Jaynagarer Moa
| Jaynagarer Moa | |
|---|---|
| Geographical indication | |
 Jaynagarer Moa | |
| Alternative names | জয়নগরের মোয়া |
| Description | Confectionery ofBengal |
| Type | Foodstuff |
| Area | Jaynagar Majilpur,South 24 Parganas,West Bengal |
| Country |  India |
| Registered | 23 March 2015 |
| Material | Date Palm,Jaggery,Kanakchur Khoi,Gawa Ghee,CardamomandPoppy Seed |
Jaynagarer Moa(Bengali:জয়নগরের মোয়া) is a seasonalBengalisweetmeat delicacy prepared fromdate palmjaggeryandKanakchur khoi.This variety of Moa originated inJaynagar Majilpurof theSouth 24 Parganasdistrict in theIndianstateofWest Bengal.It is now a popular sweet, being produced inKolkataand elsewhere, sometimes with cheaper ingredients and chemical flavours.[1]Jaynagarer Moa was given aGeographical Indicationtag in 2015[2][3]which will enable the product to be protected from unauthorized uses and piracy.[4]
History
[edit]
In 1920s two friends Purna Chandra Ghosh (aka Purna) and Nityagopal Sarkar (aka Buchki) started selling the Moa in local weekly markets and it came to be known as Buchki's Moa, which later came to be known as Joynagarer Moa. In 1929 Buchki and Nitya set up their own sweet shop named Sri Krishna Mistanna Bhandar inJaynagar MajilpurTown, nearJaynagar Majilpur railway station.The shop is still in operation and is managed by the granddaughter of Ghosh.[2]
Recipe
[edit]Jaynagarer Moa is made withNolen Gur(jaggery made fromdate palmtree extract with exquisite taste and aroma), Kanakchur khoi (a form of popped rice made from a special variety of aromatic rice),Gawa ghee(a type ofclarified buttermade from cow's milk),elach(cardamom), andposto(poppy seed). BothNolen Gurand Kanakchur rice are winter products (available around November to January) and hence Jaynagarer Moa is available during this period only.[1]The ordinary or common Moa is a small crispy ball made of puffed rice ( "Muri" rather than "Khoi" ) and jaggery. It is produced in homes all overBengaland is also generally available in grocery shops in small plastic packets, throughout the year.
There are over 250 sweetmeat shops around Jaynagar, which produce Jaynagarer Moa with the original ingredients.[5][6]
Challenges
[edit]The popularity of the dish has led in recent years to sweetmeat makers all overWest Bengal,particularlyKolkata,producing large quantities of Jaynagarer Moa using cheaper ingredients flavoured with chemical aromatics and marketing them as Jaynagarer Moa.[5]
Date palm jaggery is becoming harder to come by due to the decrease in the number of date palms in West Bengal and the shift of members of the Shiuli community, traditional producers of "Nolen Gur" from date palm juice, to other professions. Similarly, Kanakchur rice is a local variant which grows only in winter and through traditional fertiliser-free techniques only.[5]
References
[edit]- ^abChakraborty, Monotosh (14 January 2013)."Don't go by flavour, it's not Jaynagarer Moa".The Times of India.The Times of India, 14 January 2013.Retrieved15 February2013.
- ^abDatta, Rangan (14 January 2023)."From Joynagar to the world: The journey of Bengal's favourite 'moa'".No. My Kolkata. The Telegraph.Retrieved21 January2023.
- ^Dastidar, Rajlakshmi (26 February 2021)."This fragile sweet from Bengal is available only for a short period in the winter".Outlook Traveller.Retrieved21 January2023.
- ^"Special packaging for Jaynagarer Moa?".The Times of India.1 February 2016.Retrieved3 February2016.
- ^abcMukherji, Udit Prasanna."Jaynagarer Moa may be patented".The Times of India.Archived fromthe originalon 27 February 2012.Retrieved8 December2014.
- ^"Application for registration of a geographical indication by Jaynagarer Moa Nirmankari Society"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 4 March 2016.Retrieved8 December2014.
Further reading
[edit]
- Dey, Shuvra (2 December 2020)."Joynagarer Moa-the brand that defines a town".GetBengal.Get Bengal.Retrieved13 January2023.