CHIGLI OR KEMP IRUVÉ CHUTNEY (FIRE ANT CHUTNEY)

INGREDIENTS

100 gm fire ants 1 small onion (chopped) 1 tsp red chilli powder 12 garlic cloves 20 bird’s eye chilli 1 tsp coriander powder 3 tbsp grated coconut Sea salt to taste A little water

There are two kinds of fire ants — Ecophila smoragdina, found in India, and Ecophilia Langodina, in South Africa. Fire ants usually build leafy nests in mavin (mango), neralé (jamun) and halasina mara (jackfruit) trees. White larve are usually swollen. Fire ants have a peculiar sting and the ooze is pretty sour, which lends the typical sour or tangy flavour of its chutney. The dish is called Uri in Tulu and Chigli in Kannada. Considered a delicacy, it has plenty of proteins and is great for winters. It’s medicinal properties help prevent cold, cough, flu and pneumonia. It’s a traditional seasonal food item in Malnad (November to March) and constituted a perfect diet in the olden days with its natural flavours and nutrients.

METHOD

Chigli at 5 am is to collected 6 am near a field or forest before the sun rays hit the nest, and the ants disperse. Get an expert to harvest it in a basket or plastic bag. Pour into a heated vessel and toss around. Killed by the heat, the ants are cooled and cleaned of any impurities like leaves, insects etc. This is then sun-dried for a while and mixed with salt and chilli powder as a preserve. This mixture can be preserved for over two years. No water is added or used at all. To make fresh ready to use chutney, mix ingredients together with a little water and grind into a nice paste. Hand grinding on a mortar and pestle imparts better taste but a smoother paste can be made in a mixer. Best eaten with: Dollops of ghee, akki rotti and bagne shendi (toddy)!