PHUTKAL is a name that rolls off the tongue effortlessly. You want to keep repeating it :-) In Purabiya (Hindi), the sound conjures images of sprouting shoots at the dawn of spring. The deciduous forests around Ranchi in Jharkhand, in fact the entire Chhota Nagpur plateau, bursts with colourful shoots in early spring every year – it’s a miracle to behold. A time the villager-foragers eagerly wait for. Phutkal, also known as Paakad or Pakadi is Ficus geniculata of Family: Moracaes. The tree starts sprouting buds, actually new leaves tightly wrapped around each other as buds, soon after mid-February. Each tree gives a window of a few days for the foragers to collect the bounty. The good thing is that the trees bud with a time lapse.

The tender shoots that sprout from this tree, apart from being cooked fresh, are also dried and powdered, and added to dal or vegetable curries for extra flavour and nutrition. The powder is also traditionally used as an effective home remedy for digestive ailments, diarrhoea, and vomiting. The green leaves are rich in calcium, iron, zinc and dietary fibre (1). And, so make for a very healthy and delicious pickle. Undoubtedly, one of its kind.

Sister in Ranchi sends it by the night bus reaching mother in Banaras early in the morning next day. This year the bounty reached Varanasi on February 21 – the very first buds from the forests of Jharkhand. Now, to the very simple process of pickling it at home. It just takes a few hours.

Peel off any leaves that are unfurling from the bud and wash (picture 1 below); (ii) boil very lightly, say 5 mins (picture 2 below after boiling. You can see the slight change in colour); (iii) sprinkle salt to taste; (iv) add freshly ground Turmeric or Turmeric powder, about 1 tbsp for a kilo; (v) freshly ground Red Chillies or Red Chilli powder, half tbsp; (vi) Ajwain (whole) – Carom seeds, half tbsp; (vii) Kalaunji or Mangrail (whole) – Black Cumin (Nigella sativa), half tbsp; (viii) Ground Mustard seeds or Mustard/ Sarson seed powder 1 tbsp and lightly mix so that the buds get coated with the dry spices mixture; (ix) pour in Mustard oil, 4-6 tbsp and mix; (x) add Sugarcane vinegar, Sirka, 4-6 tbsp and mix; (xi) put in a Martabaan/ glass jar and tie the top with a clean cotton cloth; and (xii) put it out in the sun for at the most an hour.

And you are done. There it is, a pickle of the forest to savour (picture 3 below). It can almost be eaten as a vegetable as the sourness and flavours are not intense and overpowering. The Pakadi or Phutkal buds have a natural light sourness – unique and refreshing, so there is no need to add Amchur (dry mango powder). The overall taste of the pickle comes out as savoury and sour with a hint of meatiness that comes from the base of the buds and the distinctive bitter pungency from the mix of Carom and Black Cumin seeds. The vinegar works both as a preservative and a flavour enhancer. If you would like to share some, send a line in early Feb next year :-)   

Couldn’t get hold of a good photograph of a Pakad/ Phutkal tree, Ficus geniculata, from the area. Will upload when I have it. Meanwhile, sharing illustrative photos of the Chota Nagpur landscape below. An aside from Ma, in villages, when the three fig varieties – Bargad or Barh or Banyan tree, Ficus benghalensis; Peepul or Bodhi tree, Ficus religiosa; and Paakad, Ficus geniculata (all big, generous trees) – are planted together, close by, the grouping is called Hari-Shankari, where both Vishnu and Shiv reside. More can be added in this grouping, like Gular also known as Dumur or Cluster Fig, Ficus racemosa.

Notes:

(1) https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/OxGzyUy3UJWoQPQkB4Ef7H/Fifteen-shades-of-green.html