When Cutlery Too is Food

Edible cutlery made from millets as an alternative to plastic cutlery is not only good for the environment, but also nutrition

- Naina Gautam

I once ordered millet bread (jowar roti) for lunch, but got delayed eating it. When millet bread turns cold, it becomes tough in its texture. Not wanting to waste the food, I broke it into spatula-like pieces and scooped the dal and curry. Deliberating on this later, I reasoned that if a two-dimensional spatula could work, why not three-dimensional, properly shaped cutlery," reminisces Narayana Peesapaty, the pioneer of edible cutlery in India and founder of Bakeys. 

Enthused by this idea, he quickly sprang into action, used conventional cutlery in his kitchen as molds. Making dough with flour was not a problem; making a sheet out of millet flour was a different challenge. This is because it does not bind well, sticks to the surface, and breaks.