Kola Khar: Traditional Assamese Alkaline Food Additive

“Kola Khar” is a traditional Assamese food additive that’s made from the ashes of dried banana plant parts, especially the peels and trunk. It’s commonly used in a variety of dishes and even serves as a traditional remedy.

Key Points:

• Kola Khar is an alkaline solution made by taking dried parts of the banana plant—like peels and trunks—burning them, and then mixing the ash with water.
• After burning the banana plant parts, the ash is collected and combined with water. This mixture is filtered to create the alkaline liquid known as kola khar.

Traditional Uses:
Food Additive: It’s a common ingredient in Assamese cuisine, used in various dishes, especially fish, meat, and vegetable curries. 
Medicinal Properties: Traditionally, it’s believed to have digestive benefits and help balance pH levels. 
Other Uses: In the past, it was also used as a soap and detergent for washing clothes and shampooing hair. 

• The banana variety that’s typically used to make Kola Khar is called Musa balbisiana, and it’s often referred to locally as “Bhimkol” or “Athiyakol.”
• Kola Khar is a key ingredient in Assamese cuisine and is widely used as a food additive in Assam and other regions of North-East India.
• Usually, Kola Khar is served before the main meal to help awaken the taste buds for the flavors to come.
• This unique dish is packed with minerals such as potassium, sodium, iron, cobalt, manganese, nickel, zinc, and copper.