Unravelling the hidden ethnic fermented treasure of the Himalayas - A review on the traditionally fermented beverages of the Northwest Indian Himalayan Region

Consumption of fermented foods has been an integral part of the human food resource since the beginning of civilization. For generations, the practice of preparing fermented food have remained the same with a very little alterations in the techniques. Throughout the globe people with different ethnicity are known to produce fermented alcoholic beverages using variety of substrates depending upon the abundance and availability of the substrate in the region. Majority of the traditional fermented beverages have socio-cultural values amongst the tribal communities who consumes them, not only these fermented beverages have deep rooted link to rituals but also are consumed for nutritive and therapeutic purpose. These drinks are not only rich in its texture, flavor and nutrition but also fortified with the goodness of probiotic microflora which plays an imperative role in enhancing the overall dietary profile of the drinks. The high-altitude geographical regions of India are well-known for the rich diversity of ethno-medicinal plants, the tribal communities residing on the higher planes utilizes a variety of these ethnomedicinal plants for the preparation of ethnic fermented drinks which in turn augments the therapeutic value of the drinks. The present review exchanges insight on the preparation of some well-recognized drinks of the three regions of the North-West Indian Himalayan region i.e., Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.