years ago primarily due to pressure from the US ldquoVarious states in the US are currently revisiting and declassifying it as a drugrdquo Jayanti explains The siblings use visual storytelling and sciencebacked research to address concerns about the plant and create awareness about its propertiesThe sisters started India Hemp amp Co in 2019 and retail hemp hearts shelled hemp seeds hemp protein hemp trail mix and cold pressed hemp seed oil They also launched a pet line in 2021 which includes hemp treats that are high in protein and hemp seed oil great supplement for joint healthGreenr cofounder Nikhil Dixit and community manager Niharika Jain love working with hemp PicShadab KhanThe Hemp Factory which claims to be Indiarsquos first cloud kitchen serving hempinfused foods serves pizza burger and brownies with the green stuff We tried all of these and were particularly impressed with the festive special ukdiche modak Its cofounder and CEO Dhaval Panchalrsquos connection to hemp is personal In 2014 when his father was diagnosed with cancer Dhavalrsquos research led him to cannabisrsquo medicinal avatar He dug deeper and volunteered with the Great Legalisation Movement an NGO working to legalising hemp and cannabis in India In 2017 he joined Bombay Hemp Company BOHECO and thatrsquos where the idea to start a hemprelated food business struck him In April 2022 he launched the cloud kitchen in partnership with BOHECOPanchal tells us there there has been a surge in demand for hemp products after the Food Safety and Standards Authority of Indiarsquos FSSAI November 2021 notification see box ldquoWe thought hemp food had the potential to become a new trend so we began innovating with the inhouse chefrdquo says Panchal ldquoIt took us six months to come up with a menu that Indians would likerdquoHemp PizzaHe also recommends replacing unhealthy maida in bakery items with hemp flour using hemp hearts to bring a nutty flavour to milk in gravies and sweets and using hemp seed oil for dressings and in sauces ldquoEvery dish on our menumdashburgers pizzas pasta salads sandwiches brownies and smoothiesmdashhas a different percentage of hemp on an average it is 30 per centrdquo says Panchal who plans to expand the kitchen through companyowned or franchise outlets across the countryWhen midday reached out to nutritionist Dr Geeta Dharmatti to discuss hemp seeds and she was all praise for the taste texture and antiinflammatory properties of this protein that enjoys enough micronutrient support tooldquoIt is a good source of essential fatty acids particularly gama linolenic acids is rich in fibre and a good source of minerals like calcium and phosphorusrdquo she says ldquoA teaspoon of hemp seeds with water or in your salad at the beginning of a meal will help portion controlHowever increased consumption can lead to GI distress bloating or diarrhoea Avoid taking it along with cardiac drugs or diuretics and consult your general practitioner before starting on hemp If you are allergic to cannabis hemp seeds can cause a sore throat and skin irritation Also with no proven research experts generally advise avoiding it during pregnancy and lactationrdquoGreenr cafeacute in Bandra has been sourcing hemp from Uttarakhand since 2016 from the familes of staff who hail from the region taking tips from them on more indegenious ways of working with the ingredient ldquoBeing a healthforward cafeacute we have been looking at plantbased high protein ingredientsrdquo says Nitin Dixit the cofounder ldquoAssured of its source we knew it was safe for use However chefs need to master the art of working around its astringent taste For instance we use it in our psychedelic smoothies to add protein but the taste must be balanced The Manali super hemproot pizza we serve has beetroot whose sweet taste counters hemprsquos astringent aftertasterdquoChef Rahul Sharma of Araku coffee agrees that hemp is a superfood rich in Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids That it is tied to our heritage and culture makes it a clear top runner in the ingredients list But because it is fibrous and has a sour aftertaste itrsquos a challenge to useldquoIt releases oil when it hits high temperatures and gets rancid if left out in the openrdquo he says ldquoBut we just love a good challenge and have tried and tested the ingredient to come up with hemp nankhatai We also do a hempandchocolate mousse and are also working on the recipe for a hempandcoffee pie hemp taco and some drinks with hemp oil There is also a dessert in the making where we are ageing coffee with toasted hemprdquoManali choco ballsIngredients35 gm oats175 gm almond powder25 gm hemp hearts1 gm vanilla pod60 gm coconut oil175 gm organic brown sugar30 gm Callebaut dark chocolate powder1 gm sea saltCranberries and sesame seeds for garnishingMethodRoast the oats and hemp hearts well Grind them together with organic brown sugarAdd this mixture to a bowl of almond powder chocolate powder sea salt vanilla and coconut oil in a bowl Roll up into energy balls with a cranberry heart at the centre and top them with unbleached sesame seedsPsychedelic purple smoothie bowlIngredients30 gm raspberries30 gm strawberries10 gm hemp protein2 frozen bananas100 ml almond milk10 gm almond butter10 gm organic jaggery60 ml fresh beetroot juice1 fig1 tbsp homemade granolaMethodBlend beetroot juice frozen bananas raspberries strawberries almond milk hemp protein almond butter dried fig and organic jaggery powder together until smooth Pour into a glass Top it with your favourite fruits and homemade granolaFusilli pesto pastaIngredients100 gm hemp fusilli10ml olive oil100 gm pesto2 gm pepper2 gm Italian seasoning5 gm parmesan cheese30 gm cherry tomato3 gm hemp seeds20 gm olivesMethodBoil pasta for three minutes and keep aside Heat oil in a pan add garlic and sauteacute for two minutes Add cherry tomato and olives and sauteacute some more Pour the pasta water into the pan and add pesto Once you get the desired consistency add pasta and basil and transfer to a bowl Garnish with hemp seeds and parmesanFSSAIrsquos boost to hemp foodsHempbased products have been available in India for a while but the market was unregulated until 2021 The November 15 2021 notification by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India FSSAI allowed for hemp seed oil and flour to be sold as food ingredients The notification requires the cultivation of cannabis to comply with the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 NDPS The NDPS Act excludes cannabis seeds and leaves from the definition of cannabisHemp ginSatiwa a homegrown hemp craft Indian gin uses organic hemp seeds as its key botanical Founded by Goan entrepreneur Sahil Adwalpalkar it hopes to reduce the stigma around hemp ldquoHemp is a magical botanical that has been ignored for decades due to common misconceptions of it being a drug When you use the nonhallucinogenic part of the cannabis plant and use it alongside other botanicals such as juniper orange peel cardamom cinnamon rose petals and lemongrass it produces a distinct nutty note The divine aroma beautifully complements its earthy flavourrdquo says Adwalpalkar