While documenting the traditional food systems of the Bhil community in Dungarpur, one is struck by the simplicity and ingenuity of their kitchens. Ingredients and utensils were few but thoughtfully chosen—there were no overflowing spice boxes, elaborate garnishes, or unnecessary kitchen tools. Dishes drew their flavour from garlic, green chillies, and locally foraged greens. Sweets were made with homemade ghee, jaggery, and homegrown wheat, never needing dry fruits for taste or presentation. Even an old clay matlo was repurposed as a katho, serving as a base for pots and kadais.
Flavours were enhanced not only by the quality of ingredients, but also by slow, deliberate preparation. Corn for aata was ground by hand on a ganti (hand mill) just before making rotis, as freshness impacted taste. Only a small portion of flour was mixed with water in the karsot before roasting on a clay tawa over a chulah. Before electric grinders, each tool and technique was carefully matched to the recipe—some chutneys required coarse grinding, others finer; the cook’s rhythm and pressure determined the outcome. The effort and care invested were evident in the final flavours. Even subtle changes in the sound or taste of a dish could reflect the mood of the person preparing it.
Utensils were often custom-designed for comfort and function—for example, pounding stones shaped to fit the hand. Kitchen storage was thoughtfully integrated into the home: matlas for water had specific places, and nearly every house featured a paaniyari—a niche built into the wall with a sloped stone base for drainage, designed to hold multiple water pots and drinking glasses. The detailing of these spaces reflected personal preference and daily needs. Grains were stored in cane, mud, or timber containers, each designed for the type and duration of storage.
Documenting the kitchen, its tools, and processes is central to understanding the region’s food culture. The relationship between the tools, spaces, and methods is inseparable from the food itself—together, they shape not only what is prepared, but how it is experienced and remembered.
This documentation is part of our ongoing work to create a community-based seed bank that preserves local crop varieties and landraces from the region. To see more of the documentation work on Flickr