Joynagar Moa is basically a palatable, highly tasteful round shaped and yellow coloured special kind of sweet item of Joynagar Block I & II of South 24 Paraganas, West Bengal. Joynagar Moa has the distinctive taste, mouth-watering feel and aroma which have won recognition of discerning consumers all over the world.
Image Credit: Indiamart.com
Joynagar Moa is manufactured by using traditional methodology of production using products grown in the region. As a whole the ingredients used to produce the Moa are
- Khoi (puffed paddy) from kanakchur paddy (Special aromatic rice plant) the base material,
- Molasses (nalen gur- made from date-tree juice/sap) the binder,
- Sugar,
- gawa ghee (a type of clarified butter made from cow’s milk),
- Cheese (Khoya Kheer),
- Cardamom,
- Dry grape (kismis),
- Jaggery,
- Cashewnut etc.
The raw material i.e. “Kanakchur paddy” is basically from the plant Kanakchur aromatic rice variety plant and “Nalen gur” is from the Date-tree sap/juice plant grown in South 24 Parganas area particularly geocentric to Joynagar.
Joynagar Moa is round in shape and prepared by boiling the sugar and molasses in a medium sized cooking pan which is put on a country oven to boil for sometimes. As soon as the mix becomes fit to make ‘Moa’ the cooking pan is taking down to cool the mix. Then required ‘Khai’ is poured to make ‘Murki’. After sometime, liquid Molasses, Cheese, Jaggery, Cardamom and Ghee are poured to make ‘Moa’.
The date palm tree is cut and the juice/sap collecting vessel is tied to it. Those who collect date-tree sap/juice were known as Shiuli. Shiuli goes to keep earthen pots in different trees to collect date-tree sap/juice. This is kept undisturbed for four days. After four days the golden coloured juice is collected and boiled in usual manner to produce nalen gur.
Frying of kanakchur paddy for Khoi is done for ‘Moa preparation. The producers sit at desk to prepare Moa after the Khoi is chosen and molasses are heated. As soon as the molasses get ready the Khoi is immersed in molasses. Karigar gives shape to Moa with pure ghee, which is smeared in their palms, in a circular pattern.
Moa prepared in this way is easily digestable. Human skill is involved in each step of Moa preparation starting from molasses collection to adding flavoring agent and packaging. Total hygienic condition is maintained throughout the Moa preparation.
GI Tag Registration Date : 23 March 2015
GI Tag Number : 382
Certificate Number : 224
Geographical Area : West Bengal
Special Cover Release Date : 15 September 2021
Cancellation : Kolkata 700 144
Type : GI Tag Cover
Cover Identification Number : WB/08/2021
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