Bhakri

One typical example of Dalit cuisine is Bhakri, a type of flatbread made from millet flour (sorghum or jowar). Bhakri is very common among Dalits because millet flour is cheaper and more accessible than wheat. Millet is also more resistant to harsh environmental conditions, making it an ideal ingredient in the context of poverty and limited access to food.

Bhakri is often served with simple accompaniments, such as salt, chili, or a tangy tamarind paste, as meat and richer ingredients are usually too expensive for the poorest social groups. This dish is a dietary staple, providing calories and essential nutrients from minimal resources.

Different versions of this simple bread exist depending on the region, but its symbolic significance as a food of poverty remains common among many Dalits in India.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup millet flour (jowar or bajra)
• Water (as needed to form dough)
• A pinch of salt (optional)
• A little oil (optional for cooking)

Preparation:

1. Mix the dough: In a bowl, mix the millet flour with water gradually to form a smooth, pliable dough. Add a pinch of salt if desired.
2. Shape the Bhakri: Take a small portion of the dough and roll it into a ball. Flatten it out with your hands or a rolling pin into a round shape.
3. Cook the Bhakri: Heat a griddle or flat pan. Place the rolled-out dough onto the hot pan and cook on both sides until small brown spots appear and the bread is firm. Optionally, apply a little oil to make it crispy.

Dalit Food

Dalits. Scavengers. This derogatory term is used in India to describe both the poorest people and animals like street dogs, cats, rats, and crows. Out of the necessity to survive, a cuisine developed that relies on resourcefulness and ingenuity to extract the maximum from the limited resources available.

The exclusion of Dalits in India is evident on many levels of their daily life, especially when it comes to food. Imagine a community that still has to fight for basic needs—such as access to clean water or food—because even in the 21st century, their status as “untouchables” stigmatizes them, determining what they can eat, with whom they can eat, and how they are treated when they try to obtain food.

In many rural communities, Dalits do not have access to communal wells and are forced to rely on separate, often contaminated, water sources. If they attempt to use the shared water sources, higher castes may drive them away, fearing “contamination” by their touch. This type of practice isolates Dalits not only physically but also socially, directly affecting their health and access to nutritious food.

Caste-based barriers are just as visible when it comes to food. In many schools, despite official food programs, Dalit children are often rejected and forced to eat separately, with their portions being smaller or of poorer quality. Teachers from higher castes often refuse to serve them food, fearing that their touch will “pollute” the meal.

As adults, Dalits are excluded from communal meals during religious ceremonies, weddings, or funerals. They are often forced to eat separately, and their food is considered “impure.” They are frequently denied entry to shops or restaurants, where the food they can buy is of lower quality.

When a Dalit attempts to purchase food at the market, vendors often make them stand aside to avoid “contaminating” other customers. In some cases, vendors throw the food or money at them to avoid physical contact.

Dalits who work in agriculture are often assigned the worst tasks, such as cleaning latrines or working on fields that do not yield much produce. Their ability to grow or acquire nutritious food is limited, and what they manage to collect is often too little to provide an adequate diet.

This exclusion does not stop with access to food. Even the food Dalits can obtain is strictly regulated by caste norms regarding the “purity” of food. They are not allowed to touch, prepare, or eat food together with higher castes, forcing them to consume simple, often non-nutritious meals.

Dalits, due to their position in the caste hierarchy, are forced to eat products that higher castes consider “unclean” and would never consume. This dietary separation is deeply ingrained in the caste system, where food is closely tied to notions of purity and pollution. As a result, Dalits are not only left with the scraps but also foods that other castes would avoid at all costs.

One example is their consumption of leftovers, scraps, or food that does not meet the standards of higher castes. Dalits are often forced to eat the meat of dead animals, such as cattle, which in India, especially among higher Hindu castes, are considered sacred. While eating meat is acceptable in some cultures, for higher Hindu castes, consuming carrion or scraps is seen as deeply impure and degrading. Dalits often resort to such food because they lack access to fresh, high-quality food.

Similarly, certain plant-based foods are deemed less valuable or rejected by higher castes, becoming a staple in the Dalit diet. They consume products that are too cheap, unsightly, or “improper” according to caste standards. For example, higher castes avoid eating vegetables that they consider “impure” due to their growing conditions, such as onions and garlic, which are considered “rajasic” (stimulating anger and desire) in Hindu tradition.

Dalits also rely on simple, local products that may be seen as “too common” by higher castes. An example would be wild plants, roots, and berries that Dalits gather in forests or at the edges of cultivated fields. This not only highlights their poverty but also their deep dependence on the surrounding environment. What is considered waste for higher castes becomes a daily meal for Dalits.