The modern food system has a huge carbon footprint. These Indian cafés want to change that.
Restaurants & Food
The Indigenous Food Cafés Transforming Local Cuisine
On a warm afternoon in March, Plantina Mujai busily cooks up a meal in the kitchen of her café in Khweng village, in the Indian state of Meghalaya. She’s dressed in a crisp white and green jain kyrshah, the traditional checkered cloth worn by women of the Khasi community, the largest ethnic group in Meghalaya.
She brings out plates loaded with snacks: bright-green banana leaf packets of putharo, a snack made from a mix of native rice varieties, and pale-yellow discs of an unnamed snack created by Mujai herself, made from steamed cassava. She is a fount of information about the indigenous foods of the Khasis, which include ancient grains, like millet, and native rice varieties, as well as a wide range of wild edibles, including greens, fruits, berries, and roots.
Through the traditional cuisine Mujai serves at her café, she promotes the consumption of neglected and underutilized edible plant species found in and around her village. These forgotten plants are usually foraged from the wild or harvested from paddy fields where they grow as uncultivated greens (or “weeds,” in modern parlance).
Mujai—affectionately referred to as Kong Plantina, kong being a term of respect for older women in the Khasi language—sits down to share her journey of running the first of six Mei-Ramew (or “Mother Earth” in the local Khasi language) cafés. These cafés connect the food stall owners like Kong Plantina, small-scale farmers, foragers, café customers, and the larger community with the rich native agro-biodiversity.
As a young girl, Kong Plantina learned traditional cooking from her grandmother—recipes that used wild greens, bitter tomato, dried or fermented fish, and many other indigenous ingredients, as well as traditional techniques, like cooking in a bamboo tube. But when she began her food stall nearly 30 years ago, she cooked what she calls “market food”: dishes that customers wanted to eat, like white rice, dal, and potato dishes. The ingredients for these dishes were purchased from the market, with no indigenous ones used.
According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, of the thousands of known edible plant species in the world, just 150 to 200 are actively cultivated for human consumption. Just 12 crops and five animal species form 75% of the food consumed by humans. Rice, corn, and wheat make up the overwhelming majority of plant crops consumed. The commercial production of these crops and their global transportation has a huge carbon footprint. That over-reliance on a few foods also puts the food system at risk for disease and disruptions, like the ones caused by COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, and the climate crisis. Initiatives like the Mei-Ramew cafés that focus on Indigenous agro-biodiversity offer a form of climate resilience.
A mapping exercise conducted by North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society, an organization working to strengthen food sovereignty in Meghalaya, documented 319 edible plants in and around Khweng village. “When we began working in this area in 2012, we saw so much biodiversity,” says Janak Preet Singh, senior associate of livelihood initiatives. “But we were not seeing it in people’s plates.”
So NESFAS started programs to encourage the consumption of neglected and underutilized edible plants, including wild ones and uncultivated greens. When NESFAS presented the concept of the Mei-Ramew café to food stall owners, Singh says it was difficult to change most people’s mindsets, and to get them to appreciate indigenous ingredients and cuisine. “The food stalls were their livelihood, after all,” he says. There was a social stigma associated with wild plants, which were considered a poor person’s food, adding to the reluctance of food stall owners to serve traditional cuisine.
Kong Plantina, however, recognized the opportunity in the Mei-Ramew concept. In 2013, she revamped her entire menu and added to it forgotten ingredients and dishes she had learned from her grandmother.
By sourcing ingredients from local farmers and foragers, she ensured that her fellow villagers also earned a regular income. In addition to traditional fare, Kong Plantina is constantly innovating and has even created dishes that appeal to younger palates, like popsicles in the traditional flavors of roselle and tamarind, and cake from tapioca flour.
Wild edible plants, which have thrived over hundreds of years, are hardier than cultivated crops and tend to be more resistant to changes in climatic conditions. They are also rich in micronutrients and add to dietary diversity, thus helping reduce malnutrition and improve nutritional security. By using ingredients that are foraged or grown locally without chemicals, the cafés also maintain a very low carbon footprint.
Over the years, with her earnings from the Mei-Ramew café, Kong Plantina has raised and educated her 10 children. Her cooking is so well-appreciated that she is regularly invited to cook at large events, feeding thousands of people. She recalls an international food festival held in Meghalaya in 2015 that was attended by well over 50,000 people. “The crowd kept coming for our traditional food,” she says. “Soon, we had nothing left to serve.”
Kong Plantina has also trained several other cooks, including Dial Muktieh. “I feel happy to share my knowledge,” says Kong Plantina.
Since 2019, Kong Dial, as Muktieh is known, has been running her own Mei-Ramew café right across the street from Kong Plantina’s café. She fondly remembers one of her aunts telling her, “When you look out the window, what you see out there should be on your plate.” In keeping with her aunt’s wise words, Kong Dial has a kitchen garden filled with a variety of vegetables and fragrant herbs that she uses in her café.
Both café owners are also attempting to grow several wild edible plants in their home gardens in an effort to domesticate them, including the chameleon plant Houttuynia cordata, also known as fish mint, the redflower ragweed Crassocephalum crepidioides, also known as fireweed, and the East Himalayan begonia Begonia roxburghii. The two cafés in Khweng have become the heart of the 100-household village, the spot where residents hang out until the late hours, swapping stories and information about indigenous plants and foods.
Hendri Momin, the owner of the Mei-Ramew café in Darechikgre village, located about eight hours away from Khweng, supported his community throughout the COVID-19 lockdown. From April to June 2020, food establishments in India were asked to shut down, and supplies of essential food items like bread were disrupted. Momin quickly developed recipes for breads using tapioca flour and grains like millet; he would bake the loaves at home and then deliver them to his customers.
For some urban youth, the Mei-Ramew cafés have become a place to be seen and to post about on social media. For others like Gerald Duia, a Khasi travel entrepreneur based in the state capital Shillong, the cafés have a deeper significance. He remembers foraging with this aunts and uncles as a child in the fields and forests around his ancestral village Mawkyrdep. “So much traditional knowledge about foraging, and identifying plants for consumption and medicinal purposes, has been lost in my generation,” Duia says. He himself can no longer recognize the edible plants that he knew as a child. “That’s why the Mei-Ramew cafés are so important, to keep this knowledge alive.”
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Anne Pinto-Rodrigues
is a journalist focusing on social and environmental issues. Her geographic specialty is India, where she was born and raised. Anne has been published in The Guardian, The Telegraph, Ensia, CS Monitor, and several other international publications. She is currently based in the Netherlands, and speaks English and several Indian and European languages. She can be reached at annepintorodrigues.com. |
These days, weddings symbolize more than just grandeur; they’re also about individuality and sentimentality. Among the most prominent places to see this evolution is the menu. At Tamarind Global Weddings, we have witnessed multiple couples turning to meals that reflect their cultural heritage and evoke profound emotions, particularly from all across India’s culinary regions. As shared by Anjali Tolani, Vice President of Celebrations at Tamarind Global, these trends highlight a growing desire for authenticity and nostalgia on the plate.
Here are eight local staples that have been featured on wedding menus.
Dal Moradabadi – Uttar Pradesh
Originally a classic Moradabad roadside lentil food item, this sour yet hot dal is now being reinterpreted as a hearty, filling appetizer at weddings. Served in sophisticated porcelain bowls or with small sized kulchas, it adds comfort and a hint of nostalgia and is especially beloved at mehendi breakfasts and welcome dinner banquets.
Amritsari Macchi – Punjab
Punjab’s golden brown, carom-spiced deep-fried fish has become an instant hit during happy hour. It’s a big success at sangeets and beachside sundowners, particularly among North Indian and destination weddings. It’s condensed and often accompanied with beet salad or a dip of green chutney.
Benne Dosa& Ghee PodiIdli – Karnataka/South India
At pre-wedding brunches and haldi gatherings, South Indian breakfasts are gaining popularity due to the mouth watering ghee podiidlis and buttery benne dosas. They are usually served with small bowls of savoury chutneys and ghee flavoured with gunpowder. Perfect for open counters where chefs produce them warm and fresh, it brings a sensory element to the celebration with their crisp, fragrant textures.
Kozhi Chettinad Sliders – Tamil Nadu
This hot, spicy South Indian chicken curry meal is being reimagined as cocktail night mini sliders and wraps. It’s popular with Gen Z individuals looking for a little added flair, and it’s a great way to combine tradition with easy convenience.
Bhutte Ka Kees – Madhya Pradesh
Who would have expected milk and grated corn to taste this delicious? Primarily for daytime gatherings, this Indore delicacy is finding its place in vegetarian eating booths. This has been opted for small-batch dining at village side haldis as well as royal weddings.
Khichu Live Counter – Gujarat
Traditionally enjoyed as a Gujarati snack, khichu is a soft, steamed rice flour delicacy that is being incorporated in live food stations. It is frequently served hot with a light coat of oil and spicy red chilli pickle masala. With interactive food stations becoming popular, wedding planners are including it into haldi brunches and sangeet evenings. It is ideal for couples who want to add authenticity without being too formal.
Champaran Mutton – Bihar
This slow-cooked mutton dish, which emerged in the Champaran district of Bihar, is quickly coming to the forefront as a highlight of wedding feasts. The smokey and delicate mutton is prepared in airtight clay pots with mustard oil and whole spices, and requires light stirring. It is frequently served as a plated main dish at smaller events or at midnight buffet stations.
GajarKaHalwa – Delhi/North India
This classic winter pudding which was once regarded to be too standard for wedding menus, is now making a triumphant return with an air of finesse.
The dessert is served warm in mini katoris, garnished with rose petals, sliced pistachios, and even with a scoop of saffron kulfi or vanilla ice cream. It is highly sought after at post-phera buffets or as part of sit-down thalis at exclusive receptions.
Today’s menus are as much about one’s identity as they are about luxury. Couples can share stories about their origins and individual preferences through their traditional cuisine.
Food is becoming one of the most prominent expressions of culture at weddings. These dishes, whether they are reinterpreted from the streets or an ancestral household recipe, represent experiences and not just a meal.
What’s on offer?
Delhi2Dublin is a small family outfit which is finally planting roots after years on the market circuit. Its new base at Priory Market in Tallaght is its first permanent home.
The menu, chalked on a blackboard, wanders across India’s street food map. You’ll find samosas, hand-folded momos, pani puri, and vada pav, the Mumbai potato burger. Sides stay snacky – masala fries dusted in Delhi-style seasoning.
“Kebab-ish” ups the portions. There’s a kebab platter with minced or seekh-style kebabs, salad, chutney, mayo and masala chips; a naan sandwich with kebabs, salad, peppers, onions and cheese; or loaded fries topped with kebabs, chutney, mayo and cheese.
“Big Bites” mean full meals; a crispy butter chicken rice bowl with potato bhaji, chickpea rice and cucumber salad, a naan wrap of the same, a chicken tikka masala burger stacked with fried fillets, mint slaw and masala fries, or chicken tikka masala loaded fries.
Dishes such as like the chicken rice bowl, loaded fries with chicken tikka or kebabs, and the loaded naan sandwich are proving to be the most popular choices.
What did we order?
Chicken samosas, the crispy butter chicken rice bowl, a lamb kebab platter and a loaded naan wrap.
How was the service?
This is a popular food stall, so there was a queue and a bit of a wait. You’re given a buzzer that goes off when your order is ready.
How was the food?
The chicken samosas were a mixed bag. The filling of mashed veg and cumin was good, and the dipping sauce worked, but they were greasy and not very crisp.
The crispy butter chicken rice bowl was as expected; breadcrumbed chicken with a spicy butter sauce, sticky rice, chickpeas and a fresh minty sauce on top of lettuce. The sauce was good, and the chickpeas and mint gave it a nice lift, though it’s more a fast-food version than a proper curry.
The lamb kebab platter came with a kofta-style minced lamb kebab, salad, dressing and masala chips. The chips were salty but a bit limp – fine for soaking up sauce but not much crunch. The loaded naan wrap used the same chicken and salad as the rice bowl, but in a large naan folded over, with plenty to eat. Overall, it is fast food that hits the spot if you want saucy, filling carbs.
What about the packaging?
Everything is served in cardboard packaging.
What did it cost?
It was €45 for lunch for three people: chicken samosas, €4; crispy butter chicken rice bowl, €14; lamb kebab platter, €13; and loaded naan wrap, €14.
Where does it deliver?
Takeaway and dine-in only. Open daily, 11am-10pm.
Would I order it again?
Yes, Priory Market is a vibrant market with a great atmosphere, and the food here – particularly the lamb kofta – is perfect for eating on site.
Alabama foodies, rejoice: Birmingham Restaurant Week is back for another year, and it’s more delicious than ever.
This annual culinary celebration brings together nearly 50 local restaurants, food trucks, bars, and catering companies, offering exclusive, limited-time menus and special pricing to highlight the best of Birmingham’s food scene. From upscale dining experiences and international flavors to casual favorites and hidden gems, Restaurant Week invites locals and visitors alike to explore and support the city’s vibrant culinary culture.
Restaurant Week’s Preview Party, which was held at Haven in Birmingham’s Southside, gave us a taste of what to expect in the week ahead. The lively event brought together chefs, restaurant owners, and food lovers under one roof to sample bites and sips from over a dozen participating spots. The evening highlighted the creativity, passion, and diversity that define Birmingham’s ever-evolving food scene. Take a look at some of the Preview Party’s standouts, as well as what you can expect from their Restaurant Week offerings.
Offering a fresh and elevated take on Latin cuisine, Sol Y Luna pairs artful tapas with handcrafted cocktails. From small plates to fresh margaritas, this is a go-to destination for flavor-packed nights with friends or a lively date spot. At the Preview Party, chef and owner Jorge Castro served up perfect bites of passion fruit shrimp ceviche on tortillas.
Castro has been part of Restaurant Week since its beginning, and commented on how the event brings the community together. “Restaurant Week is about the people,” he said. “We really get to know our customers and it’s amazing to see them return year after year, while also meeting many new faces.” Their Restaurant Week specials include fixed-price dinner menus featuring shrimp sliders, a Cuban sandwich, and a tres leches lemon cake.
(Birmingham Restaurant Week/Contributed)
Magnolia Point is redefining Southern soul food with an inventive twist, serving up comforting dishes that bring the bayou flavors. The restaurant is housed in a restored 1930s building at the corner of downtown’s Magnolia Avenue, and offers relaxed vibes that evoke everyone’s favorite seaside snacks. Their Preview Party sampling? A perfectly dippable black-eyed pea hummus with vegetable crudité, which is offered on both their lunch and dinner fixed-price menus for Restaurant Week along with plenty of Gulf Coast flavors like their classic gumbo and fried catfish.
(Birmingham Restaurant Week/Contributed)
A longtime pillar of Birmingham’s food scene, Michael’s Restaurant continues to impress with its steak, seafood, and Southern favorites. Under the leadership of Bernadine Birdsong, the restaurant has embraced Restaurant Week as an opportunity to connect with the community. “I love Restaurant Week because it brings people out and allows them the opportunity to try something new,” she said. Their Restaurant Week menu has promised to include their legendary Salmon Rockefeller: pan seared salmon topped with a spinach cream sauce and chopped bacon.
(Birmingham Restaurant Week/Contributed)
One of the city’s longest-standing Indian restaurants, Taj India has been serving Birmingham customers for nearly 30 years and is delighted to participate in Restaurant Week once more. Known for its rich curries, and warm hospitality, this Five Points favorite has become a go-to spot for both longtime locals and newcomers craving authentic Indian cuisine.
At the Restaurant Week Preview Party, Taj India served its beloved Chicken Tikka Masala–a comforting, flavor-packed dish that showcased the depth and warmth of traditional Indian cooking and was a standout among the evening’s offerings. The Chicken Tikka is featured on their fixed-price Restaurant Week menu, along with tandoori chicken and sag paneer.
From beloved institutions to rising stars, this year’s Birmingham Restaurant Week promises something for every palate. Whether you’re revisiting an old favorite or discovering a new go-to spot, there’s never been a better time to celebrate the creativity, culture, and connection that Birmingham’s culinary scene has to offer.
Several exciting events are lined up to keep the celebration going. Sipology, a cocktail tasting experience featuring local mixologists and spirit brands, will take place on Tuesday, July 23rd at City Walk Social. For a bit of foodie fun, don’t miss the BRW Scavenger Hunt, happening Saturday, July 20th, where you can explore the city and earn prizes along the way.
Birmingham Restaurant Week begins today, July 17th, and runs through July 26th. For more information about participating restaurants and special event tickets, visit bhamrestaurantweek.com.
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