Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor, December 1998

Contents IK Monitor 6(3) | IKDM Homepage | Suggestions to: ikdm@nuffic.nl | (c) copyright Nuffic-CIRAN and contributors 1999.

The preparation of gundruk in Nepal: a sustainable rural industry?
by Narayan P. Manandhar.

To overcome the scarcity of green vegetables in the hilly and mountainous regions of Nepal, the local people have traditionally had recourse to "gundruk", a non-salted and fermented leafy vegetable. This article describes the various ways of preparing it and the place of gundruk in the community. It also explores the possibilities for establishing a sustainable rural industry which may serve as a blueprint for communities elsewhere.

Some 90% of Nepal's total population of 20 million live in the hills and mountains which cover about 77% of the total land area (147,181 km2). Most of the country is remote and underdeveloped. Nepal's per capita GNP is only $ 190 (World Bank 1995), which is among the lowest in Southern Asia. Adult literacy (15 years and older) is 40% (UNICEF 1996). The majority of the people are poor, there is a shortage of agricultural land, and that land is of poor quality. The hill people have found various ways of getting the most out of those plants that are available. For example, to counter the lack of fresh green vegetables, they make gundruk. Both green and mature leaves of cultivated species are used for gundruk; the wild and cultivated plants used in the preparation of the fermented vegetable are listed below:

Methods of preparation
The methods of preparing gundruk differ slightly, according to the areas and tribal communities, but in general the following procedure is followed.

Wilting the leaves

• The leaves are washed and then left in the shade or in partial sunlight. The wilted plant matter is then beaten with a wooden hammer or a large stick or threshed in the "dhiki". It is then squeezed to remove the green juice and the residue is placed in layers in an earthenware vessel. Each layer is pressed down on the previous one, (see photo 1) and when the vessel is full, the opening is tightly closed off with straw, and it is left in the sun for a week to ferment (photo 2). The first sign of fermentation is the froth that seeps from the vessel, and this is usually followed by a brown-coloured liquid. The leaves inside the vessel also give off a pleasant odour (Rai 1987). The fermented gundruk is then removed from the vessel and spread out to dry on a straw or bamboo mat or a piece of cloth (see photo 3). It is then stored in a dry place until needed (Manandhar 1989).

Boiling the leaves

• The leaves of Arisaema (Arisaema utile Hook f. ex Schott) are briefly boiled, then squeezed and tightly pressed into a "thuncha" or "doko", a conical bamboo basket. The leaves are covered with straw, and kept in a dark place for three to six days, depending upon the outside temperature (longer in cold weather). This method is used by the people of central Nepal, especially the Magar, Gurung, and Tamang communities.

Using fresh leaves

• The leaves are beaten with a wooden hammer or a large stick (see photo 4), and then squeezed to remove moisture. The residue is pressed into an earthenware vessel or bamboo basket, and then placed in a sunny spot until it starts to smell salty. This is the method generally employed by the Tharu and Danuwar communities of southern Nepal.

For household use, people take the fresh or boiled leaves of a suitable plant (see table) and simply dry them in the sun. The resulting substance does not have the characteristic tangy flavour which is crucial to a good gundruk. But it is often referred to as gundruk.

Preparing the leaves for consumption
The gundruk is first soaked in water for about 10-15 minutes to soften it. The actual recipe depends on personal taste; gundruk is slightly sour, and the flavour varies according to the plant used. gundruk is cooked as a vegetable or pickled; for vegetable curry, it is mixed with potato, tomato, soybeans, onion or other vegetables and boiled; chili, salt and spices are usually added. For pickling, the soaked gundruk is crushed slightly with a pestle, and mixed with salt and chili.

The place of gundruk in the community
There is a tradition among the rural communities of Nepal to give gundruk to neighbours and anyone else who asks for it, especially when vegetables are scarce. This even holds true when the neighbour or other person has enough gundruk himself. On his field trip, the author was also given gundruk by the villagers. They never asked for anything in return, but he gave them things like clothing, cigarettes, biscuits, and sweets. People living in urban areas are also beginning to appreciate the taste of gundruk. In a sense, the tourists visiting Nepal played a crucial role in creating an interest in gundruk. The Sherpa and Tamang guides and the porters accompanying the mountaineers used to bring along gundruk for their personal use. The guides saw the packets of dried soup which the mountaineers had with them, and later made a powder out of their gundruk to prepare their own soup. Some of the tourists tasted the gundruk soup offered by their guides and liked it so much that when the guides went to purchase food and supplies in Kathamandu, they also ordered gundruk powder, which the shopkeepers prepared. Later, this gundruk soup became available in hotels and restaurants along the trekking routes, and today some Nepali families now prepare gundruk powder for their personal use. The demand has grown and villagers have started to sell gundruk in urban markets (see photo 5), as a means of supplementing their income. Many families are now involved in the business of preparing gundruk. In general, these people seem to be aware of the need to protect the wild plants used for gundruk.

Opportunities for rural development
There are good prospects for making the preparation of gundruk into a rural industry. However, careful attention must be given to quality during preparation and storage. According to Karki et al. (1986), the quality of gundruk is judged primarily on the basis of the acid taste and typical gundruk flavour. To improve quality, Karki et al. added selected lactic strains during processing. Once a constant quality can be ensured, it will be easier to market the product. Another requirement is the schooling and training of the villagers who are to be employed in the gundruk industry. This will help to combat poverty, raise living standards and reduce illiteracy among the rural population.An added advantage of such a project is the fact that it helps to maintain the rich biodiversity of Nepal's plant life, since those engaged in the preparation of gundruk are eager to protect the wild plants they rely on. This attitude constrasts with that of the majority of the Nepalese. In the difficult situation in which they find themselves, people have traditionally depended on plants to meet their daily needs, making use of their skill and knowledge. Up to now they have used these resources without attempting to replace them. If the gundruk rural industry experience proves successful, this would impress upon all the villagers the importance of the plant resources around them, and encourage them to participate in the conservation of those resources.

The experience gained in Nepal with respect to the conservation of natural resources and the alleviation of poverty amongst the rural population may be of help to the inhabitants of mountainous regions in other countries.

Narayan P. Manandhar Ka 3-16, Naya Baneshwar P. O. Box 3389 Kathmandu Nepal E-mail: sanjay@freak_st.mos.com.np

References
- Karki, T., H. Itoh, S. Nikkuni and M. Kozaki (1986) 'Improvement of gundruk processing by selected lactic strains', Nippon Shokuhin Kogyo Gakkaishi 33(10): 734-739.
- Manandhar, N.P. (1989) Useful wild plants of Nepal. Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag Wiesbaden GMBH.
- Rai, Gyan (1987) 'The gundruk taste', The Rising Nepal (Daily English Newspaper), January 9.
- UNICEF (1996) Children and women of Nepal. A situation analysis 1996. UNICEF Nepal.
- World Bank (1995) World Development Report. New York: Oxford University Press.

Back to: top of the page | Contents IK Monitor 6(3) | IKDM Homepage
Suggestions to: ikdm@nuffic.nl
(c) copyright Nuffic-CIRAN and contributors 1999.