NAGALAND – Poshan Maah – 28 Days, 28 States
Nagaland, a state in the Northeast of India, is the 16th state of India with 16 different tribes. Though the 16 different tribes may have different cultures, ethnic dresses, and different languages, the official language unifies them as one.
Nagaland’s cuisine is usually clubbed under ‘North Eastern Cuisine’ with the rest of the seven sister states. But its cuisine stands out in terms of taste as well as variability, Naga cuisine is simple in its meal composition – indigenous red and other rice varieties are central to the diet and eaten either boiled or steamed accompanied by a meat dish of some kind (either fresh, smoked or dry), boiled vegetables (a simple soupy dish to neutralize fat from the meats and wash down the meal) and assorted condiments (largely fermented food and or chilli based) to spice things up. The complexity lies in the staggering diversity of ingredients. Rice, meat, fish, molluscs, crustaceans, arachnids, and a plethora of homegrown and foraged vegetables, dried, preserved, and fermented foods, indigenous herbs and spices are all available in their kitchen. Naga food is considered spicy due to their love for the most famous king chilly ( known as Raja Mircha in the North East).
Some of the popular dishes from the Naga cuisine have been listed here:
PORK WITH BAMBOO SHOOT: One of the most famous Nagaland food dishes is dry bamboo shoots cooked with pork. The pork is often quite fatty as they use huge chunks of pork instead of thin strips. To make this dish, the pork is fried with the Naga signature dry bamboo shoots and lots of chillies. The bamboo gives the pork a lovely aroma and unique flavour.
BOILED VEGETABLES:
With nearly every meal in Nagaland, there are a number of different boiled vegetables – most of the time cabbage, long beans, and melon. Vegetables are most commonly boiled without any seasoning.
The boiled vegetables accompany the meat and rice and also go with the different chili sauces. Boiled vegetables are a big part of Nagaland food.
BAMBOO STEAMED FISH: The fish is filled inside the bamboo tube along with a little bit of spice and allowed to be smoked over a fire. Once, the fish is cooked it is ready to be eaten. As you taste this dish you will feel a hint of bamboo flavour on your tongue, which makes it different and tasty.
BEANS MIX:
This healthy earthy mixture included beans, tomatoes, peas, cabbage, and all sort of other natural Nagaland ingredients. It is a delicious concoction that is not overly strong in flavour, but more of a garnish for rice and is intended to be eaten with other stronger chilli sauces and curries.
PUMPKIN OAMBAL: Pumpkin Oambal is a traditional chutney-like or side dish recipe from Nagaland cuisine. It is prepared from pumpkin and has a sweet and sour taste to it.
TOMATO CHUTNEY: Chutneys form an important part of the daily meal as not many spices are used in the main dishes. Tomato chutney is usually referred to as Naga Chutney. This oil-free chutney has a distinct smoky flavour coming from roasted tomatoes and green chillies. Boiled potato is sometimes mashed with burnt tomato and chilli. This mash is further seasoned with salt and garnished with available fresh herbs. Naga chutney is typically served with rice, boiled veggies, and meat.
Zutho is a famous rice beer that is made all over the North East especially famous in Nagaland and is the main source of enjoyment for the people.
There is no denying the fact that Nagaland has unique cuisine compared to other Indian states, the state provides a plethora of dishes that may look bland but are full of flavours. The Naga food has not been influenced much by other cuisines. As hunting is the favourite occupation of people, meat is an indispensable part of Naga cuisine. The Naga food is the same as it had been for ages, but the people have learnt to use spices in their cooking.
