Now that most of us are familiar with India’s growing love for all things hemp, we have seen a steady rise in hemp-based food and drink all across the country. Hemp Station in Calicut is the newest in a lineup of hemp-based cafés.
After two years of hard work and research, Chef Midhun and his partner Dr Subashish finally launched Hemp Station in May of this year. After their successful launch of Pupa Bags in 2021, Midhun focused all his efforts on creating a recipe for hemp seed milk that tasted great, and that would hold up as a better alternative to cow milk and other plant-based milk. Their hemp seed milk and food products also conform to the FSSAI standards for hemp seeds, introduced in November 2021. In the few months that they have been open, they have received a warm and accepting response from the people of Calicut. However, their journey has not been one without struggle. Midhun says that they faced some backlash prior to opening the cafe, due to the stigma around cannabis in Kerala. In Malayalam, the word for hemp and cannabis is the same—kanjav—which caused some confusion.
Serving up delicious milkshakes which use the superfood hemp seeds, these are probably the healthiest milkshakes you would find anywhere. Hemp milk does not cause mind-altering effects like marijuana does, though both are derived from the same Cannabis Sativa plant. Hemp milk is a great plant-based alternative to cow’s milk, giving your drinks an earthy, nutty flavour. It is also considered healthier than other plant-based milk, with it being low in calories and protein, and high in polyunsaturated fats. Because it contains all essential amino acids that we need from food, it is also a completely plant-based protein, making it easy to digest. It is also naturally free from lactose, soy, and gluten, making it perfect for people with lactose intolerance, gluten allergies, or celiac disease.
For the owners of the cafe, educating people about hemp seed, and spreading awareness about it is a priority, so they can lessen the stigma around their hemp seed milkshakes. They also plan to launch a café menu very soon, with hemp seed-infused food like salads and sandwiches. For now, they also serve momos and spring rolls with hemp seed-infused dips.
If you can’t make it to Calicut for this hemp seed menu, visit them at their upcoming locations in Trivandrum and Kochi instead! They are open from 11 am to 11 pm, all days of the week, and they are also available on all major food delivery platforms.
You can also check them out here https://www.instagram.com/hempstationcalicut/
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