Indignenous Foods of Nepal

1. A Seminar on
Anarsa(A NEPALESE CEREAL BASED INDIGENEOUS Food)
Presented by
Subash Chandra Osti
M. Tech 2nd Semester
Advisor
Professor Pashupati Mishra, T.U

2. Overview
1. Introduction
2. Historical Background
3. Objective
4. Proximate Composition
5. Ingredients/Materials used
6. Method of Preparation
7. Optimum Process Parameters
8. Conclusion
9. Recommendations
10.Suggested Reading
Anarsa
(A NEPALESE CEREAL BASED INDIGENEOUS Food)

3. Anarsa
(A NEPALESE CEREAL BASED INDIGENEOUS Food)
Introduction
The term Anarsa or Anarasa may be originated from Anna means grains and Rasa means
juiciness in Nepali dialect. (अन्न + रस = अनरसा वा अनसाा)
Anarasa is fried, sweet, chapatti like product prepared from rice flour, sugar and ghee,
indigenous to Nepal. It is popular specially among Brahmin and Chettry communities of
Nepal. It is normally prepared in festivals, occasions and rituals like Tihar, wedding
ceremony, Puja etc
 Anarsaa -(Poppy Seed & Rice Flour Patties) Anarsaa-roti are old fashioned sweet rice patties
(resembling large cookies). Rice flour gives this bread a crisp texture, and poppy seeds provide a
pleasant nutty flavor. The dough is hand stretched into circles and deep fried from one side only.
Restriction in usage of poppy seeds : All establishments are hereby ordered to
immediately stop the importation, sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery,
distribution and transportation of Poppy Seeds and Products containing Poppy Seeds
(FDA)

4.  Historical Background
• Anarasa has been prepared since antiquity.
• There is no any exact evidence of its introduction in Nepalese society. It is believed that
Anarasa is popular sweet product among Brahmin and Chhetri community. Anarasa is
prepared from rice flour, ghee and sugar
• Anarasa has religious importance. It is used in different Puja such as Rudri Puja, Satyanarayan
Puja, Bratabandha etc. It is also equally importance in different festivals such as Dashain,
Tihar, Chatt etc.
Anarsa
(A NEPALESE CEREAL BASED INDIGENEOUS Food)

5. Anarsa
(A NEPALESE CEREAL BASED INDIGENEOUS Food)
OBJECTIVE
To provide basic ideas on preparation, ingredients and utensils used, quality
improvements and ethnical importance of Anarasa.

6. Proximate Composition (Per 100g)
Anarsa
(A NEPALESE CEREAL BASED INDIGENEOUS Food)
Parameters Rice Anarasa
Moisture content 11.75 15.62
Crude protein 8.5 5.39
Crude fat 0.54 15.03
Total Ash 0.85 1.11
Crude fiber 0.42 0.81
Total carbohydrates 77.90 62.05
Source : Bhagat G. and Katawal S.B. (2013)

7. Ingredients/Materials used for Preparation of Anarasa
 Rice grain : Coarse variety like Kanchhi Mansuli is
preferred.
 Sugar
 Ghee or clarified butter
 Ari or Dekchi: These are equipment made up of
stainless steel or aluminium used for soaking rice
 Dhiki: A leg-pound made up of log of wood used
to pound that soaked rice and prepare flour
Anarsa
(A NEPALESE CEREAL BASED INDIGENEOUS Food)

8. Ingredients/Materials used for Preparation of Anarasa Contd..
 Okhli: It is a large wooden mortar and
pestle used to pound the soaked rice
 Nanglo
 Tai or Karahi (Shallow frying pan)
 Jharna or Jhanzar (Perforated ladle)
Anarsa
(A NEPALESE CEREAL BASED INDIGENEOUS Food)

9. Method of Preparation
Anarsa
(A NEPALESE CEREAL BASED INDIGENEOUS Food)

10. Optimum process parameters for Anarasa
 Soaking time : 1 hour
 Size of Rice flour : ≤150µ, passed from 150µ
 Sugar : 1/3 part of rice flour
 Holding time : 1 hour
 Frying Medium : Ghee Source : Bhagat G. and Katawal S.B. (2013)
Anarsa
(A NEPALESE CEREAL BASED INDIGENEOUS Food)
Physical Parameters of Anarasa
Weight 37.3 g
Thickness 6.85 mm
Diameter 7.45cm

11. Conclusion
1. Anarasas are very nutrient dense food having more than 25% fat and around
60% carbohydrate.
2. With the use of soaking time of 1 hour, particle size of rice flour having ≤150µ,
1/3 part sugar, 1 hour holding time and ghee as frying medium, a good quality
of Anarasa can be prepared.
3. The shelf life of Anarasa can be extended up to 15 days with the use of
transparent PP packaging material and can further be extended with the use of
other type of packaging.
Anarsa
(A NEPALESE CEREAL BASED INDIGENEOUS Food)

12. Recommendations
 High quality raw materials such as sound kernels, fresh ghee and frying oil
should be used.
 Fats/oils used for frying should have low AV and PV, use of poppy seed is
controversial so it can be replaced by sesame seeds.
 To assure safety in the product, Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) and Good
Manufacturing Practices (GMP) should be adopted.
 Use of appropriate packaging materials (very high gas and moisture barrier
such as use of metallized composite packaging materials with inert gas
flushing) can be used for extending self life of Anarasa.
 Self life study with the use of different packaging materials.
 Use of machines for this type of food recipe can be made by implementing
food safety and uniformity (shape, size and taste).
Anarsa
(A NEPALESE CEREAL BASED INDIGENEOUS Food)

13. Suggested Reading
1. http://tasteofnepal.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-traditional-sweets-of-nepal-part-1.html
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGYqWlW_22M
3. https://ruclip.com/video/_P978nr3zrI/anarse-diwali-special-marathi-food-recipe.html
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarsa
5. https://www.amarujala.com/chandigarh/special-sweet-dish-anarsa-recipee-for-diwali-hindi-news
6. http://www.weallnepali.com/recipe/Khaja/anarsa
7. Traditional foods of Nepal - Kharel et al (2009)
8. https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calories.asp?recipe=2697215
9. International Journal of Mechanical and Production, Engineering Research and Development (IJMPERD), ISSN (P):
2249-6890; ISSN (E): 2249-8001, Vol. 7, Issue 2, Apr 2017, 121- 126
10. http://www.fda.gov.ph/advisories/food/38967-joint-pdea-doh-fda-advisory-on-poppy-seeds
11. Bhagat G. and Katawal S.B. (2013) Process and recipe optimization, quality evaluation and shelf life
study of Anarasa, B. Tech Dissertation, Food technology instruction committee, CCT, TU, Nepal.
Anarsa
(A NEPALESE CEREAL BASED INDIGENEOUS Food)