Ranchi, Jan. 5: Jharkhand's platter seems to have won over god's own country.

The state's indigenous food served a winning second at India Food Court, a national food festival hosted by the prestigious Kudumbashree Mission of the Kerala government, in Thiruvananthapuram from December 23, 2015, to January 2, 2016.

Café Kudumbashree in partnership with National Rural Livelihoods Mission and its state counterparts from Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Sikkim, held the gala affair where fafar roti, sol kadhi, ragi mudde and other traditional delicacies of India jostled for attention.

But, what was most striking for the 11-member Jharkhand team was to see visitors at the Putharikandam Grounds enjoying tribal snacks dhuska and rice peetha with gusto.

Many tried out steaming cups of munga and sarli soups after coming to know from Team Jharkhand that tribals have these to keep blood pressure in control. Pakodas and rotis with generous helpings of shredded methi leaves were also pop picks.

Jharkhand stood second, right behind Sikkim, when the rankings were announced.

"I was amazed people in another corner of our country loved our food," beamed Shanti Soy, a tribal chef from West Singhbhum and part of the 11-member state team at the food festival. "We kept prices reasonable at Rs 30 per plate or per cup. But, if something is affordable yet not tasty, people won't buy it. Visitors loved our food."

An elated Rajib Mohanty, who represents the Jharkhand chapter of Kudumbashree based in Ranchi, said: "It's a winning moment for tribal chefs from West Singhbhum, who run a catering service."

Kudumbashree in Jharkhand partners Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS), which works under the state government's rural development department.

Kumar Vikas, programme manager (communications) at the knowledge management and communication cell of JSLPS, agreed: "Our tribal chefs earned around Rs 80,000 from the sale of tribal cuisine at the food festival."

"It's a tasty start," JSLPS chief executive officer Paritosh Upadhyayaya, an IFS officer, said. "Micro-enterprises have the potential to change the face of the hinterland."

Kudumbashree's Mohanty, a rural management degree holder from XIM-Bhubaneswar, added they had launched pilot project in Ranchi, Pakur and West Singhbhum.

"There is no dearth of talent in the hinterland," Mohanty said.