Have you ever wondered how tribal cuisine tastes? Can ancient recipes be given a modern twist? And what does it take to put Indigenous flavours on the global map? A passionate tribal food consultant and MasterChef India fame, Madhusmita Soren is on a mission to show the richness of tribal cuisine to the entire world. Born in a small town – Rairangpur, Mayurbhanj, Madhusmita’s academic credentials boasted an engineering degree from KIIT University and a master’s in electronics and communication from CET. However, life had other surprises planned for her. Her heart always belonged to food. Thus, her passion led her to blend Santali flavours with modern twists. Today, Madhusmita works with many chefs, hotel training institutes and popular restaurants, earning the fame she always deserved.
“I am the only child to my parents. Growing up, I often used to help my mother in the kitchen. I used to cook occasionally. After my marriage, cooking became an integral part of my life. I got very supportive in-laws. I started experimenting with different flavours, especially blending tribal recipes,” shares the self-taught chef.
The Ultimate Transition
During school days, Madhusmita used to face constant bullying for belonging to the Santhali tribal community. Her friends mocked her food habits and cultural traditions which used to impact her deeply. Instead of letting it break her, she decided to prove them wrong by putting forward the richness of tribal cuisine, which is often overlooked by many.
Furthermore, she received immense encouragement from her in-laws and friends. Their support helped her bring many successful dishes to the table, which ultimately strengthened her confidence. Through cooking, she found her purpose and calling. And here she is, connecting with people through food, while also preserving and promoting tribal cuisine.
Bringing Contemporary Twist to Santali Cuisine
Before Covid 19, Madhusmita won the Odisha Home Chef contest, which boosted her confidence to give Santali cuisine a modern twist while keeping its traditional essence intact. In 2022, she participated in MasterChef India, where her unique dishes like Polenta with pan-seared chicken and Kai (red ant) chutney and Patla Pitha with Palwa chutney, impressed the judges. Originally, Polenta was an Italian dish prepared with cornmeal, but Madhusmita prepared it with a local variety of red rice and added chicken cooked in Sal leaves and served it with Kai chutney.
She also presented Patla Pitha, a festive Santali dish made with chicken curry and rice flour. She served this dish with Palwa chutney, prepared using dried tamarind leaf powder and local spices. Though she didn’t qualify for the second round, her fusion Santali cuisine received appreciation across Odisha and beyond.
Feeling nostalgic about her journey in MasterChef India, she fondly remembers making it to the top 22 finals. The path was indeed challenging, with multiple hidden rounds and zone-wise auditions before the show aired on television. However, the biggest achievement for her was winning the appreciation of judges Chef Ranveer Brar, Chef Vikas Khanna, and Chef Pooja Dhingra with her tribal recipe, ‘Kai Chutney.’
In her two months journey on one of the biggest platforms, Madhusmita learned invaluable cooking and life lessons, both in and out of the kitchen. This lifetime experience made her build lasting bonds with many people and instilled a sense of belonging and purpose in her life.
The Untold Secrets of Tribal Cooking
Madhusmita shares one lesser known cooking technique in tribal cuisine which is steaming food in sal leaves. This technique infuses dishes with a distinct aroma. Ingredients like wild tubers, fermented herbs, and forest mushrooms are commonly used but remain largely unknown outside tribal communities. Furthermore, slow cooking over a wood fire and using bamboo shoots as natural cooking vessels enhance the flavours in a way modern methods cannot replicate.
Chef Madhusmita Soren has found her calling and purpose and works hard to keep her tribal food traditions alive. Because of her, more people are learning about the rich and unique flavours of Odisha and India’s tribal communities.
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