With FSSAI, hemp is India’s new superfood in restaurants and cafes across the country

As a keen observer of popular culture — and more specifically, of the myriad superfood trends emerging from it with alarming ferocity — I’ve always found the offer of appropriation both amusing and sad.

Funny, because we always seem to need these “new age western fads” to bring us back to our intrinsic traditional knowledge. Sad, because of our rather desperate desire to have something we’ve known all along validated, repackaged, and then finally shoved down our gullible throats!

It first happened with yoga through the western baby boomer generation of the 70s. Now millennials and gen Z seem to have a whole different agenda fueled by social media – this time, to reintroduce us into our own ashwaganda and Haldi Doudh. (The latter bearing the hip, new names of “golden latte” and even “moon brew,” if you allow it.) But there’s another slow-moving superfood. Never mind the fact that it has existed among us for millennia. 9,000 years, to be precise. And it’s hemp. Known to you and me as bhang.

Bhang for your money!

But it’s not the same bhang you’re probably thinking with Holi benders in the foreground. Although both marijuana and hemp are varieties of the cannabis plant, hemp, also known as cannabis sativa, is not an intoxicant. Unlike marijuana, hemp contains low levels of the psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and higher concentrations of cannabidiol (CBD), which lessens any mind-altering impact.

And that is why in November 2021, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) approved the use of hemp seeds in limited amounts in food (5mg THC per kg) and beverages (0.2 mg of THC per kg). This decision was made not only to promote a sustainable plant-based diet, but also to highlight the other benefits of consuming hemp.

Chef Vicky Ratnani was introduced to hemp in the kitchen in Canada years ago while filming her cooking show there. | Photo credit: special arrangement

“This is precisely why I have been using both hemp oil and hemp hearts (which is the inside of the seed) for some time to crust fish and lamb. The hearts taste nutty and cashew-like texture. Hemp is also one of the healthiest superfoods we have today,” says chef Vicky Ratnani. Ironically, he was introduced to hemp in cooking in Canada years ago while filming his cooking show there.The latest addition to the menu of his Mumbai-based cloud kitchen Speak Burgers is an iteration of hemp seeds and quinoa, which he says, will be out soon.

Rich in protein, fiber and fatty acids, including omega 3, 6 and 9, hemp has several antioxidant effects and can reduce the symptoms of many ailments, improve heart health, skin joints and even help alleviate depression and anxiety.

Amruta and Vishal Shitole from The Hemp cafeteria in Pune. | Photo credit: special arrangement

It was by finding a cure for his depression by consuming hemp that Amruta Shitole launched The Hemp Cafeteria in May, with his brother Vishal in Pune. “Every dish on our menu – whether it’s our best-selling tawa burger or our chutney and paneer sandwich – contains hemp seeds. Even our multigrain breads are baked with a little hemp powder in the dough,” says Shitole, who plans to regularly update his all-vegetarian menu based on demand.

hill regime

The true proliferation of hemp and its assorted derivatives is best seen among hardy mountain communities in places such as Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where it is an integral part of local culture. pahadi diet. In fact, till date, Uttarakhand is considered to produce the best quality hemp in the world.

“In addition to having proven digestive qualities thanks to their high fiber content, whole hemp seeds also warm nature. Quite as a vegetarian alternative to fish or cod liver oil. Something that is crucial for maintaining body temperature in the cold climate of the mountainous regions of Uttarakhand such as Garhwal and here in Kumaon,” says Chef Naveen Adhikari.

Hailing from Kumaoni, Adhikari cooks a whole menu of traditional hemp-based meals for guests at Mary Budden Estate, part of the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, overlooking Uttarakhand’s Jhandi Dhar Hills. These range from the ubiquitous bhang ki chutney and a hemp heart speckled raita at a local bhangwala halwa it is the ghee-rich sum of its hemp hearts, semolina, almond flakes and jaggery parts.

Chef Ashutosh Nerlekar (left) of The Park, Chennai, with dishes that were part of the hotel’s recent hemp-centric food festival, “What the Hemp!” | Photo credit: special arrangement

The popular Uttarakhandi hemp chicken dish called bhangira chicken was part of the a la carte menu at a recent hemp-centric food festival at The Park Hotel in Chennai. “We used everything from hemp seed oil, hemp seeds, hemp hearts to hemp powder in the selected dishes, which ranged from an avocado smoothie and grilled fish to a chicken adobo tortilla and a rasmalai bomb dessert. For bhangira murgh, we ground hemp seeds along with other spices to make a paste, which was used for flavor,” explains the hotel’s executive chef, Ashutosh Nerlekar.

Chocolate mousse topped with hemp hearts at Copper + Cloves cafe in Bangalore. | Photo credit: Copper + Cloves

Supply pains

Until a few months ago, there was a lot to be said about the hemp sourcing barriers faced by industry players. Not to mention consumer apprehension and skepticism. This has changed.

According to Sarah Nicole Edwards – a British expat who runs the all-plant-based Copper + Cloves cafe in Bengaluru – it was a Herculean task to stock up on time. “I remember bringing bags full of hemp edibles with me every time I returned to the UK, when India always produced the best hemp to begin with,” she says. Today, his menu has everything from a hemp seed and cocoa smoothie to a chocolate mousse topped with hemp hearts.

Jayanti and Shalini Bhattacharya of India Hemp and Co., based in Bengaluru | Photo credit: special arrangement

Not only has this ancient superfood captured hearts overnight, its popularity is inspiring enthusiasts to expand its reach and bring it to a new demographic. Up next: a line of high-protein hemp-based dog treats by Bengaluru-based India Hemp and Co., founded by sisters Jayanti and Shalini Bhattacharya. Truly, hemp for all, all for hemp.

The Mumbai-based restaurant writer and critic is passionate about food, travel and luxury, not necessarily in that order.