Assamese cuisine is the cuisine of the

Indian state India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, for a total of 36 subnational entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into 800 districts and smaller administrative divisions by the respe ...

Assam Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...

. It is a style of cooking that is a confluence of cooking habits of the hills that favour

fermentation Fermentation is a type of anaerobic metabolism which harnesses the redox potential of the reactants to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and organic end products. Organic molecules, such as glucose or other sugars, are catabolized and reduce ...

and

drying Drying is a mass transfer process consisting of the removal of water or another solvent by evaporation from a solid, semi-solid or liquid. This process is often used as a final production step before selling or packaging products. To be consider ...

as forms of preservation and those from the plains that provide extremely wide variety of fresh vegetables and greens, and an abundance of fish and meat. Both are centred on the main ingredient — rice. It is a mixture of different indigenous styles with considerable regional variations and some external influences. The traditional way of cooking and the cuisine of Assam is very similar to South-East Asian countries such as

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...

(Myanmar) and others. The cuisine is characterized by very little use of spices, little cooking over fire, and strong flavours due mainly to the use of endemic exotic fruits and vegetables that are either fresh, dried or fermented. Fish is widely used, and birds like

duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family (biology), family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and goose, geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfam ...

, pigeon, squab, etc. are very popular, which are often paired with a main vegetable or ingredient;

beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...

used to be eaten before British

colonialism Colonialism is the control of another territory, natural resources and people by a foreign group. Colonizers control the political and tribal power of the colonised territory. While frequently an Imperialism, imperialist project, colonialism c ...

, and some continue to do so. Preparations are rarely elaborate. The practice of bhuna, the gentle frying of spices before the addition of the main ingredients so common in Indian cooking, is absent in the cuisine of Assam. The preferred oil for cooking is the pungent mustard oil. A traditional meal in Assam begins with a ''khar'', a class of dishes named after the main ingredient. Another very common dish is ''tenga'', a sour dish. Traditionally, both ''khar'' and ''tenga'' are not eaten together in the same meal, though it has become common lately. The food is usually served in bell metal utensils made by an indigenous community called ''Mariya''. ''Tamul'' (

betel nut The areca nut ( or ) or betel nut () is the fruit of the areca palm ('' Areca catechu''). The palm is originally native to the Philippines, but was carried widely through the tropics by the Austronesian migrations and trade since at least 1 ...

, raw or fermented) and ''

paan Betel nut chewing, also called betel quid chewing or areca nut chewing, is a practice in which areca nuts (also called "betel nuts") are chewed together with slaked lime and betel leaves for their stimulant and narcotic effects, the prima ...

'' generally conclude the meal. Though still obscure, this cuisine has seen wider notice in recent times. The discovery of this cuisine in the popular media continues, with the presenters yet to settle on the language and the specific distinctiveness to describe it.

Ingredients

Rice

Rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

is the most important ingredient in this cuisine. The diversity of rice grown in the region has led to speculation that the grain was first domesticated in the Assam-

Yunnan Yunnan; is an inland Provinces of China, province in Southwestern China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 47.2 million (as of 2020). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the Chinese provinces ...

region. Both the indica as well as the japonica varieties are grown in Assam. The most popular class of rice is the ''joha'' or scented rice. As a staple, rice is eaten either steam boiled (''ukhua'') or sundried (''aaroi''). Some very high quality rice varieties, ''Karaballam'' or ''kauribadam'' etc., are available in Assam only. Rice is eaten as a snack in many forms: roasted and ground (''xandoh''), boiled in its husk and flattened ('' chira''), puffed (''akhoi''). ''Kumol saul'' is rice that is precooked, dried and then husked; it can be simply soaked in warm water and eaten as a light meal. Rice is a part of all meals in Assam. A traditional breakfast consists of ''chira'' with

yogurt Yogurt (; , from , ; also spelled yoghurt, yogourt or yoghourt) is a food produced by bacterial Fermentation (food), fermentation of milk. Fermentation of sugars in the milk by these bacteria produces lactic acid, which acts on milk protein to ...

and

jaggery Jaggery is a List of unrefined sweeteners, traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, North America, Central America, Brazil and Africa. It is a concentrated product of Sugarcane juice, cane jui ...

. Typically, farmers eat cooked rice soaked overnight (''poita'') simply accompanied with salt,

mustard oil Mustard oil can mean either the pressed oil used for cooking or a pungent essential oil, also known as volatile oil, of the mustard plant. The essential oil results from grinding mustard seed, mixing the grounds with water, and isolating the resu ...

onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' , from Latin ), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus '' Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classifie ...

s, etc. Snacks are ''xandoh'', ''kumol saul'' or ''boka saul'', sticky rice or bora saul, which can be eaten with sweet or salty accompaniments. For other major meals, rice could be boiled, steamed, or wrapped in leaves and roasted. 'Sunga Saul' is a special preparation in which (sticky) rice (''bora saul'') is cooked in bamboo hollows called 'sunga'. 'Sewa diya Bhaat' is another preparation where sticky rice is steamed over boiling water. They are generally served with meat or fish. Sticky rice is also wrapped in leaves, usually plantain leaves or ''tora pat'', and dropped into boiling water to prepare 'tupula bhat'. A special class of rice preparations, called pithas are generally made only on special occasions like the Bihu. Made usually with soaked and ground glutinous rice ( bora saul), they could be fried in oil with a

sesame Sesame (; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a plant in the genus '' Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for ...

filling (''xutuli pitha''), roasted in young green bamboo over a slow fire ( sunga pitha) or baked and rolled over a hot plate with a filling (''kholasaporia pitha'').

Fish

The next most important ingredient is fish, harvested from the many rivers, ponds and lakes in the region. The extremely wet climate and the large numbers of water bodies has ensured that large varieties of fresh water fish are available in abundance in the valley. It is a staple item in the Assamese palate. There is no traditional ethnic community in Assam that does not eat fish. Most traditional rural households have their own ponds for

pisciculture Fish farming or pisciculture involves commercial animal husbandry, breeding of fish, most often for food, in fish tanks or artificial pen (enclosure), enclosures such as fish ponds. It is a particular type of aquaculture, which is the controlled ...

. Some of the most popular big fishes are the ''Borali'' (freshwater dhark), '' rou'', and ''cital'' (big), ''khoria'' (medium) ( Chitala chitala), '' maagur'', Xingi, '' borali'', ''bhokua'' or ''bahu'', '' Xaal'', '' Xol'', etc. The small varieties of fish available and eaten in Assam like ''puthi'' ( swamp barb), ''Ari'' (long-whiskered catfish), ''Goroi'' (green snake head/ spotted snake head), ''Koi'' or ''Kawoi'' (climbing perch ''Anabas testudineus''), ''Kholihona'' (Indian paradise fish ''Ctenops nobilis'') ''borolia'', ''mua'', ''ceniputhi'', ''tengera'', ''lachin'', ''bhangun'', ''pabho'', etc. The discerning gourmet can tell which region of Assam is known for which variety of fish. Pethia ticto

The ''mas tenga'' (sour fish), which is commonly eaten by most communities of Assam, has lately turned into a signature dish of Assamese cuisine. The most popular souring agent for the ''tenga'' is

tomatoes The tomato (, ), ''Solanum lycopersicum'', is a plant whose fruit is an edible berry that is eaten as a vegetable. The tomato is a member of the nightshade family that includes tobacco, potato, and chili peppers. It originated from and was d ...

, though ones made with '' kajinemu'' juice (thick skinned elongated

lemon The lemon (''Citrus'' × ''limon'') is a species of small evergreen tree in the ''Citrus'' genus of the flowering plant family Rutaceae. A true lemon is a hybrid of the citron and the bitter orange. Its origins are uncertain, but some ...

) and ''thekera'' (dried

mangosteen Mangosteen (''Garcinia mangostana''), also known as the purple mangosteen, is a tropical evergreen tree with edible fruit native to Island Southeast Asia, from the Malay Peninsula to Borneo. It has been cultivated extensively in tropical Asia ...

), Ou-tenga, Teteli, ''Kordoi Tenga'' (South-East Asian Starfruit), ''Tengamora''(Roselle leaves) are also popular. The most common way of eating fish in traditional Assamese homes is by preparing a stew with herbs, vegetables, and greens as per preference and availability. Fish is also prepared by roasting or char-grilling. A common favourite dish is a small fish roasted in banana leaves (''paatotdia''). ''Hukoti'' is a special fish dish prepared from dried small fish like (''puthi maas'') pounded with arum stem and dried and stored in bamboo tubes. Variations of this exist among the ethnic communities of northeast India in general and Assam in particular. Dried and fermented small fish ''puthy mas'' ( Ticto barb), three to four in number, are roasted with lavish amounts of green chilis, tomatoes,

ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of l ...

and

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, str ...

(all roasted). The ingredients are then pounded in a mortar to make a coarse paste and served with rice. Fish eggs and innards are also cooked and consumed. Petu bhoja (fried fish intestines) is also considered a delicacy along with the traditional Assamese Jal, which is an herbal fish curry made with medicinal herbs like bhedailota (Chinese fever vine), noroxingho (curry leaves), bon dhunia, man dhunia, manimuni (Asiatic Pennywort), tengesi leaves, and more. It is known for its rich flavour and medicinal and antioxidant qualities. *See als
Fish of Assam

Meat

The Assamese meat and fish dishes are characterized by a low amount of spices and oil, higher quantity of ginger, noroxinghow paat ( curry leaves), Khorisa (fermented bamboo shoot) and lemon juice, and differ completely in taste from the dishes of neighboring Bengal and are quite similar to the cuisines of nearby South-East Asian and East Asian countries.

Chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...

venison Venison refers primarily to the meat of deer (or antelope in South Africa). Venison can be used to refer to any part of the animal, so long as it is edible, including the internal organs. Venison, much like beef or pork, is categorized into spe ...

, squab,

mutton Lamb and mutton, collectively sheep meat (or sheepmeat) is one of the most common meats around the world, taken from the domestic sheep, ''Ovis aries'', and generally divided into lamb, from sheep in their first year, hogget, from sheep in thei ...

and

pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig animal husbandry, husbandry dating back to 8000–9000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooke ...

is very popular among the indigenous ethnic Assamese communities like Sonowals,

Bodo Bodo may refer to: Ethnicity * Boro people, also called ''Bodo'', an ethno-linguistic group mainly from Northwest Assam, India * Bodo-Kachari people, an umbrella group from Nepal, India and Bangladesh that includes the Boro people Culture an ...

, Rabha, Keot (Kaibarta), Ahom, Moran, Sutiya etc. Upper caste Assamese Hindus, such as Assamese Brahmins (including Ganaks) and Kayasthas of Assam, Kalitas of Lower Assam refrain from pork consumption.

Beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...

is occasionally consumed by Assamese Muslims, although they traditionally refrain from consuming pork. The

Christians A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...

, many indigenous Assamese communities, and the non religious sections consume all types of meat. The basic cooking methods include cooking, shallow and deep frying. ''Onla'', of the Bodos, is made with ground rice and special

herb Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typically distingu ...

s and constitutes a complete meal in itself. Other meats include squab,

chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...

goat meat Goat meat is the meat of the domestic goat (''Capra hircus''). The term 'goat meat' denotes meat of older animals, while meat from young goats is called 'kid meat'. In South Asian cuisine, goat meat is called mutton, along with sheep meat.''O ...

, and

turtle Turtles are reptiles of the order (biology), order Testudines, characterized by a special turtle shell, shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Crypt ...

although

and

meat are legally prohibited. The combination of

/ white gourd and squab/

papaya The papaya (, ), papaw, () or pawpaw () is the plant species ''Carica papaya'', one of the 21 accepted species in the genus '' Carica'' of the family Caricaceae, and also the name of its fruit. It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within ...

or banana flower is very popular. Meat is generally stewed using limited spices as well as a choice of herbs and vegetables. Most communities of Assam are entomophagous. Various indigenous ethnic groups of certain areas partake of the silkworm, water bugs, grasshoppers, and other insects. Insects are fried or cooked or roasted in leaves and then prepared according to the timing of the meal. The red ant eggs (''amroli poruar tup'') is considered a delicacy during the Rongali Bihu festival.

Green vegetables

The environs of

are rich in vegetation, and green leafy

vegetable Vegetables are edible parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. This original meaning is still commonly used, and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including edible flower, flo ...

s, called ''xaak'', are an important part of the cuisine. Some of them are grown while others like the ''dhekia'' (

fern The ferns (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta) are a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They differ from mosses by being vascular, i.e., having specialized tissue ...

) grows wild. There is a bewildering variety that is eaten and according to custom, one has to have 101 different ''xaak'' (greens) during Rongali Bihu. Herbs, greens, and vegetables are commonly eaten by simply cooking in water and salt, lightly frying, as a thick soup or by adding to varieties of lentils. They are also prepared in combination with fish, meat and eggs.

Spices of Assam

Among spices there are

, cumin seed, black cumin,

black pepper Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit (the peppercorn), which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in diameter ...

, chilli,

turmeric Turmeric (), or ''Curcuma longa'' (), is a flowering plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that requires temperatures between and high ...

, coriander seed,

cinnamon Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus ''Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, biscuits, b ...

cardamom Cardamom (), sometimes cardamon or cardamum, is a spice made from the seeds of several plants in the genus (biology), genera ''Elettaria'' and ''Amomum'' in the family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to the Indian subcontinent and Indon ...

clove Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, ''Syzygium aromaticum'' (). They are native to the Maluku Islands, or Moluccas, in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice, flavoring, or Aroma compound, fragrance in fin ...

, fenugreek seed, white mustard seed,

aniseed Anise (; '), also called aniseed or rarely anix, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia. The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices and herbs, ...

, Malabar leaf, etc. Some herbs peculiar to Assam are ''maan dhaniya'', ''moran Ada'', ''madhuhuleng'', ''bhedai lota'', ''manimuni'', ''masundari'', ''tengesi'', ''thekera'', ''kordoi'', ''outenga'', ''tengamora': ''etc. An Assamese meal is incomplete without green chilis, many varieties of which are available in the region. Assam is famous for the ''

bhut jolokia The ghost pepper, also known as ''bhut jolokia'' ( or 'Ghost pepper' in Assamese language, Assamese), is an interspecific hybrid chili pepper cultivated in Northeast India. It is a hybrid of ''Capsicum chinense'' and ''Capsicum frutescens''. In ...

or ''ghost pepper, which was recognized as the hottest chili in the world.'' Panch-furan'' (mixture of 5 spices) is used for adding flavour to Dail. Dail was not originally eaten by the indigenous people of Assam, but has slowly been adopted and adapted to local preferences due to external influences.

Preparations

Although the modern cuisine of Assam has been influenced to a small extent by East and North Indian cuisine,

is still rich in traditional dishes which are similar to the cuisines of East Asian and South-East Asian nations.

''Khar''

The khar is a signature class of preparations made with a key ingredient, also called khar. The traditional ingredient is made by filtering water through the ashes of the sun-dried skin of a few varieties of

banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large treelike herbaceous flowering plants in the genus '' Musa''. In some countries, cooking bananas are called plantains, distinguishing the ...

, which is then called ''kola khar'' (The name derived from the local term for banana, "kol" or "kola.") A traditional meal invariably begins with a ''khar'' dish, which can be prepared with raw

, mustard leaves, vegetables, pulses, fish or any other main ingredient. Xôkôta is a severely bitter type of preparation. It is prepared with dry

jute Jute ( ) is a long, rough, shiny bast fibre that can be Spinning (textiles), spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from flowering plants in the genus ''Corchorus'', of the mallow family Malvaceae. The primary source of the fiber is ...

leaf, urad bean and ''khar''. However, the combination of ''khar'' (alkaline) and ''tenga'' (acidic) is not recommended. The liquid khar is also simply eaten as ''kharoli'' with rice which is prepared by adding a few drops of mustard oil. Assamese people have a peculiar tradition of eating a large variety of bitter dishes, many of which are considered delicacies. Some dishes in this category include, ''fresh bamboo shoot'', cooked or lightly fried, ''cane shoot'', Neem leaves fried, ''titabhekuri'',

bitter gourd ''Momordica charantia'' (commonly called bitter melon, cerassee, goya, bitter apple, bitter gourd, bitter squash, balsam-pear, karela, karavila and many more names listed below) is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, w ...

, ''Xukuta'', ''Titaphool'', ''Sewali Phool'' etc.

''Masor tenga''

The ''masor tenga'' is a light and sour

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

dish, another signature class of preparations. There are numerous ways of preparing the sour fish curry among Assamese people. The souring ingredient could be

tomato The tomato (, ), ''Solanum lycopersicum'', is a plant whose fruit is an edible Berry (botany), berry that is eaten as a vegetable. The tomato is a member of the nightshade family that includes tobacco, potato, and chili peppers. It originate ...

es, roselle leaves, Outenga, Manimuni, Tengesi, etc. Another important ingredient is kokum. Fish dishes made with fermented bamboo shoot (khorisa) are generally sour, but they are not called ''tenga''. Fish is fried in

or stewed with

bottle gourd Calabash (; ''Lagenaria siceraria''), also known as bottle gourd, white-flowered gourd, long melon, birdhouse gourd, New Guinea bean, New Guinea butter bean, Tasmania bean, and opo squash, is a vine grown for its fruit. It can be either harvest ...

spinach Spinach (''Spinacia oleracea'') is a leafy green flowering plant native to Central Asia, Central and Western Asia. It is of the order Caryophyllales, family Amaranthaceae, subfamily Chenopodioideae. Its leaves are a common vegetable consumed eit ...

or boiled simply. Another ''tenga'' dish is prepared with ''matimah'' ( urad bean) and ''outenga'' ( elephant apple).

Bottle gourd Calabash (; ''Lagenaria siceraria''), also known as bottle gourd, white-flowered gourd, long melon, birdhouse gourd, New Guinea bean, New Guinea butter bean, Tasmania bean, and opo squash, is a vine grown for its fruit. It can be either harvest ...

can be added to it. ''Tengamora'' (

Roselle (plant) Roselle (''Hibiscus sabdariffa'') is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Hibiscus'' that is native to Africa, most likely West Africa. In the 16th and early 17th centuries it was spread to Asia and the West Indies, where it has since beco ...

) or ''noltenga'' ( Indian chestnut vine) and

lentil The lentil (''Vicia lens'' or ''Lens culinaris'') is an annual plant, annual legume grown for its Lens (geometry), lens-shaped edible seeds or ''pulses'', also called ''lentils''. It is about tall, and the seeds grow in Legume, pods, usually w ...

is a distinct ''tenga''

curry Curry is a dish with a sauce or gravy seasoned with spices, mainly derived from the interchange of Indian cuisine with European taste in food, starting with the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch and British, and then thoroughly internatio ...

Naraxingho masor jul

The ''naroxingho masor jul'' is another authentic dish from Assam.The fishes are cooked in a light gravy of curry leaves which is a common aromatic herb used in southern and some northern parts of India. The curry leaves are also known as noro-xingho paat in Assamese. The fish preparations in Assam emphasize on retaining the natural flavours of the fish, and hence, few spices are used.

''Pura''

Pura refers to various forms of grilled and roasted food. Vegetables, meat and fish are often served in this form. Aalu bengena pura pitika, pura maas pitika (mashed grilled fish), pura mankho etc. are a few of the popular dishes.

''Poitabhat''

''Poitabhat'' is a favourite dish in

during the summer season. Cooked rice is soaked overnight and left to ferment. It is and served with

, chili, pickles, ''pitika'' (mashes), etc. The 'poitabhat' preparation is sometimes made alcoholic according to preference.

''Pitika - পিটিকা''

Side dishes called ''pitika - পিটিকা'' (mashes) is a signature characteristic of this cuisine. The most popular is ''aloo pitika - আলু পিটিকা'' (mashed

potato The potato () is a starchy tuberous vegetable native to the Americas that is consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potatoes are underground stem tubers of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'', a perennial in the nightshade famil ...

es) garnished with raw

, green chillies and sometimes boiled eggs. ''Khorisa tenga'' is mashed fermented bamboo shoot, sometimes pickled in

and

spice In the culinary arts, a spice is any seed, fruit, root, Bark (botany), bark, or other plant substance in a form primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of pl ...

s. ''Kharoli'' is fermented mashed mustard (''Brassica campestris'' var. toria) seed to which a ''khar'' has been added, and ''kahudi'' to which an acidic agent (lemon juice, dried mangosteen) has been added. ''Pitika''s are also made from roasted or steamed vegetables (

es and

eggplant Eggplant (American English, US, Canadian English, CA, Australian English, AU, Philippine English, PH), aubergine (British English, UK, Hiberno English, IE, New Zealand English, NZ), brinjal (Indian English, IN, Singapore English, SG, Malays ...

s being very popular). Small fish, asiatic pennywort, ''matikaduri'', ''tengamora'' leaves, heartleaf, ''dôrôn'' (''Leucus longifolia''), etc. are roasted separately wrapped in banana leaves and mashed into 'pitika'.

Pickle

Pickles are made of

mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree '' Mangifera indica''. It originated from the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South and Southeast As ...

, indian gooseberry, hog plum, Indian olive,

Tamarind Tamarind (''Tamarindus indica'') is a Legume, leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is indigenous to tropical Africa and naturalized in Asia. The genus ''Tamarindus'' is monotypic taxon, monotypic, meaning that it contains only this spe ...

, star fruit,

radish The radish (''Raphanus sativus'') is a flowering plant in the mustard family, Brassicaceae. Its large taproot is commonly used as a root vegetable, although the entire plant is edible and its leaves are sometimes used as a leaf vegetable. Origina ...

carrot The carrot ('' Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in colour, though heirloom variants including purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild ...

, elephant apple, Indian jujube, chili, lime,

, etc. Panitenga and kharoli are signature Assamese pickles made from ground mustard seeds.

Chutney and salad

Chutney A chutney () is a spread typically associated with cuisines of the Indian subcontinent. Chutneys are made in a wide variety of forms, such as a tomato relish, a ground peanut garnish, yogurt, or curd, cucumber, spicy coconut, spicy onion ...

is made of

coriander Coriander (), whose leaves are known as cilantro () in the U.S. and parts of Canada, and dhania in parts of South Asia and Africa, is an annual plant, annual herb (''Coriandrum sativum'') in the family Apiaceae. Most people perceive the ...

, heartleaf, curry leaf, chilli,

chickpea The chickpea or chick pea (''Cicer arietinum'') is an annual plant, annual legume of the family (biology), family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae, cultivated for its edible seeds. Its different types are variously known as gram," Bengal gram, ga ...

etc. ''Xukan masor'' (chutney made of

dried fish Fresh fish rapidly deteriorates unless some way can be found to preserve it. Drying (food), Drying is a method of food preservation that works by removing water from the food, which inhibits the growth of microorganisms. Open air drying using sun ...

) is popular among the tribal communities.

Salad A salad is a dish consisting of mixed ingredients, frequently vegetables. They are typically served chilled or at room temperature, though some can be served warm. Condiments called '' salad dressings'', which exist in a variety of flavors, a ...

is made of

cucumber The cucumber (''Cucumis sativus'') is a widely-cultivated creeping vine plant in the family Cucurbitaceae that bears cylindrical to spherical fruits, which are used as culinary vegetables.beetroot The beetroot (British English) or beet (North American English) is the taproot portion of a ''Beta vulgaris'' subsp. ''vulgaris'' plant in the Conditiva Group. The plant is a root vegetable also known as the table beet, garden beet, dinner bee ...

, etc.

''Bor''

'Bor' are fried balls of mashed lentil or gram — it is equivalent to vada in few other Indian languages. It may contain other green leafy vegetable locally called 'xaak' within it, and it is best while served with 'teteli' (tamarind) curry or dip. There is a huge variety of 'bora' preparations in Assamese cuisine. The base ingredients include greens, vegetables, fruits, flowers, skin, and shoots of various plants. 'Bora' can also be prepared from fish eggs etc.

''Fritter''

Fritter A fritter is a portion of meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables, or other ingredients which have been Batter (cooking), battered or breading, breaded, or just a portion of dough without further ingredients, that is deep-frying, deep-fried. Fritters ar ...

is made of flower and tender leaves of

pumpkin A pumpkin is a cultivar, cultivated winter squash in the genus ''Cucurbita''. The term is most commonly applied to round, orange-colored squash varieties, but does not possess a scientific definition. It may be used in reference to many dif ...

, banana, tender leaves of

, tender leaves of night-flowering jasmine, etc. It is a new style of cooking somewhat having external influences.

Some other preparations

Some other preparations in Assamese cuisine include ''Kahudi'', ''Panitenga'', ''Khorikatdiya'', ''Tenga sorsoriya'', '' Posola'', etc.

Beer

Liquor is an integral part of linguistically and culturally diverse communities in Assamaese society. Rice is a primary ingredient for the many rice beers (''Nam-lao - নাম-লাও'') or (Laopani/Xaaj) and liquors made in Assam by different ethnic communities: ''zou'' (

), '' Aapong'' ( Mishing), ''Rohi (ৰহি)'' and ''Mod (মদ)'' ( Sonowal Kachari), ''Chuje'' ( Chutia), ''Nam-lao -নাম-লাও'' ( Tai-Ahom), ''Haj'' ( Tiwa), ''Hor'' ( Karbi), ''Photika - ফটিকা'' ( Kachari), etc.

Snacks and cakes

''Jolpan''

''Jolpan'' (snacks) in Assamese are often considered

breakfast Breakfast is the first meal of the day usually eaten in the morning. The word in English refers to breaking the fasting period of the previous night. Various "typical" or "traditional" breakfast menus exist, with food choices varying by regi ...

foods, although they are not always served as breakfast in Assamese cuisine. They are eaten as light meals between main meals and widely served during Bihu, weddings, Assamese ''shraadh''s or any other kind of special occasions and gatherings. Some types of jolpan are '' Bora saul'' (varieties of

sticky rice Sticky may refer to: Adhesion *Adhesion, the tendency of dissimilar particles or surfaces to cling to one another *Sticky mat, an adhesive mat used in cleanrooms to lessen contamination from footwear *Sticky note, a generic term for a Post-it Note ...

), '' Komal Saul'', ''Xandoh'', ''Chira'', ''Muri'', ''Akhoi'', Sunga saul, etc. eaten in combination with hot milk,

curd Curd is obtained by Denaturation (biochemistry), coagulating milk in a sequential process called curdling. It can be a final dairy product or the first stage in cheesemaking. The coagulation can be caused by adding rennet, a Kefir cheese, ...

or seasonal ripe fruits. These are probably some of the earliest forms of "cereals". Assamese people have been eating them mainly as breakfast for many centuries.

''Pitha''

''Pitha'' (rice cake) is a special class of rice preparation generally made only on occasions like Bhogali Bihu in Assam. Made usually with soaked and ground rice, they could be fried in oil, roasted over a slow fire or baked and rolled over a hot plate. Some pithas are '' Til Pitha'', '' Ghila Pitha'', ''Xutuli Pitha'', '' Sunga Pitha'', ''Bhapotdiya Pitha'', ''Lakhimi Pitha'', ''Tora Pitha'', '' Tekeli Pitha'', '' Deksi Pitha'', ''Muthiya Pitha'', ''Kholasapori Pitha'', etc. It is made in other areas of East and South-East Asia and has similarities with them rather than any Mainland Indian cuisine form etc.

''Laru''

Larus are sweet balls that are associated with traditional Assamese food: '' Laskara'', narikolor laru, '' tilor laru'' are often seen in Assamese cuisine.

Tea

Tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of '' Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of south-western China and nor ...

(''Saah'' in Assamese) is an indispensable part of Assamese cuisine. It is served in form of

Black tea Black tea (also literally translated as red tea from various East Asian languages) is a type of tea that is more tea processing, oxidized than oolong, yellow tea, yellow, white tea, white, and green tea, green teas. Black tea is generally st ...

Milk tea Milk tea refers to several forms of beverage found in many cultures, consisting of some combination of tea and milk. The term milk tea is used for both hot and cold drinks that can be combined with various kinds of milks and a variety of spices. ...

Herbal tea Herbal teas, technically known as herbal infusions, and less commonly called tisanes (UK and US , US also ), are beverages made from the infusion or decoction of herbs, spices, or other plant material in hot water. Often herb tea, or the plai ...

, Spiced tea, Green Tea, Lemon tea (adding lemon juice to black tea), etc. Most of the Assamese people like to drink laal saah(red tea).

Tamul

An Assamese meal is generally concluded with the chewing of ''Tamul'' (). Pieces of

Betel nut The areca nut ( or ) or betel nut () is the fruit of the areca palm ('' Areca catechu''). The palm is originally native to the Philippines, but was carried widely through the tropics by the Austronesian migrations and trade since at least 1 ...

(''Areca Catechu'') are eaten in combination with Betel leaf ('' Piper betle''), edible

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

and

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

. It is a routine item after every meal.

Notes

References

* Barbora, Sanjay (2006)
Who needs butter chicken? The search for (and the finding of) a proud Assamese tradition of food
'
Himal Magazine
November 2006. * * * * * Goswami, Prashanta (2004)
Assam: Feast Northeast
', Outlook Traveller, April 2004. * Goswami, Uddipana (2000)

'
Tehelka
. * * Saleh, Wahid (2007)

'
Indiawijzer
* {{Authority control Northeast Indian cuisine Indian cuisine by state or union territory