Assamese Cuisine

The Assamese cuisine is the popular cuisine of a huge state in the north-eastern part of India which is the Assam. It is the combination of different native Indian cooking styles which makes this cuisine very unique. Its regional variants and some exterior influences further added to the uniqueness of this cuisine.

The Assamese cuisine is marked by the use of limited flavourings and spices which have strong flavours. It extensively uses exotic herbs, vegetables and fruits that are fresh, fermented or dried. Fish is also widely used, and birds, such as pigeon and duck, are quite popular as well. The preparation is a bit complex.

An Assamese meal starts with a dish called khar and concludes with a dish named tenga (a bitter dish). An aboriginal village in Assam called Mariya has an industry of making bell metal kitchen utensils which the region widely uses at the dining tables. Betel nut (tamul) and paan (a palate cleaner) normally ends Assamese meals.

The local ingredients of Assam are the strong features of the Assamese cuisine, particularly since this cuisine attempts to conserve the innate flavours and involves processes like fermentation and drying.

The most significant ingredient in Assamese cuisines is rice. It is prepared in many ways. It may be crushed and roasted (xandoh), puffed (akhoi), or boiled with its husk and trampled (chira). Every Assamese meal is accompanied with rice. A usual breakfast comprises chira, jaggery (unrefined sugar) and yoghourt. Other main meals contain boiled rice, steamed or roasted inside bed wrappings. A special type of rice preparation is called the pithas (rice made into pancakes or rice cakes) is served during special occasions.

There is huge diversity of rice in Assam. Some varieties of rice cultivated in Assam include the japonica and indica.

The fish is the second most essential ingredient of Assamese cuisine, which is why there are many fisheries in the region. The most common fish dish is called the tenga, a vital part of a complete Assamese meal. A very widespread variation of fish dish is the one prepared with tomatoes, while ones cooked with kajinemu (elongated lemon) are also common.

The beef and pork dishes are a favourite among the Assamese tribes. In Assamese cuisines, boiling is the primary way of cooking these meats. Bodos, one of the tribes, has a complete meal called the onla. It is a meat dish prepared with special herbs and ground rice. Other popular meats being used are duck, chicken, turtle, mutton squab and venison, though turtle and venison meats are prohibited by the law.

The Assam has a huge and rich vegetation, thus vegetables play an important role in the region’s cuisine. One of which is the xaak, a green vegetable mainly consumed according to tradition during the Rogali Bihu festival. Some of them are cultivated, while others simply grow in the wilds such as dhekia (fern).

mong the popular spices in Assamese cuisines are ginger, onion, garlic, cumin seed, black pepper, black cumin, chilli, cinnamon, turmeric, anis seed, coriander seed, cardamom, fenugreek seed, clove, white mustard seed and Malabar leaf