Non-VegetarianChhattisgarhi cuisine Starters

Chapra (Red Ant Chutney)

Name: Chapra (Red Ant Chutney)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chhattisgarhi
Ingredients: 100 g red weaver ants and eggs; 6 cloves Garlic; 4 whole dried red chillies; 1 tbsp Ginger; 1 tsp Rock salt; 2 tbsp coriander leaves; 1 tbsp mustard oil; 1 small Tomato

A traditional Bastar tribal chutney made by pounding red weaver ants and their eggs with chillies, garlic and salt, valued locally for its sharp, tangy flavour.

🇮🇳India· Chhattisgarh

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 30 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 90 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

100 g red weaver ants and eggs — freshly foraged
6 cloves Garlic
4 whole dried red chillies
1 tbsp Ginger — chopped
1 tsp Rock salt — to taste
2 tbsp coriander leaves — chopped
1 tbsp mustard oil — for grinding smoothness
1 small Tomato — chopped, for a milder version

Equipment

•Stone mortar and pestle

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 90 kcal
fat: 5 g
carbs: 4 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 8 g
calories: 90 kcal

Instructions

1
Pick through the foraged ants and eggs. Remove any leaves and twigs.
2
Toast the dried red chillies in a dry pan until fragrant.
3
Put the ants, eggs, roasted chillies, garlic, ginger and salt into a stone mortar.
4
Crush everything with a pestle until you get a rough, slightly wet paste.
5
Taste and add more salt if needed. Stir in the chopped coriander.
6
Serve fresh at room temperature as a side chutney.

Chef's tips

Chapra is traditionally made fresh in small batches rather than stored, since it relies on live foraged ants. This dish is specific to Bastar's tribal foraging culture and is not typically found outside that context.