Indigenous food technology depicts our ancestral art, knowledge, expertise and customs. It includes diverse methodologies and art for the preparation of foods by people of different cultures, religions, castes and creeds. One such skill is the art of making and consuming a sweet confection known as “chaku”. It is popular among Kathmanduites, especially among the Newar community.

Chaku is usually prepared and consumed during the Maghe Sankranti festival known as Ghya Chaku Sanlhu in the Kathmandu valley. However, the valley people enjoy consuming it throughout the cold winter. Concentrated sugarcane juice, jaggery or molasses, ghee and nuts are the basic ingredients in its preparation. Chaku is also employed for the preparation of other delicious Newar dishes like yomari, hamachaku and ghya chaku. Traditional belief has it that if consumed by lactating mothers, it helps to boost their breast milk secretion.

Till date, chemical data on the food value of chaku is still lacking; but based on the ingredients used, it can be said that the product is very nutritious and energy dense. It is a rich source of carbs, vitamins (biotin) and minerals. Its nutritional profile can be expected to be similar to jaggery or molasses, and it is a rich source of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, folic acid and B-complex vitamins.

The sensory attribute of chaku is very appealing. It is sweet to the taste, has a dark brown colour and is chewy in texture. However, it does not have as delicate a flavor as molasses, and is somewhat darker in colour. Besides, it is low in moisture and is shelf stable. Chaku has ample scope for commercialization in the Nepali market and abroad.

Meanwhile, due to lack of transfer and handing over to the future generation, many indigenous technologies are on the verge of extinction. Tokha chaku, which was once popular among Kathmanduites, is now believed to be extinct. Tokha is an ancient village which lies in the northern part of the Kathmandu valley. It is famed for the chaku that is produced here. In fact, chaku is its speciality like almost all the villages in the valley are specialised in making some product. Just as Khokana is famed for its oil and Thimi is known for its beaten rice, Tokha is where the best chaku comes from. Unfortunately, that may not be true anymore as traditional occupations are giving way to modern businesses.

For the commercialisation, value addition and quality improvement of chaku, an extensive study of its general composition, shelf life, marketability, eating quality and standardization is an essential requisite. Thus, proper research and development can upgrade such indigenous food products and make them more palatable besides adding value to them.