The North-Eastern states, or the seven sisters, as they are more famously known, are hotbeds of beauty. No, they are not just beautiful because of the sprawling tea gardens!. There is so much more that these unexplored states hold in store for tourists. One of these states is Manipur. It has been dubbed “the Jewelled Land” due to its natural beauty. It is the birthplace of the Ras Lila, the classical Manipuri dance. Apart from that, Manipur is also well known for its delicious cuisine.
The food of Manipur is considered to be very healthy. Their preparations are simple and yet, tasty. Most of the ingredients they use are organic which again, contributes to the health factor. Of course, the food here has to be healthy, as there are so many hills and peaks in this area that require a good deal of strength and agility to scale! Manipuri food is also supposed to be spicy and contains less oil. Their secret is that they make use of chilli pepper instead of the usual garam masala powder that the rest of the country uses. That is why their food is considered healthier.
Chamthong
Most of the dishes from the Manipur cuisine are based upon seasonal vegetables. They can be served as light lunch dishes. All these dishes more or less have the same ingredients but have distinct taste. The state is known for these dishes. One of the popular dishes from the state is Chamthong.
The dish is made of various seasonal vegetables that are grown in the state. It is a gravy dish that is little spicy and taste good when served with rice. It is one of the most important dishes from the state. It is mostly made during the celebration of festivals.
Eromba
Eromba is one of the most popular dishes Manipuris prepare for their lunch/dinner. It is a local-favourite dish, enjoyed by people from other parts of Northeast as well. It’s usually made with boiled vegetables mashed with ngari (fermented fish) and chillies. Vegetables like yongchak (tree beans), soibum (bamboo shoots), yendem (buckwheat), belandri (lady’s finger), lafu (banana stem) and Paan (colocasia/arbi) are commonly used to make different varieties of eromba.
Ingredients
- 250gm of Paan/colocasia/arbi (washed and peeled)
- 10-12 Dried red chillies/1-2 king chillies (whichever is preferred)
- 5-6 Ngari/fermented fish
- 2-3 smoked fish (optional)
- Salt to taste.
- Garnish : Fresh 1/2 u-morok/ghost pepper (thinly sliced) and Spring onions/corrainder (chopped)
Morok Metpa
The cuisine of Manipur is different from that of any other state. The food items of the state are basically dependent on some herbs and roots. Non-vegetarian dishes are also an important part of the cuisine. One of the popular dishes from the state is Morok Metpa. It is a salad kind of a dish from Manipur. It is often served as a side dish with most of the main course dishes served for lunch. It is a dry dish which is a little spicy and is made from some seasonal vegetables. It can also be served as a snack. It is personal favorite dish of the north eastern people.
Paaknam
This mushroom is known to have many medicinal values.It also enhances immune system in our body.
Kang-layen Paaknam ( Pan Roasted Split Gill Mushroom), a deliciously finger licking recipe to treat your family and friends. This recipe of Kang-layen Paaknam ( Pan Roasted Split Gill Mushroom) by Shyamola Mayengbam will definitely help you in its preparation. The Kang-layen Paaknam ( Pan Roasted Split Gill Mushroom) can be prepared within 30 minutes. The time taken for cooking Kang-layen Paaknam ( Pan Roasted Split Gill Mushroom) is 45 minutes. With such flavoursome ingredients, the dish tastes superb! This recipe is appropriate to serve 4 people. The recipe details out how to make Kang-layen Paaknam ( Pan Roasted Split Gill Mushroom) step by step. The detailed explanation makes Kang-layen Paaknam ( Pan Roasted Split Gill Mushroom) so simple and easy that even beginners can try it out. The recipe for Kang-layen Paaknam ( Pan Roasted Split Gill Mushroom) can be tweaked in a lot of ways to make it more interesting. So, the next time you have a party at home do not forget to check out the recipe of Kang-layen Paaknam ( Pan Roasted Split Gill Mushroom) from BetterButter.
Ingredient
- Dried split gill Mushroom- 1/2 cup
- Dried shrimp-100 gms
- Maroi Napaakpi (Hooker Chives) -1 cup (Cut into inch length)
- Onion – 1/2 cup (chopped)
- Ngari (fermented fish) – 7 pieces (steamed)
- Green Chillies – 5-6 ( slit lengthwise)
- Ginger-1 tbsp
- Turmeric (optional) – 1/2 tsp
- Besan – 2 tbsp
- Turmeric leaves – 4 nos.
- Banana leaves – To wrap
- Salt – to taste
Chak-hao Kheer
Black Rice Kheer also known as Chak-Hao Kheer in Manipuri is one of my favourite pudding and I am super excited to share the recipe here today. Chak – Hao Kheer is a traditional kheer recipe from the Indian State of Manipur. Manipir produces a large scale of black rice and this black rice kheer is one of the most popular dish not only within the state but amongst the neighbouring states and many parts of India. Black Rice Kheer is one of the healthiest dessert. It is more healthier than the white rice kheer.
Ingredients
1/2 cup black rice (serves 4 to 5 people): 100g
5 cups full-cream milk: 250ml
1/4 cup white granulated sugar (add to taste): 65g
1/2 teaspoon ground green cardamom