Known for its mesmerizing natural sceneries and remarkable cultural stature, the small yet quaint state of Assam is also quite popular for its cuisines. While it is true that most of the foods of Assam carry a taste of Bengali influence, but they are still quite unique in their own way.
Moreover, due to the cooking techniques and usages of herbs, many Assam foods also stay fresh for a prolonged period. So, even if you do not put them in your refrigerator, they will not get spoiled in any way.
So, here, we will be talking about some of the special Assam cuisines that you should definitely try out while traversing through the state. Do not forget to add them up on your bucket list.
1. Duck Meat Curry
If cooked in a proper manner, the curry made with duck meat tastes absolutely divine. The best thing about this food is its chilly and spicy taste. Due to this reason, the curry goes perfectly with rice.
Another amazing thing about this food is that it is quite versatile. So, if you want to, then you can cook it with lentils, pumpkins, gourds, sesame, and many more.
2. Khaar
When talking about the most iconic foods in Assam, the first name that comes to the mind is Khaar. Most times, the cooks use an alkaline extract known as Khaar and some other common ingredients, such as taro, papaya, and pulses.
However, sometimes, they also include dried-out banana leaves to make it even more flavorsome.
3. Bora Saulor Payoh
Made with sticky rice, ghee, and sugar, this dish is essentially a type of dessert. However, the soothing aroma and lip-smacking taste of the food makes it a must-try delicacy of Assam.
Many restaurants in the state also use milk to make the dish even tastier. So, if you are a certified foodie, then make sure to try that too.
4. Aloo Pitika
Unlike most other dishes on this list, the Aloo Pitika is a side dish. Known as the soul food of Assam, this scrumptious food carries an aroma, which can keep you enthralled for days. It is simple, healthy, easy-to-make, and quite tasty as well.
You can eat it for both dinner as well as lunch with either bread or rice. However, make sure to keep the remaining on your refrigerator. Otherwise, if you live in a warm region, then it might get spoiled.
5. Silkworm
Yes, believe it or not, but the Chinese people are not the only ones who like to creepy crawlies. The Assamese do love them too.
However, like the former, they do not eat it raw. They make it delicious by cooking them with different types of spices and using several unique ingredients.
6. Masor Tenga
Do you want to taste something refreshing that can keep your taste buds happy for many days? Then, you should definitely try out the Masor Tenga, a special fish curry of Assam.
It is usually made out of a lot of tangy ingredients, such as tomato, lemon, etc, but tastes incredibly appetizing when eaten with rice or bread.
7. Paro Manxho
Yes, you have guessed it right. The term ‘Paro’ refers to the beautiful bird pigeon. Hence, this dish is actually made with the meat of pigeon. While it does sound a little bit cruel, but the dish is actually quite tasty and delicious.
However, if you want to get the most out of its taste, then make sure to eat it with koldil. Made with banana flower, this simple yet mouth-watering side dish can really bring out the real flavor of Paro Manxho.
8. Ouu Tenga
As the name suggests, Ouu Tenga is actually a dessert, which is made with jaggery and elephant apple, which, in Assam, is known as Ou. To make this delicacy, the cooks, first, boil the elephant apple properly and, then, mash it.
After that, they add a spoonful of jaggery and mustard seeds in it to give the finishing touch. Sounds tasty, doesn’t it? We bet it does!
9. Xaak Aru Bhaji
It is actually a simple side dish, but still is quite unique and luscious in its own way. The Assamese cooks usually make it by frying a set of herbs and vegetables together.
Once they are done with frying, then they season it with ginger and garlic. However, sometimes, they also add a bit of lemon in it to enhance its taste even more.
Conclusion
So, these are some of the Assamese foods that very famous among both the travelers as well as the locals. Hence, if you are thinking about traveling in this beautiful state of North-East India, then you should definitely make sure to try out the dishes. However, if you are rather forgetful, then do not forget to enlist the names of the foods on your bucket list today!