Friday, February 4, 2011

Cuisines of North East India

Assamese Cuisine
Assamese food is mainly based on rice and fish. For dessert, or for those with a sweet tooth, there is a wide range in "pithas" (cakes).

Rice is the staple diet in Assam and is eaten in various forms throughout the day. The Assamese eat a huge variety of rice-based breakfast cereals with milk, yoghurt or thick cream­akhoi (puffed rice), chira (chura), muri, komal chaul (a specially processed rice which doesn’t require cooking but just an hour’s soak in cold water) and hurum to name but a few. Normally jaggery or sugar is added but for those who prefer savoury items, salt can be added. Also there are the various kinds of pitha that are prepared from rice powder.

Authentic Assamese cuisine is bland and yet very delicious. Very little oil is used and practically no spices. All Assamese people are non-vegetarian. Chicken is taboo in orthodox families and there are some, who may not eat meat. But it’s difficult to find anyone who does not eat fish and duck’s eggs. Mustard oil is used for cooking and occasionally clarified butter or ghee.

Arunachali Cuisine
Traditional north-east delicacies, Chinese food and local food are available here. Poeple here generally take non-vegetarian diets. Most of their cuisines include non-vegetarian meals. Apong (local drinks made from rice or millet) is also take by the people here.

Manipuri Cuisine
The traditional Manipuri fine dining was a literally 'sit-down' affair with banana-leaf plates. Their love for rice can be seen in every household here. Some take rice with meat, and some others prefer a fish delicacy along with the main dish. In fact Kabok, a traditional speciality, is mostly fried rice with a world of vegetables added in. The Iromba, an eclectic combination of fish, vegetables and bamboo shoots is served fermented.

Meghalayan Cuisine
The Meghalayan cuisine is heavily tilted in favour of meat, particularly pork. Jadoh - a spicy dish of rice and pork is eaten almost any time. Besides, the local pork delicacies cooked Khasi-style, Shillong is also the Mecca of authentic Chinese food. Kyat, the local brew made from rice, adds zing to all the local celebrations. You can taste it at any of the bars spread all over Shillong Meghalaya.

Mizoram Cuisine
The people of Mizoram are basically non-vegetarian and love meat. The food is not spicy and is cooked in such a way that the nutritive value is actually retained. The locally made wine is a great favourite. "Zu" (tea) is a popular drink. Both men and women are fond of smoking.

Sikkimese CuisineSikkimese Cuisine
Sikkim has its own unique dietary culture with specific cuisine and food recipes. You can get a variety of food in Sikkim, but specialities like the Tibetan Thupka and Momos are very popular here. A beverage to be sampled is the local 'Tchang', a beer made of millet and served in a bamboo mug. You can find this at small restaurants serving Sikkimese cuisine.

Sikkimese are essentially rice-eaters. Alcoholic drinks are popular both amongst men and women. Various traditional fermented foods and beverages is very common. Beef eating is common amongst the Bhutias. Some of the common traditional cuisine with their food recipes are - Momos, Gya Thuk or Thukpa, Ningro with Churpi, Gundruk, Phagshapa, Sael Roti.

Tripuri Cuisine
The large Bengali community in Tripura makes for a non-vegetarian favoured cuisine, with fish being an integral part of the menu. Most of the household here serves authentic Bengali delicacies.

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