Kheradaphini/Maati Gaaldaab


 Kheradaphini/Maati Gaaldaab



The availability of this plant is quiet rare, yet its leaves are commonly commonly used by the Bodos to season their meat or fish dishes. After digging around online for some information on this plant, I've learned that its scientific name is Premna herbacea Roxb. I haven't actually bothered to go and see a live plant on the ground. However, I have heard people say that it only grows in the wild, on forest floors. It's a short plant, almost like an undershrub with 4-5 leaves on each plant.

I do wonder why it is called Kheradaphini or Maati Gaaldaab. Perhaps, the leaves resemble some kind of dangling earring because 'Khera' means earring in the Bodo language and 'daphini' might mean something chunky or clunky thing. Its alternative name, 'Maati Gaaldaab' might be a mish-mash between 'Maati', meaning land in the Assamese language, and 'Gaaldaab' which might mean 'to walk heavily in a lumbered way'. Unfortunately, there is little way of knowing the word origins of many traditional herbs and vegetables used by the Bodos. Perhaps, their meanings have been forever lost to time.

Anyway, I have often marveled at the depth of knowledge about wild edible plants that Bodos have accumulated down the generations. I don't mean to say that it is only the Bodos who have exclusive knowledge about this plant. I have scrolled through a few articles online that have attributed some medicinal qualities to this plant. But I haven't found many communities that widely use this as an edible plant. As for the Bodos, we use the shoots and young leaves of the plant. The leaves are rarely used as a standalone dish, but are used as part of a meat or fish dish. When cooked, the leaves release a unique flavour and aroma that is hard to describe. I can't think of any other plant that smells like Kheradaphini.

So, let's get down to cooking this wonderful herb with pork. I'll not bother listing the ingredients in detail. Just cook the pork the way I have in previous blog posts using things like cumin powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, garlic-ginger paste. Once the meat is almost cooked through, add the Kheradaphini, mix it up with meat and cook for about 5 minutes. I like to coarsely cut the leaves into halves so that they are spread evenly within the dish. Oh, and unlike Lai, Kheradaphini needs to be cooked slightly more to release its flavour and aroma. You should leave some gravy (how much is your choice) in the dish too as dry Kheradaphini doesn't really taste that great (at least to me).





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