Meghalayan cuisine is the Indigenous cuisine of the people 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 ...

Meghalaya Meghalaya (; "the abode of clouds") is a states and union territories of India, state in northeast India. Its capital is Shillong. Meghalaya was formed on 21 January 1972 by carving out two districts from the Assam: the United Khasi Hills an ...

, namely the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia tribes, as well as the migrant Gurkha population.

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 staple carbohydrate, and is couple with foraged vegetables, and fermented dishes. Previously,

millet Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most millets belong to the tribe Paniceae. Millets are important crops in the Semi-arid climate, ...

was also widely consumed by the people. Many of the Indigenous dishes are now recognised by the Slow Food movement, and are part of

Ark of Taste The Ark of Taste is an international catalogue of endangered heritage foods which is maintained by the global Slow Food movement. The Ark is designed to preserve at-risk foods that are sustainably produced, unique in taste, and part of a distin ...

catalogue. British colonialism introduced

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 ...

mainly to feed its bureaucracy and military. Since then, it has gradually become an important part of the cuisine. It also gave rise to a flourishing baking culture with breads, cookies, and cakes now a tea-time favourites.

Regional cuisines

There are three primary culinary regions in Meghalaya based on tribal population. Rice is the primary carbohydrate in all three regions, though millet was widely used before. Today, millet has become a heritage crop. Colonial influence is strongly witnessed especially in the Khasi areas in the centre. Shillong as the colonial capital for the bureaucracy, military, and administration of

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 ...

covering almost the entire

Northeast India Northeast India, officially the North Eastern Region (NER), is the easternmost region of India representing both a geographic and political Administrative divisions of India, administrative division of the country. It comprises eight States and ...

made it a culinary hub of unique colonial food culture.

Khasi

* Jadoh, a rice and meat preparation. * Tungrymbai, fermented soybeans. * Dohkhlieh, pork salad. * Tungtap, fermented fish. * Dohjem, pork in sesame seeds. * Syrwa Tit Tung, wild mushroom soup. * Doh Masi Khleh, beef salad. * Syiar Nei-iong, chicken curry with black sesame.

New dishes

* Muli Khleh, radish with perilla seeds. * Shana Nei-iong, black beans in sesame.

Beverages

* Cha khoo, Jaintia rice concoction that yields a beverage similar to tea but leaves a bland coffee taste. * Sha shiahkrot, Khasi tea that is derived when a root of the creeper Shiahkrot ( Smilax ferox) is boiled.

References

Indigenous cuisine Indian cuisine by state or union territory Northeast Indian cuisine

Cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, List of cooking techniques, techniques and Dish (food), dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, ...

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