Each of the diverse ethnic groups of Arunachal Pradesh boast their own culinary traditions. But rice is the staple food and it is usually paired with meat and vegetable curries, in a daily meal.
Bamboo shoots, wild mushrooms, green leafy vegetables and herbs abound in this cuisine. The food is spicy and tangy, with pleanty of use of ginger, garlic and chilly peppers.
A few popular Arunachali specials include apong (rice beer), Pika Pila, a popular pickle made by the Apatani tribe using bamboo shoots and pork fat with an addition of king chillies.
Another spicy side dish eaten with rice is Lukter, made with cooked dry meat and chilly flakes. Fermented cheese made from yak’s milk lends itself to a famous curry called Chura Sabzi.
Thukpa is a noodle-based soup popular among the Monpa tribes of Arunachal Pradesh.
A variety of fermented foods like fish and meat, which add a unique sourness to the dishes, characterise this cuisine.
Koat Pitha made with rice flour, ripe bananas and jaggery is a preferred sweet.
Chef Rakesh Bhatt of Tawang's Vivanta introduced a delightful selection of Arunachali food at the hotel.
He recalls to Adrika Anand: "After months of experimentation and refinement, the team successfully introduced the Arunachali Platter. A curated selection of local delicacies, it was customised to suit varied palates while retaining their original essence."
"Our goal was to bring the soul of Arunachal's cuisine to the plate while ensuring it resonated with guests from all walks of life."
Chef Rakesh presents various unique recipes from this platter for you, Dear Reader.
Arunachali Platter
Kha Sha Pa or Chicken Stew
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
- 250 gm chicken, curry cut
- 2-3 cups water
- 10 gm ginger
- 10 gm onions, sliced
- 10 gm red/yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 20 gm yak cheese, available online
- 10 gm tomato, sliced
- 10 gm green Shimla mirchi or capsicum, julienned
- 10 gm fresh red chillies, chopped
- 10 gm garlic
- 10 gm fresh green dhania or coriander leaves or cilantro
- Salt to taste, 1½ tsp
Method
- Saute the chicken for few minutes in a frying pan over low heat, without adding oil.
Then add the water, ginger, garlic, onions, bell pepper, capsicum juliennes, tomatoes, fresh red chillies and increase to medium heat.
Then add the yak cheese, salt and bring to a boil.
Cook until the chicken is done, take off heat and finish with coriander leaves.
Khazi or Spicy Rice
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
- 10 gm chilly flakes
- 5 gm yar (please see the recipe for Yar Salad below)
- 10 gm yak cheese
- Water
- 20 gm spring onions
- 10 ml oil
- 250 gm steamed rice
- Salt to taste, about 1 tsp
Method
- In a pestle and mortar, add the yak cheese, chilly flakes, salt, yar and then add a bit of water and make a coarse paste.
Keep aside. - In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the spring onions and saute for few seconds.
Keep aside with the oil.
In a bowl, mix the sauteed spring onions with the steamed rice, mashed mixture and serve.
Chamin or King Chilly Chutney
Serves: 3-4
- 10 gm king chillies
- 10 gm yak cheese
- 5 gm yar (please see the recipe for Yar Salad below)
- 10 gm spring onions
- 10 ml oil
- Water
- Salt to taste, ½ tsp about
Method
- In a pestle and mortar, add the yak cheese, chillies, salt, yar.
Add a bit of water and make a coarse paste.
Serve
Mokthuk or Momos Plus Thukpa
Serves: 3-4
For the momos:
- 50 gm maida or all-purpose flour
- 20 gm minced chicken
- 5 gm chopped ginger
- 5 gm chopped garlic
- 5 gm chopped onion
- 10 gm fresh green dhania or coriander leaves or cilantro
- 2 ml sesame oil
- 5 gm chicken aromatic powder
- 5 ml oil
- Salt to taste, ½ tsp
- Water
For the Thukpa soup
- 5 gm chopped ginger
- 5 gm chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp oil
- 5 gm chicken aromatic powder
- Salt to taste
- Water
Yar Salad
- 10 gm cabbage, julienned
- 10 gm carrots, julienned
- 10 gm cucumber, julienned
- 1 gm local Szechwan peppers
- Salt to taste, about ½ tsp
Fried Noodles
- 5 gm Chinese noodles
- 3 gm cornflour
- Oil for deep frying the noodles
Khura or Fermented Bread
- 1 kg maida or all-purpose flour
- 25 gm salt
- 25 gm castor sugar, a kind of finer sugar used for baking
- 2 gm yeast
- ½ litre water, approximately
- 10 gm, dough starter
- Oil for pan frying the Khura
Method
For the momos
- Knead the flour, adding room temperature water, little by little, and knead till medium soft.
Rest for 10-15 minutes covered. - For the filling, in a bowl mix together the finely minced chicken, garlic, onion, ginger, coriander leaves, sesame oil, salt, aromatic powder, cooking oil and keep aside.
- Roll the rested dough into small 3-inch diameter circles and place filling at the centre of each circle and fold into the desired shape.
In a steamer, steam till done and keep aside.
For the Yar Salad
- Toss the julienned vegetables with salt, local Szechwan peppers and serve.
For the fried noodles
- In a saucepan, boil the noodles in a little water, take off heat, drain and cool.
- Coat with the cornflour and deep fry, until crispy and golden brown in colour.
Keep aside.
For the Khura
- Mix all the ingredients and make a soft dough.
Divide into balls, each weighing 25 gm and then roll into round shapes and rest for 15 minutes. - Pre-heat an oven to 210 °C and bake the balls for 7 minutes and take out of the oven.
To serve the Khura, add oil in frying pan, heat over low heat and toast the baked Khura till golden brown colour.
For the thukpa
- In a saucepan, saute the ginger, garlic until golden brown.
Then add the water, coriander leaves, salt, aromate and bring it to a boil.
Once boiled, add the steamed momos to the thukpa and serve with the Yar Salad, fried noodles and Khura bread.
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