Mahua flowers dried and used to make a naturally sweet, earthy dessert porridge with rice — a forest food of the tribal communities of Jharkhand.
Ingredients
1 cup dried mahua flowers (Madhuca longifolia flowers — available at tribal markets and some Indian stores; they are cream-coloured, slightly sticky dried flowers with a naturally sweet, slightly fermented aroma)
1/2 cup rice flour
2 cups water
1 tbsp jaggery — optional (mahua flowers are naturally sweet)
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
Method
About mahua flowers: The mahua tree (Madhuca longifolia) is sacred to the tribal communities of central India including Jharkhand. Its flowers fall in spring (March-April), are collected and sun-dried. Dried mahua flowers are naturally sweet with a slightly fermented, floral, caramel-like flavour. They are an important food source in forest communities and are also used to make mahua liquor (which is a different product from this recipe).
Clean the flowers: Sort through the dried mahua flowers and remove any small sticks or debris. Rinse once gently with cold water and drain.
Make rice flour: If you have raw rice, grind 1/2 cup raw rice in a blender to a fine powder to make rice flour. Or use ready-made rice flour.
Dissolve rice flour: Mix 1/2 cup rice flour in 1/2 cup cold water until smooth with no lumps.
Cook the mahua flowers: Place the cleaned mahua flowers and 1.5 cups water in a pot. Bring to a boil on medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. The water will turn a light amber colour and smell of the flowers.
Add rice flour: Pour the dissolved rice flour into the simmering mahua water. Stir continuously to prevent lumps.
Cook until thick: Stir constantly on medium-low heat for 5 to 6 minutes until the mixture thickens to a soft porridge consistency.
Sweeten: Taste the porridge — mahua flowers are naturally sweet. Add jaggery only if more sweetness is desired. Add 1/4 tsp cardamom powder. Stir.
Serve warm: Spoon into bowls. The porridge should be soft, slightly sweet, aromatic and distinctly floral.
Storage: This porridge does not store well and should be eaten fresh on the day of cooking.