A light, mildly spiced cuisine of the Brahmaputra valley built on rice, fish, leafy greens and a signature alkaline preparation called khar.
History
Assamese food draws on Ahom, tribal and Vaishnavite traditions. Meals follow a set order: khar first, then dal, greens and fish, with a sour tenga near the end and a sweet or tamul (areca nut and betel leaf) to close.
Ingredients
- Rice
- Freshwater fish
- Bamboo shoot
- Mustard oil
- Khar (alkali from banana peel ash)
- Lentils
- Elephant apple
- Colocasia stem
How it's made
- Start the meal with a khar dish of raw papaya or pulses
- Serve plain rice with dal and steamed greens
- Add fish cooked in mustard oil or a sour tenga
- Finish with pitha or curd and jaggery
Photos: ingredients, making & serving
Photos come from the Wikipedia article for this item, via Wikimedia Commons. Each is credited to its author and licence.
how to enjoy it
Serve & enjoy
Best on a traditional bell-metal plate with rice at the centre.
Ratings & notes
Loading…