7 dishes from Nagaland that are worth trying

India is home to numerous cultures, multilingual people, fascinating traditions, landscapes full of breathtaking beauty, and most importantly—lip-smacking dishes. Yes, for a foodie, India is absolute heaven. Dishes such as biryani, kebab, korma, rogan-josh, dosa, dal-makhani, and many more have created an upheaval in the global food scene. Moreover, they have placed Indian cuisine on the world map even more firmly.

On the north-eastern part of the subcontinent lies the beautiful state of Nagaland. It is home to diverse indigenous tribes, with festivals and markets celebrating the culture of different. Also, it is home to the bhut jolokia or ghost pepper, one of the hottest chillies in the world. Even more importantly, Nagaland is known for ‘Naga’ cuisine. All the tribes of Nagaland have their own cuisine, and they use a lot of meat, fish, and fermented products in their dishes. Here are 7 dishes from Nagaland that are worth trying.

One of the most common ingredients used in Naga dishes is soya bean, which is locally known as Akhuni or Axone. Akhuni is usually available in a powdered cake form and is then added to the dishes. Talking about this dish, pork stew is prepared and then Akhuni is added to it to give it a distinct flavour.

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It is a very simple and basic dish that many households of Nagaland enjoy as a part of their daily meal. Hinkejvu is made with colocasia, shredded cabbage leaves, mustard leaves and some French beans. All of them are boiled to bring out the flavour and just a pinch of salt added.

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It is the signature dish of the Ao tribe. Amrusu is prepared from ground rice, chicken, and bamboo shoots that are flavoured with green chillies, ginger and garlic. It is generally consumed as comfort food and is extremely filling.

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A soupy concoction made from rice, vegetable or meat—Galho is the Naga version of Khichdi. Generally, it is cooked with seasonal vegetables along with pieces of pork fat or smoked pork. The vegetarian version of Galho is prepared using vegetables and garnished with ginger.

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One of the famous dishes of Nagaland, Akini Chokibo is an expensive delicacy of the state. Chokibo means snails and akini refers to perilla seeds which are a type of herb belonging to the mint family. Sometimes pork or akhuni is also added to the dish.

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Bamboo is a very common ingredient used in Naga cuisine. In this dish, the fish is filled inside a bamboo tube with few spices and is left to be smoked over a fire. This allows the flavours to infuse and offers a fragrant and tasty dish.

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It is a fermented drink, originating from Northeast India and is obtained from rice. The technique of fermentation is used to prepare this rice beer and is quite tasty. It is a drink of the Angami Nagas and is commonly consumed by all Naga tribes in the rural regions of Nagaland.

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