10 traditional dishes of Assam that you must try once in your lifetime

If there is one cuisine in India about which many people don't know, it is Assamese cuisine. With a wide variety of indigenous food to offer, the food of Assam is famous for its distinct flavouring and influences. If you’re a foodie who loves to travel then Assam food would be something you must definitely tick off your bucket list. Here are some of the traditional Assamese foods that you must try once in a lifetime. (Image courtesy: Instagram/@gagas_cooking)

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A delight for non-vegetarians, it might sound cruel but pigeon meat is incredible in taste and is a delicacy in Assam. Pigeon meat usually makes your body warm and is perfect to eat in winter. It tastes best when eaten with koldil (banana flower) which is a common side dish in the food of Assam. This is a wonderful Assamese dish that combines the delicious texture of the banana flower with Pigeon meat. Banana flowers are the buds of the banana plant, which are soaked and shredded for use in curries. (Image courtesy: Instagram/@frommykitchen24)

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The word “Tenga” in Assamese means sour. The favourite souring ingredients are tomatoes, dried mangosteen, lemon, raw mango, and elephant apple. The Masor Tenga is a lightly spiced, tangy fish curry best enjoyed with rice during lunch or dinner. Consumed during summertime, this dish is believed to enhance digestion after a heavy meal. Different temperings like fenugreek, 5 spice mix (panch phoran) or mustard seeds impart uniquely different flavours to the basic dish and give a refreshing variety to the demanding food lover. (Image courtesy: Instagram/@fennelcuratedeats)

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This is basically a form of charred or boiled vegetable or fish mixed with green chilli, onion, chopped ginger, mustard oil, and coriander leaves. A variety of ingredients like potato, eggplant, pumpkin, red lentils, and even fish can be prepared into a Pitika. This dish retains the original flavour of the basic ingredient combined with the pungency of raw mustard oil and aromatics. Easily prepared and served with rice, this Assamese dish is wholesome and tasty comfort food for the novice as well as the jaded home cook. (Image courtesy: Instagram/@toppings_of_love)

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Locally called 'haa', duck is one of the most popular meats consumed by Assamese folks. The white gourd is the choice ingredient because its natural aroma complements the duck. This dish is usually heavily spiced, but delicious nonetheless. This is a must-have. This is definitely one of the highly celebrated iconic traditional Assamese dishes. No Assamese feast is complete without this exotic dish. Duck meat is generally enjoyed in the winter months. Cooked with a special type of ash gourd called 'joha kumura' which smells like Joha rice (Aromatic Rice) when cooked. Only traditional spices like ginger, garlic, green chillies and black pepper are used to cook it. This particular dish is always a part of Uruka feast, a celebratory feast one day before Magh Bihu. (Image courtesy: Instagram/@geeta_4u)

It's a vegetable, which is commonly eaten in the hilly regions of India. Dhekia Xaak (pronounced as haak) is a sign of spring's arrival. The Assamese folks love their dhekia, they like to cook it with tomatoes, dried shrimps, dried mangosteen or just a simple stir fry! (Image courtesy: Instagram/@assamesecuisine)

A personal favourite, banana flower or banana heart is healthy food. Loaded with nutritional goodness, a banana flower is also one of the superfoods. In Assam, it is eaten mostly with finely chopped duck, chicken meat or fish. Banana flower is full of fibres, antioxidants, light on the stomach and is delicious! (Image courtesy: Instagram/@a_meal_experiment_)

The famed Doi Chira is one of the popular breakfast dishes, served traditionally in bell metal utensils, known as Baan Bati. In Assamese, we call it Jolpan. It means a mini-meal mostly served in the morning as breakfast. There are a variety of Jolpan versions. Generally, “Bora Saul” (sticky rice), kumol saul (a special type of curated rice which needs no cooking), Chira (beaten rice) are used. A Jolpan platter is accompanied by various 'pitha' or rice cakes too, especially during Bihu. The traditional Jolpan is quite filling and energetic as well. Don’t be surprised if you are offered Doi Chira and Pitha in the Assamese household during Bihu as it is part of their tradition. (Image courtesy: Instagram/@foodies_corner15)

Another must-have dish is a common dish 'khulasaporir Pitha' served with Jaggery or 'gur'. It is a traditional snack and can be served at breakfast and also with evening tea. This is prepared with a thin batter of rice flour. Some also make a savoury v

This particular dish is a kind of emotion for Assamese pork lovers. Pork is cooked with “Lai Xaak “, the crunchy mustard greens. It is an oil-free dish, the pork chunks are either boiled with the greens with ginger, garlic and chillies or stir-fried. Adding Bhoot Jolokia or King Chilly takes the dish to another level. With a plate of white rice, it tastes heavenly. (Image courtesy: Instagram/@ricetalesguwahati)

This is a popular dish among non-vegetarians. If you are a fish lover, this is highly recommended. The tiny fresh river fishes are used to prepare this dish. The cleaned fishes are mixed with aromatic herbs like coriander, cilantro /sawtooth coriander, chopped onions, chillies, salt and mustard oil. They are wrapped in banana leaves or aromatic turmeric leaves and steamed. After steaming, add a few drops of aromatic lemon to it and Voila, taste it now!! (Image courtesy: Instagram/@theportraitofakitchen)

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