We need them

Avocado might be Instagramrsquos most beloved superfood but if recent data is anything to go by the Mexican fruit seems to be going the Dodo way A study in 2017 by the University of California predicts that avocado production will shrink to half by 2050 due to climate variation Avo is not alone to be affected by changes in weather Drought around the world has also decreased chickpea production by 40 per centSlow Food an international nonprofit committed to restoring the value of food and Relais and Chacircteaux the worldrsquos largest network of chefs luxury hotels and restaurants have joined forces to protect biodiversity fight climate change and preserve culinary heritage They launched the Food for Change campaign to reverse the damage This year the campaign focuses on the rediscovery and protection of nearextinct local products Over 85 products in 28 countries were nominated by Relais amp Chacircteaux and added to Slow Foodrsquos Ark of Taste to raise awareness around their existence and reduce the risk of their disappearanceThe seeds are known to have cardioprotective propertiesThe nominations went through a strict evaluation process through 20 technical committees Slow Foodrsquos Content and Projects Hub and the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo before being approved to the Ark of Taste The foods that made it to the list include Valdarno Black Chicken a breed of black dualpurpose chicken from the lower part of the Valdarno in Tuscany Gravenstein apple which used to grow on 7000 acres but is now restricted to 700 acres Persilleacute de Tignes Cheese a rustic artisanal cheese with a chalky consistency known since the time of Charlemagne Charles the Great Today it survives thanks to the work of a single family of producers the Marmottan family farm in FranceFrom India itrsquos the kumatiya a small deciduous thorny tree from Rajasthan and the seeraga samba rice from Tamil Nadu that are in the list While kumatiya was nominated by Megha Verma Maitre de Maison of SUJAacuteN Jawai in Rajasthan the rice variety was picked by Krithika Subrahmaniam owner of Svatma a luxury resort in Thanjavur Tamil NadulsquoKumatiya trees are a victim of land clearancesrsquoMegha Verma Maitre de Maison at Sujan JawaiI decided to nominate the Kumatiya tree as its seeds form an essential ingredient in one of Rajasthanrsquos favourite traditional dishes ker kumatiya sangri One afternoon while Chef Govind and I were walking past an Acacia Senegal tree he recalled childhood memories of collecting the seeds and taking them home for his mother to use for cooking The kumatiya tree is synonymous with the local terrain in Jawai and the seeds have a strong culinary heritage Kumatiya trees produce pods each one containing a row of three shiny flat seeds These seeds are used in delicacies and also make up one of the five ingredients of panchkuta a popular vegetable mix prepared during Shitala Ashtami a Hindu festival dedicated to goddess Shitala which is celebrated a week after Holi The kumatiya tree is an important component of the traditional agroforestry system since it can fix nitrogen and improve soil fertility But the trees became victims of land clearances for agriculture which has led to its nearextinction This is something we have sought to reverse by planting them lsquorewildingrsquo them around our camp as well as educating the local communities on its health and cooking benefits Rajasthanis who relish kumatiya on a daily basis might have been unaware of its health benefit but a recent study shows the seeds have cardioprotective properties are rich in protein and phosphorus zinc and seleniumlsquoIt was the first South Indian rice to get a GI tagrsquoTraditional vegetable biryani made of seeraga samba rice served with mixed raitaSamba rice which is the traditional rice of southern India comes in many varieties one of which is seeraga samba This tiny grain gets its name from its resemblance to cumin which is called seeragam or seera in Tamil Nadu It is the most expensive rice grown in the southern state Cultivation of seeraga samba is confined to Vellapallam and Keevalur talukas in Nagapattinam district Uppiliyapuram panchayat union in Trichy district and parts of Thanjavur district in central Tamil Nadu Itrsquos probably the first rice variety from Tamil Nadu to get the Geographical Indication tagKrithika Subrahmaniam owner of Svatma a luxury resort in Tamil NaduThe GI tag is basically a measure which defines the region of origin of a food or agricultural produce But more effort is needed to preserve the grain because it contains phytonutrients which helps fight breast cancer and strengthens heart function The oil in the seeraga samba rice reduces cholesterol It is rich in fibre hence it reduces the lowdensity lipoprotein LDL cholesterol and increases highdensity lipoprotein HDL in the body and is good for people with diabetes The rice is easy to cook delicious and aromatic rich in vitamins with a high caloric valueCiraka sampa Tomato ricePreparation Time 05 mins Cooking Time 20 mins Serves 2Tomato rice with seeraga samba riceIngredientsI cup jeeraga samba rice2 large tomatoes1 small onion12 inch piece cinnamon3 cloves2 cardamom1 tsp cashew broken1 tsp ginger garlic paste1 green chilli1 tsp red chilli powder14 tsp turmeric powderHandful of coriander and mint leaves1 tsp each of ghee and oil1 12 cup waterSalt to tasteMethodCut the onions lengthwise and tomatoes into small pieces slit the green chilli and keep them ready Heat ghee and oil in a pressure cooker add cloves cinnamon cardamom and sauteacute for 30 seconds Then add cashew and roast till it becomes golden brown Now add the onions and green chilli sauteacute till the onion becomes translucentAdd the tomatoes and stir Add ginger garlic paste and saute till the tomatoes become mushy Now add the roughly chopped coriander and mint Mix and add water followed by red chilli and turmeric powder salt and bring it to boil Wash and drain the rice and add to the boiling mixture Cover the cooker with lid and cook for three whistles Serve it with raita of your choice