The entrance of Kondla Lachumamma’s thatched house at Dumpalavalasa hamlet of Y. Ramavarama mandal in Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district is decorated with a garland of bamboo shoots.
The Konda Reddi tribal families hang such garlands to the roofs of their dwellings and dry them for a week.
A week later, or whenever the shoots are fully dried, the families store them for consumption till the next monsoon.
People of the tribe believe that bamboo shoots are highly nutritious. The dried bamboo shoots are a part of their diet during the monsoon as it “improves their immunity against viral fevers.”
“For generations, bamboo shoots are an integral part of our food chart. Now-a-days, even non-tribes have started consuming them in view of their nutritious value. We collect the shoots both for own consumption and for sale at the weekly shandies,” Ms. Lachumamma told The Hindu.
Post-COVID, the non-tribes from the mainstream areas are after the bamboo shoots in a bid to boost their immunity. Off late, bamboo shoots are in great demand at the shandies.
“A bamboo shoot is dried for a week. Later, It is boiled and used in the preparation of a variety of dishes such as mixed vegetable curry and dal. The dried shoots can also be stored in powder form. At least six dishes can be prepared with the shoots,” adds Ms. Lachumamma.
“We serve food prepared with bamboo shoots to children of all ages. The collection and preparation of the shoots require patience. We prefer to invest our time and labour on the ingredient to enjoy our traditional food,” says Kondla Tulasamma, a mother of two.
The tribal people inhabiting in the forest and hill ranges are entitled to collect every form of bamboo tree, which is classified as Minor Forest Produce (MFP). They have the right to exploit its commercial value for their livelihood.
