4 Traditional Food Items From The Plates Of North East Indians

Did You Know About These Food Items North East Indians Live By?

  The lovely North East India has been a little underestimated when it comes to food. The contiguous seven sisters and the Himalayan State of Sikkim have a world of their own when it comes to food habits. Though it still remains a fact that you need to develop a taste for the food which North East Indians relish. From Arunachal Pradesh to Meghalaya, from Mizoram to Nagaland, from Assam to Tripura and from Manipur to Sikkim, there is an exhaustive list of their kind of food and food habits. Let’s see if they sound familiar to you or you can relate to them.  

Bamboo Shoot

  So fresh and nutritious!!   This one stands to be an integral food item to be seen in the plates of the people of North East India. Bamboo Shoot is a highly nutritious ingredient easily available all across the North East India. So, you would see this being used in curries, chutneys or being made with Pork, chicken etc.  

Rice

  The ultimate rice beer   This one we all can figure out. Rice has always been very close to the hearts of almost all the North East Indians. In fact Rice being the staple crop and hence is their staple food . You would often notice rice being served with almost everything like chapatis are served in North India. Rice with meat, rice with chicken and the list goes on. In fact there is a whimsical drink served in Arunachal Pradesh which is a real refreshing one known as Apong, made from Rice. Another one that will leave you wanting for more is an utterly delicious dish called Khar. Made from raw papaya , few pulses and an ingredient of your choice. Just filter all of this with water through dry banana ashes to give an ultimate flavour. Serve it with steaming hot rice.  

Fish

  Something Fishy- Iromba   Fried or steamed, fish is loved by probably the entire non-vegetarian belt of North East Indians. Mixed with vegetables for a lovely stew or just cook it with a hint of bamboo shoot and you are simply going to love it. In Manipur, there is a great dish that is prepared from fermented fish and it is called Iromba. Isn’t it mouth-watering enough for a visit to a North Eastern restaurant soon?  

Pork

  The traditional Vawksa Rep made from smoked Pork   Whether it is Tripura or Assam, just like the above mentioned food items, this one is also a majorly loved one. Be it a smoked form or in a salad, Pork has won hearts and is a favourite one for the people here in North East India. You would be amazed to know that there is a pork brand Aarohan, from India which is a start up from non-other than North East India.   On that note, we’d like to quote Hippocrates - "Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food".