Feast from the East

Catch a dog, kill it, roast and eat it,'' and what you have is a North-east delicacy, a friend once remarked jovially. Of course, food ...

8220;Catch a dog, kill it, roast and eat it,8221; and what you have is a North-east delicacy, a friend once remarked jovially. Of course, food from the North-east is much more than just dog8217;s meat 8212; it boasts of its own exotic delicacies which are not a part of mainstream menus, but that8217;s more to do with lack of marketing than inadequacies in the cuisine itself. Due to lack of interaction with the rest of the world, these delicacies continue to be cooked, prepared, consumed and appreciated within the confinement of their area. From roasted meat to plain boiled food to subtly crafted delicacies, all these are characteristic features of the North-east.

The food is recommended for calorie-watchers, as it is nutritious, digestible and mainly non-fattening. Like any cuisine, it has its own distinct style, and it8217;s really a pity that food-lovers in the city can8217;t enjoy North-eastern delights except at the few stalls in Dilli Haat. And though the stalls at Dilli Haat at least house the cuisine, due to lack of ingredients required in preparing most dishes, the food here lacks that authentic taste. What is on offer at Dilli Haat is just a small sample of the North-east8217;s wide variety of cuisines. Back home, the food is usually served in plantain leaves, but at the stalls, you will have to make do with plates, which somehow tend to lessen the the real flavour. But something is better than nothing at all, and you are advised to try the fare just for a change from the usual Chinese and North Indian cuisines, if nothing else.

When trying these delicacies, you will realise that most of them have a strong Oriental base, but nevertheless boast of flavour that are uniquely Northeastern. Bamboo shoot and black mushrooms are common ingredients in almost all items. In fact, bamboo shoot is used in everything from a mouth-watering pork curry to a vegetarian chutney as a distinct flavour enhancing ingredient. If South Indian food turns to coconut for garnish and seasoning, the Northeast has its indigenously developed ingredients, known in different dialects as ngari, akhuni or in English, dried fish or fermented soya bean. This is an essential ingredient for preparing chutney, which is available at Dilli Haat in the Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram stalls.

There is, however, one word of warning for those who like their food well-spiced: on the whole, North-east delicacies are simple to the point of being bland and are cooked without oil or masalas. The most you8217;ll get as a concession to spices is perhaps the flavour of ginger or garlic. Chilli, though, is used in abundance in most dishes.

The Nagaland stall serves Naga Thali which, over the years, has become a popular dish among many North Indians. For Rs 50, you can try the Pork Thali served with plain steamed rice, dal not cooked in the North Indian style 8212; it8217;s less spicy, pork curry and a hot chutney prepared with smashed green chillies and fermented dry fish. A Chicken Thali comes for Rs 55, again served with plain steamed rice, dal and chutney. Another dish worth trying is Pork Bamboo. This is prepared without any oil, simply boiled with tender bamboo shoots, garnished with garlic, ginger and chopped chilli and pieces of dried yam leaves which are brought from Nagaland.

Do try out the Manipur Thali, priced at Rs 45, which is served with a combination of Ironba smashed potatos with chilli, fermented fish and some leaves which are brought from Manipur, Ooti peas cooked in soda, Bora something like a pakora and deep fried fish in a typical Manipuri style. Along with this is a complimentary dessert, black rice kheer. This black rice brought from Manipur is unlike any other rice, slightly sticky and special. A frozen fish curry called Ngaren, marinated with different herbs like ginger, garlic, onion and chilly, fried with thick gravy and kept over night to freeze and served the next day with hot steamed rice is simply delicious. This is usually served on order.

The Bai at the Mizoram stall is worth trying out. With both vegetarian and non-vegetarian versions on offer, this simple dish is prepared with a mixture of green vegetables like brinjal, spinach, ginger, green chilly and bethu, a Mizo sauce made from fermented pork. Also, do try out Sawhchair, which North Indians are familiar with as Kekcheri. In the non-veggie version, the rice is cooked with green leaves and shredded chicken or pork. This may cost about Rs 70, but it is filling besides being delicious. If you are non-vegetarian, you must try the pork bamboo shoot served with plain steamed rice. Though the food here is prepared by a non-Mizo, Jimmy Lee, a Chinese from Nepal, the food is exceptional. In fact this is the only stall where you can even indulge in the Chinese specials.

The Arunachal stall serves mostly Chinese dishes like Thupa and Momos, and you8217;ll find very little 8212; or nothing 8212; from authentic Arunchali kitchens. If you really are in the mood, go for the Thupa.

At the Assam stall, the simple yet sumptuous meal of fish curry and dal is recommended.