Going far east

Look up Tripuri cuisine online and you wonrsquot find anything more than the usual copypasted pages on websites echoing the same information alongside a handful of bloggers trying to document the cuisine Tripuri cuisine is a culinary wilderness that needs to be represented more in mainland India Chef Shemphang Khonglah lecturer at IIHM International Institute of Hotel Management Shillong explains ldquoThatrsquos true of many cuisines of the North East and more so of Tripura perhaps because there isnrsquot an IIHM there I also feel it is important to include the cuisines of the North East in the syllabus at hotel management colleges to make it more inclusive We have chefs from here who can make the meanest Kashmiri dum aloo or Bihari litti chokha but they arenrsquot making dishes from their hometown for the masses so that must changerdquoSpicy fish curry and Angui and BhartaRecognised as an independent state in 1972 most people are ethnically linguistically and culturally of TibetoBurmese origin and their cuisine is similar to Burmese cooking with minor influences from Cambodia Unlike other states their royal cuisine isnrsquot too different from the food of the masses This can be credited to the statersquos lack of a caste system Journalistturnedpolitician Pradyot Manikya Debbarma scion of the erstwhile Tripura royal family is famous for his culinary fascination and love for bhaat a sticky rice variety along with wahan mos deng a pork dish cooked with ginger onions and mustard oil The cultural significance of Tripuri cuisine lies in its ability to bridge the gap between the royal and common folk reflecting the statersquos egalitarian valuesSunday midday reached out to Namita Debbarma a YouTuber from Khowai a city on the banks of river Khowai On her channel Namitarsquos Rural Cooking she showcases different village recipes and traditional dishes especially tribal cuisine ldquoCooking is one of the greatest gifts you can give to those you loverdquo says Debbarma adding ldquoOur cuisine reflects the organic lifestyle and evolving cultural trend timed with jhum cultivation shifting cultivation an indigenous practice where the tribal farmers of hilly regions cultivate a crop of land temporarily and then give it up to natural forestation moving on to another plot Our cuisine prepares the fish found in the many rivers and lakes of the state in different waysmdashsmoked dried or cooked with different spices and herbs like turmeric and chillies One of our most popular dishes is mui borok smoked fish and vegetables chakhao kheer black rice pudding and bamboo shoots fryrdquoTripuri Rice BrewWhile there are several similarities between Tripuri cuisine and other northeastern cuisines the former is primarily mild in flavour not very spicy and has a generous use of ginger and garlic ldquoTripuri tribal communities use a variety of fermented fish and vegetables which brings an umami flavour a distinct quintessentially Tripuri taste Tripura borders Bangladesh from where we get our supply of fermented fish We use banana flowersmdashleaves and stemsmdashin various stews curries and even fritters Muya awandru that contains bamboo shoots rice flour and berma fermented fish is also very popularDebbarma thinks that the limited availability of local ingredients lack of awareness cultural differences and geographical isolation are the reasons Tripuri cuisine is not revered across India ldquoFor a state still in the process of reclaiming its rich history and customs sadly our people are not so keen on sharing awareness about the cuisine through social media and that restricts informationrdquoDiptanu SarkarDiptanu Sarkar a BTech student from Agartala and a passionate food blogger shares Tripuri recipes on Instagram ldquoOur food is very organicrdquo he says ldquowe use only local vegetables herbs and spices and not too many condiments We let the produce shine Several cuisines influence Tripuri cuisine including Bengali Assamese and Bangladeshi Migrants from East Bengal have coexisted with the local people lending the occasional use of dals and spices and local fish such as catfish koi and pool barb tilapia Different types of edible bamboomdashwathwi barak muli bamboo and wandalmdashgrow in our backyards Their young tender shoots are very high in nutrition and they add more food value if cooked with other protein supplements so they are staplerdquoHe says the cuisine relies heavily on the statersquos rich floral diversity where edible plants grow wild Since recipes rely so heavily on local ingredients it isnrsquot easy to recreate the flavours outside the state ldquoOur food is an acquired taste and may not be for everyonerdquo he adds ldquoSince everything has berma fermented or dried fish there arenrsquot many vegetarian options either Itrsquos disheartening but not surprising that not many know where Tripura is situatedmdashit is geographically a remote areardquoPork saladRice especially sticky red variety is a staple found in various formsmdashsteamed cake and flour Pork is a popular choice of meat and pork rearing has been a common household practice for years Yoursquoll find a lot of pork curry pork bharta and pork barbecue Sarkar tells us about berma an irreplaceable ingredient in Tripuri cuisine ldquoBerma paste is made from fermented or dried fish and adds a unique flavourrdquo he says Everyday meals include berma bwtwi moringa leaves stew with fermented fish gudok a vegetable mash with berma quite like Manipuri Eromba mosodeng pork and roasted chilli salad muya gudok bamboo shoots and fermented fish muya awandru bamboo shoots rice flour and berma mui borok smoked fish and local vegetables and soboi bwtwi beans berma green chillis Awanbangwi special cake made using lairubanana leaves and awan songran steamed sticky rice are made occasionally as desertFor special meals there is mosdeng made with boiled chicken or pork paired with smoked green chilli ginger and onion spicy fish curry and country chicken curry These are preferred with bangwi rice cones made with aromatic sticky rice that is filled in lairu or banana leaves and steamed to perfectionAwan bangwiSteamed sticky rice conesINGREDIENTS1 kg sticky riceSalt as required 3 medium onion15inch gingeHalf coconut4 tbsp ghee1 carrot optional150 gm green peas optional15 gm raisins20 gm cashewsA few lairu or banana LeavesSome bamboo fibre to wrap and tieMETHODSoak the rice for 45 hours in water Mix in chopped ginger and halved cashews with rice Add ghee and give it a good mix Add the optional ingredients Take one leaf of lairu and make a cone keeping the leafrsquos end part inside With the help of a spoon pour mixed rice into a cone and fill 45 of the cone Fold down the upper end of the leaf and tie around it with bamboo fibre Cover and boil it in a big container until cooked draining the water out Then peel off the leaves and serve the bangwi warm or hot Additionally you can roast the cooked bangwi on a grill till it turns light brown and then peel off the leaves to serve hotTohan mosdengChicken bhartaIngredients500 gms boneless chicken in small cube1 inch ginger4 green chillies1 onion slicedLemon zestCorrianderMethodBoil chicken with ginger and salt on high flame for 20 minutes Smoke 45 green chillies on an open flame add chopped ginger and salt in a mortar and pestle and make a fine paste Add this to the boiled chicken along with the sliced onion Mix well garnish with chopped coriander and add grated lemon zestMulai shikamuk awandruRadish snails with fermented fish and rice flourINGREDIENTS1 kg radish500 gm snails67 fermented fish10 to 15 green chillies 3 tbsp rice flourSalt to tasteA few parsley leaves for garnishMETHODBoil the thinly sliced bamboo shoots in a cooking pot for 1520 minutes Drain then boil again along with the finely washed snails and all the other ingredients Cook for 20 minutes Then add the rice flour paste stirring continuously to avoid lumps Cook for another five minutes until you attain a slightly thick gravy Garnish with parsley leaves Serve it hotChak hao kheerBlack rice puddingINGREDIENTS400 gms black rice2 cups milk3 cardamom2 bay leaf1 cinnamon34 cup sugar2tbsp coconut pulpMETHODSoak black rice for 15 minutes Boil milk until it is reduced to half Add the water from the soaked rice cardamom bay leaf and cinnamon and mix Add chopped coconut pulp and sugar Then add the soaked rice Boil until the rice is finely cooked Garnish with dry fruits nuts and raisins