Kolakhar: Saga of Well-Being | Health Benefits of Banana Trees
A nectar derived from the kalpabriksha
Assamese Cuisine depends upon the ingredients that are available in our surroundings and hence totally nature-dependent.
Our culture also is nature-centric and we depend on season and seasonal produces for everything.
No Assamese rituals are complete without banana leaves. Assamese people have always known the health benefits of banana tree parts and we have been using them extensively.
Assamese rural life is unimaginable without banana trees. Almost every household has a koloni/kolbari or banana garden where different types of bananas are planted and nurtured.
Forget the health benefits of a banana tree, bananas are a good source of income. Mere 10-12 banana trees can give you good money if you can treat them well. An Assamese saying that goes,
তিনিশ ষাঠীজোপা ৰুবা কল,
মাহেকে পষেকে চিকুনাবা তল ।
পাত পছলা লাভত পাবা,
লংকাৰ বনিজ ঘৰতে পাবা ।।
This means, planting 360 banana trees and nurturing them at every fortnight: You will get a whole chest full of gold at home along with banana leaves and posola for free.
Banana leaves are used in community feasts in villages in place of disposable plates which makes us Assamese very eco-friendly and sustainable with nature.
It is interesting to note that not a single part of a banana tree is discarded in Assam. From its flowers to roots, every part of banana trees is beneficial to the human body. Let’s take a look at various usages of Banana tree parts.
Health Benefits of Banana Tree Parts
Banana flowers
Banana flowers are called koldil in Assamese. They are a good source of iron and calcium. The tender flowers are often cooked as fries or in a potato-lentil-based gravy. It can also be eaten as fritters.
Banana stems
Banana stems are called posola in Assamese and they are one of the most popular delicacies of Assamese Cuisine. It is cooked as gravy with or without small fishes.
You can also make a posolar khar with it. The health benefit of banana stems is that it removes excess uric acid from our bodies and maintains it at a normal level.
Banana fruits
Banana fruits are one of the most favorite fruits in the world. Assam houses many indigenous species of banana which yields tasty fruits.
Some of the local species of bananas which are found in Assam are maalbhog, baratmoni, ketekikhunda, manohar, jurmoni, aathiya kol, Seni Champa, jahaji etc. Bananas are full of antioxidants, nutrients like potassium, magnesium, copper, manganese, protein, carbohydrates, water, vitamins etc.
Bananas help to moderate blood sugar levels, improve digestive health and help to lose weight.
Banana leaves
As I mentioned earlier, Assamese people often use banana leaves to eat meals.
Banana leaves contain chlorophyll and the food consumed on it helps to mend any internal damage to our digestive system.
It can also be used as first aid if you cut somewhere. Just make a paste of banana leaves and treat your cut with it. Assamese cuisine uses banana leaves extensively to make dishes called patot diya.
It is a method of cooking where you cook fish/vegetables wrapped in banana leaves.
Khar
Kalakhar or Khar is one of the unique things that truly signify Assamese Cuisine.
Kharkhowa Axomiya, as we fondly call ourselves, means Khar eating Assamese. Khar is produced from the ashes of burnt banana stems or banana peels of aathiya kol (M. Balbisiana).
The procedure to make khar
Kolakhar making process is very traditional. The first step of making khar involves collection of a matured and healthy tree of aathiya kol.
It is then cut into pieces and sun dried for 10-15 days. After complete drying, the pieces were burned into ashes and sieved.
After collecting the ashes, pure water is filtered through it. The modified water is called khar.
Health Benefits of kolakhar
Khar is used as a food additive in Assamese cuisine widely. Various vegetables are cooked using khar which marks the first dish of an Assamese thali.
It is known to cleanse your stomach curing digestive disorders. The use of kolakhar as soap and detergent for washing clothes and hair is a well-known practice in villages.
Kolalhar is traditionally used by farmers to kill leeches and cure as well as prevent certain cattle diseases.
The Assamese people used to use kolakhar when salt was a rare commodity in this part of the world. And we are glad that the people still have not forgotten how to make it and it is still a common ingredient in our cuisine.
