Gi-tagged Foods in India – Wanna know how diverse India is? Just have a look at all the Gi-tagged products of India!
From Darjeeling Tea to Bikaneri bhujia, from Mysore silk to Lucknow chikankari, from Kashmiri pashmina to Madhubani paintings, there are total 150 products of India who had been recognized as Gi-tagged products till 2022.
What are Gi-tagged products?
A Gi or a Geographical Indication tag is a name or a sign given to those products which belongs to a certain specific location or origin such that it is authentic over there in terms of production process, quality and the reputation. It gives the legal protection rights to the products and protects their authenticity.
But it does not prohibit someone else from making the product using the same method but he cannot use the same name.
For ex, a tea not produced in the Darjeeling gardens cannot be called as Darjeeling tea though it was produced using the same process.
Darjeeling Tea, West Bengal
It’s history goes back to mid-1800, and if you see most of the remarkable events in India’s history were caused by British influence. Right?
You won’t be surprised to learn that the Britishers were actually looking for a tea alternative to China at the time. Hence, they planted Assamica variety and Sinensis variety (darjeeling tea) but the weather conditions favoured Sinensis variety more.
Darjeeling tea grows in the Darjeeling districts of West Bengal and is made from the Chinese variety of tea plant Camellia Sinensis. Today, Darjelling tea is exported all around the world because of it’s distinctive quality, flavour and reputation.
Facts about Darjeeling Tea
- Darjeeling Tea became the first in India to receive a Gi-Tag in 2004.
- Darjeeling tea has also been considered as Champagne of Teas.
- According to the Tea Board of India, only tea grown at elevations ranging from 600 to 2000 metres above sea level in 87 identified estates (in the West Bengal districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong) qualifies as ‘Darjeeling tea.’
Hyderabadi Haleem
The Hyderabadi Haleem was India’s first non-vegetarian dish to receive a Gi-Tag in 2010, and it recently won the title of “most popular Gi” food award by the voting of thousands of people across the country and abroad.
What makes it Hyderabadi haleem so popular, and where did it come from?
A dish with high cultural significance was originally an Arabic dish introduced in Hyderabad during the Nizams’ reign (the former rulers of Hyderabad state).
The dish is prepared by carefully combining meat, ghee, and wheat at a low temperature for 12 hours, and the local traditional spices add a desirable mouth-watering flavour. During Ramadan, people all over India consume it to break their day-long fast.
If you are planning to visit Hyderabad, do not miss this exquisite dish. I don’t know about you but I badly wanna try this.
Kashmiri Saffron
zafran in Urdu, kesar in Hindi, kong posh in Kashmiri and kungumapoo in Tamil are four different names of one spice which is famous all over the world and has been a part of our cuisines since time immemorial.
We all have heard about it’s medicinal benefits from our elders. Right? Many times I have even been scolded when my elders used to teach me how expensive it is.
When was Kashmiri saffron discovered, and why is it so expensive?
There are several ancient stories linked to it, some say that two Sufi saints were travelling through Kashmir and they presented saffron to the local chief as a remedy for illness
while some say that Persians brought it to India for trading, there are also some stories which say that under the reign of Mughals, it’s production got expanded.
In Kashmir, a town named Pampore located at a close distance of 14km from Srinagar is known as a ‘Saffron town’ because here most of the Kashmiri Saffron grows.
The seeds are sown in April and the flowers are ready to be plucked up by the November.
You can imagine the kind of captivating beauty the whole town of Pampore becomes during the blossom season of Saffron. The large fields of Saffron becomes covered with light purple colour.
With this, I have decided when is the right time to visit Kashmir.
Facts about Kashmiri saffron
Saffron picking is a tedious task. For 1kilo of Saffron, around 150,000 flowers are needed which are sold in Rs 2,50,000 in the market.
Watch this video if you wanna know more about it https://youtu.be/fP2WUnBjmkk
Feni, Goa
A paradise known for it’s blissful beaches, quaint buildings, gorgeous greenery, pleasant weather and it’s vibrant essence and……… the amazing Feni.
This is an ideal Goa for me.
So, let’s talk about Feni!
We all know it’s the most popular alcoholic drink in Goa, with an alcohol content ranging from 42.8% to 45% abv.
There are two types of Feni: Cashew Feni and Coconut Feni, with Cashew Feni receiving the Gi-Tag in 2009. Cashew feni is made from ripe cashew apples and is distilled only from late February to mid-May, whereas Coconut Feni is made from palm tree flowers and is produced throughout the year.
Where did Feni originate?
It is said that when the Portuguese arrived in Goa in the early 16th century, they brought some crops from what was previously colonial Brazil of Central America to India, including potatoes, tomatoes, chilies, pineapple, and cashew nuts.
They planted cashew trees in Goa because of the pleasant weather, and this gave rise to what is now the most popular Feni.
Facts about Feni
Do you know that Feni doesn’t give hangover, people of Goa believe that Feni has many health benefits such as it helps in clearing the respiratory system during coughs.
If you wanna know how Feni is made, there’s a link for you https://youtu.be/N0o65tMtoB8
Read my other blogs on ‘Most famous Gi-tagged handicrafts of India’ and ‘Most famous Gi-tagged fabrics of India’.
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