Photo Credit: Pongkhi Pegu

Assam, the North-Eastern sentinel of the frontiers of India, is a state richly endowed with places of tourist attraction. It also boasts of a food palette that is quite different from the rest of India, with the food being mild and less spicy (me thinking how I'll survive in Pune with its spicy food😢😢). Infact, the whole of north eastern cuisine uses fewer spices or masalas and more of fresh vegetables, green leafy vegetables, lots of herbs and grains. Even though some dishes of Assam are already quite popular, like the pitha and pork made with bamboo shoots but it would be wrong of us to identify Assam with only those said dishes. So here's a list of Assamese dishes you should try once you visit Assam or visit an Assamese restaurant anywhere in the world. 

1) Doi sira (Flattened rice with curd )

An Assamese breakfast, made using soaked flattened rice and served with curd, jaggery, bananas and cream too sometimes. It is a must-have delicacy during the Bihus and also served to guests whenever they visit which kind of makes this dish a special one. Spend a night in Assam and make sure to have this as breakfast the next day. Will keep you full for hours. 


2) Masor Tenga (Sour fish curry)

This dish is something which we make sure to serve to every guest who visits our home. It's a simple, home-style, Assamese fish curry made with tomatoes and served with steamed rice. 'Tenga' which is the Assamese word for sour is the main flavour of the curry. The other souring ingredients apart from tomatoes used for making masor tenga are lemon juice,  thekera (dried garcinia pedunculata), ou tenga (elephant apple), kon bilahi (cherry tomatoes) etc. It is a very soothing curry in this summer heat. 


3) Kumura dia haah (Duck made with ash gourd)

No Assamese feast, especially the ones in winter is complete without kumura dia haah. Duck meat is prepared with a special type of ash gourd which is called "joha kumura". It is one of the few dishes which is heavily spiced gravy filled with greasy fats secreted by the duck. Also, one can replace ash gourd with potato and cook the curry. 

However, you should not consume Duck curry much if you suffer from high blood pressure especially in the summer.


4) Poita Bhaat (Fermented Rice)

It is a dish made with fermented rice served with mashed potato, a pinch of salt, and chillies and a tablespoon of indigenous mustard oil. The dish is also known as "Simple Man's Food". Eat this dish on a hot summer day, lay down and you're off to sleep within minutes.


5) Kol Posola ( Banana stem fry)

Kol Posola as known to the Assamese people of North-East of India is a very nutritious and medicinal rich item to be consumed made with banana stem. The tender inner of the stem is cut into small pieces. Initially, oil is heated and onions along with garlic, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds are fried in oil. When the seeds crackle the cut pieces are put into the kadhai(utensil). All the ingredients are fried well. A little hot water is poured into the kadhai so that the contents get cooked easily. The kadhai is covered and put to simmer. And once the water evaporates the dish is ready. Sometimes gram seeds are also added to enhance the taste. It is also a healthy dish very high in potassium,iron and vitamin B6.


6) Til diya chicken ( Chicken with black sesame seeds)

A flavorful dark coloured gravy made with black sesame seeds, this is one of my favourite chicken dishes. It is cooked as we would generally cook a normal chicken potato gravy, just that sesame seeds paste is added towards the latter part of cooking. The nutty flavour of the seeds gives this chicken dish its unique flavour and black colour. 


7) Kothal guti pitika (Mashed Jackfruit Seeds)

This is roasted jackfruit seeds which are then mixed with pink onions. green chillies and a dash of mustard oil. It also goes very well with the above said recipe Poita bhaat. 


8) Apong ( Rice Beer) 

Prepared by the Mising tribe of Assam, this is an alcoholic drink prepared by the fermentation of rice and rice straw which leaves a dark brown color to the drink. It is sometimes also used for medicinal purposes and also cools down body heat. Your trip to Assam will probably remain incomplete without a glass of Apong. 


So, there you have it. Some of the dishes worth trying when you visit this beautiful place. The place has some indigenous fruits and vegetables which you have probably never heard of and dishes are made out of those. Different tribes residing here have their own traditional recipes. So these are just a few from among the hundreds of other dishes. 💝💝


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