Cuisine Tourism

Delicious Assam Laksa

Tasting Good, Feeling Good

Cuisine of Assam is probably the most different type of cuisine you would have ever tasted. You cannot say that cuisine of Assam has not at all been influenced by external factors. New dishes have become famous and the traditional dishes have undergone a slight variation, but the change is ever so slight. The delicacies still have the same aroma and taste that made the Assam cuisine a household name in India. The cuisine is distinguished by on the basis of the exotic herbs and vegetables added to the dishes that lend a magnificent taste to the dishes. Rice is the main dish and finds a place in the ingredient list of almost all preparations. In non veg, fish curries and pork dishes are the favorite most of Assamese people. Birds like ducks and pigeon are also used in dishes.

In Assam, a traditional full course meal starts with serving Khar which is a class of dishes and ends with a tenga whcich is a sour dish. Just like food is served in a banana leaf traditionally in south India, a meal in Assam is served on a bell metal utensils. Almost everyone ends their meal by chewing on a betel nut known as Paan.

Vegetarian Delights

All major preparations are of rice. There are different varieties of rice which are used for different dishes, most widely used being joha, indica and japonica. Rice is eaten in different ways such as roasted, grounded, boiled or just soaked. The soaked rice called kumal saul is an important breakfast meal for many which is generally had with milk. Chira mixed with yogurt and jaggery is also a traditional breakfast. There is a special class of dishes called pithas, that are prepared only on special occasions and on festivals like Bihu. The rice dishes are had with curry that are made by boiling vegetables in water; some are grown while many grow in wild. The green leafy vegetables are called xaak.

Non Vegetarian Special

Non Vegetarian seems to be the specialty of Assam Cuisine. Fish dishes form the major part of non vegetarian food. There are different varieties of fishes that are used for cooking. The main are the rou, the illish, and the chital. Different regions are famous for different variety of fish. Tenga is the most important dish in traditional; Assam meal. Dishes of birds such as ducks and pigeons are also prepared. Though pork dishes seem to be the favorite among the young generation.

Exotic And Side Dishes

Sides dishes in Assamese are called Pitikas. They are generally made from steamed or roasted vegetables. The most popular among the people is aloo pitika (mashed potatoes). Exotic food caontains a dish called eri polu; it is the pupa of Eri silkworm and fermented bamboo shoot. Both are traditional dishes that have become famous in nearby states as well.