Whenever I hear of a little-known Indian ingredient that packs a nutritional punch, my ears (or rather taste buds) perk up. To discover a fruit or vegetable which is not only ample in vitamins and antioxidants but also genetically suited to the Indian body through centuries of consumption is like finding a natural treasure. Case in point is the Ladakhi ‘gold berry’ which grows on the particularly thorny sea buckthorn plant.
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Berry Nice to Meet You
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My First Time
“Indian cuisine is not known for quality ingredients in the West and we, at Masque, are trying to change that,” Sadhu says. “I had first tasted this berry in 2009 during my stint at Noma in Copenhagen but while researching Himalayan ingredients, I realised it also grows in my own backyard. So I took an impromptu flight to Leh, got into a car and drove towards Nubra Valley. On the way, we started seeing the distinct, sunset-orange berries growing all over. Sea buckthorn is as native to Ladakh as it is to Denmark.” According to him, despite being a powerhouse of nutrients, the plant has not been given any culinary importance in India. Thus, he travels every year to Turtuk— the last village on the India-Pakistan border—to handpick this berry himself. Sea buckthorn grows freely in the wild in the Nubra Valley belt, and locals use the thorny bush for fencing their houses instead of nutrition. The kitchen at Masque has been doing extensive research and development on sea buckthorn and their upcoming menu will feature a sea buckthorn ice-cream with apricot chunks as well as a barramundi fillet cured with the acidic sea buckthorn juice.
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Beyond the Bite
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After speaking with Sadhu and Khosa, I was all set to fly to Leh and forage a bucketful of these berries myself to acquire a youthful glow. Then I found out that it’s not the just the berry that is being used to create these wonder products. A few companies are even using its protein-rich leaves to brew tea. M Prabakaran, founder and CEO of Sweetea, first heard of the berry in January this year, and started selling sea buckthorn leaf tea in April. “Very few Indians know about the sea buckthorn but I believe it is the right time people turn towards this plant which has so many benefits and is high in antioxidants and antimicrobial phytochemicals.” Another Kolkata-based company, Karma Kettle, uses its leaves in their ‘Karakoram’ tea blend for stress relief and sleep aid while TeaRaja (based in the US and India) uses them in its ‘Skin Glow Tea’ blend.Organisations like the Ministry of Environment and Forests, and the Defence Research and Development Organisation launched a major initiative to spread the cultivation of sea buckthorn to other high altitude deserts like Lahaul and Spiti. This has financially empowered the local communities in these regions since 2010 and is feeding an industry of sea buckthorn juices, oils and capsules, many of which are sadly exported outside the country.This is where we tell you that instead of spending your ka-ching on that acai berry from Mexico or the matcha from Japan, you must give a shot to these desi powerhouses. Joining the list of Indian superfoods—from senna to moringa to turmeric—this wonderberry might just change your life.Follow Jasreen Mayal on Instagram.