puʈkal aɽaʔ

puʈkal aɽaʔ is used as a culinary item with medicinal benefits by the Birhor community. Young leaves and buds are cooked and consumed. Pickles are also made from these and consumed throughout the year.

Medicinal values for: gastric problems, diarrhoea

• Shoots: The tender shoots that sprout from the trees are traditionally used for eating purposes, which are first dried (rohoɽ) and later mixed (mesa) with different varieties of dael (soup prepared from dried, split pulses (e.g., lentils, peas, and beans). It is beneficial for stomach disorders.
• The shoots are also cooked as leafy vegetable (aɽaʔ).
• The shoots are dried (rohoɽ) to preserve them for long time in storage.
• Leaf: A soup prepared with the dried leaves (rohoɽ sakam) and buds is mixed (mesa) with dael. This relieves gastric troubles also it acts as a soothing agent for the stomach during diarrhoea.