Tiffin

dohkhlieh, a pig-meat salad, unique to this region alone. As a meat, pork is popular among the seven states, and especially in Meghalaya, which houses the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia tribes. These tribes cook meats in a rustic style, with little oil, few spices, and lots of fragrant herbs. Similar fare can be found in the adjoining state of Tripura, which is known for chakhwi, a light pork porridge, and muya bai wahan, pork-and-bamboo-shoot curry eaten with unprocessed rice. Tribal gastronomy is evident in these regions and spreads across Arunachal Pradesh too. The beautiful, hilly state houses the Nyshi, Apatani, and Monpa tribes, whose recipes are almost oil- and spice-free. The Nepalese tribe Adi in Mebo, prepare a popular dish called gundruk, a fermented leafy vegetable, that is also one of the national dishes of Nepal. In more urban homes, rice plays an important role in every meal. The same can be said for Mizo cuisine, which is one of the most well-known cuisines from this region. A must-try here is the typical Mizo dal, which is thick and made with a combination of toor, masoor, and moong lentils. A salad made from a boiled fruit (called chow chow, chayote, or iskut) stands out and is a special feature of the Mizo meal. The same fruit is also savored miles away in northern Vietnam, where it is known as su su xao and served along with sticky rice and a meat curry—just how the Mizos like it. Further eastward, Nagaland has heavy tribal influences as a result of over a dozen different tribes living in this region. A Naga meal includes rice, some kind of meat (either dry or gravy based), boiled vegetables, and chile sauces for dipping.

Manipuri cuisine is more experimental. It does not shy away from spices and oil. Chakhao amubi, or black rice kheer, is a staple at local weddings and is unique for its stark color. There is also iromba, a popular dish made out of fermented fish, and several vegetarian dishes such as sana thongba (a curry made out of peas and cottage cheese—one of the rare instances where paneer is used) and alu kangmet, fried red chile and potato stir fry. Food from the Northeast may be underrated, but its uniqueness allows us to savor a whole new variety of Indian cuisine.

GYATHUK

Cooking time 1 hourServes 2-4Origin West Bengal

Lamb with chickpeas. (30 g) onions, chopped 1 tsp ginger paste (adrak) 1 tsp garlic paste (lasan) ¼ cup (50 g) tomato, chopped 1 cup (200 g) lamb, boneless pieces ½ tsp red chile powder ½ tsp ground coriander (dhaniya) ½ tsp ground cumin (jeera) 1 cup (240 ml) water, plus more for soaking and boiling chickpeas Salt, to taste

Ingredients

• ½ cup (100 g) chickpeas (kabuli chana)
• 5 Tbsp (75 ml) vegetable oil
• ¼ cup
• 1 Tbsp (4 g) fresh cilantro leaves (hara dhaniya), finely chopped

Cooking time 40 minutesServes 3Origin Uttar Pradesh

A quick party starter is also the best way to indulge your kids in healthy eating. boiled 1 cup (225 g) boiled potato cubes 1 cup (64 g) fresh mint leaves (pudina) 1 cup (16 g) fresh cilantro leaves (hara dhaniya), finely chopped ½ cup (120 g) chickpea flour (besan)

Ingredients

• 2 cups (60 g) fresh spinach, boiled
• 1 cup (160 g) green peas (hara matter),
• 1 Tbsp (15 g) ginger-garlic paste (adrak-lasan)
• 1 Tbsp (8 g) red chile powder
• 1 Tbsp (10 g) chaat masala
• 1 tsp red chile paste
• 1 tsp ground cumin (jeera)
• 1 tsp dried mango powder (amchoor)
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Salt, to taste
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Cooking time 30 minutes Serves: 2Origin Gujarat

Steamed chickpea flour cakes tempered with mustard seeds. seeds (safed til) Pinch ground asafoetida (hing) 2 curry leaves (kadhi patta) 1 green chile, finely chopped Sev (available at Indian markets), for garnishing Grated fresh coconut (nariyal), for garnishing

Ingredients

• 1 cup (120 g) chickpea flour (besan)
• 1 Tbsp (10.5 g) semolina
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (nimbu) Salt, to taste
• 1 tsp fruit salt
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
• 1 tsp white sesame

Cooking time 15 minutes Makes: 50 gramsOrigin Nagaland

Spiced and fermented soybean chutney.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp vegetable oil 6 green chiles
• 1 medium-size tomato, roasted 1 (1-in. /2.5-cm) piece peeled fresh ginger 1
• Tbsp (15 g) akhuni paste (available online) Salt, to taste

• 1. In a skillet over high heat, heat the vegetable oil 2. Add the green chiles.
• 3. Add the remaining ingredients and blend into a coarse paste.
• 4. Serve with a traditional Indian-style meal, thali.

Method

1. Cook, turning until the chiles are charred.
2. Transfer to a blender.

Cooking time 1 hourServes 2Origin Nagaland

Spicy pork curry best served with steamed rice. ounces (225 g) pork, cubed ¼ cup (42.5 g) finely chopped onion 2 Tbsp (30 g) ginger-garlic paste (adrak-lasan) 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (kali mirch) ¼ cup (42.5 g) finely chopped tender bamboo shoots 1 cup (240 ml) water Salt, to taste

Ingredients

• 10 dried red chiles (sookhi lal mirch), soaked in water for 2 hours, drained 8

Cooking time 40 minutesServes 2-4Origin West Bengal

Bengali-style stuffed pointed gourd curry. ground cumin (jeera) ½ tsp ground turmeric (haldi) 1 tsp red chile powder

Ingredients

• 2 cups (480 g) pointed gourd (parwal)
• ¼ cup (55 ml) vegetable oil
• For the gravy
• 5 cups (850 g) onions, chopped
• ½ tsp ground coriander (dhaniya)
• ½ tsp
• 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste (adrak-lasan)
• ¾ cup (150 g) tomato, chopped
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• For the filling
• 5½ Tbsp (80 ml) vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp (30 g) ginger-garlic paste (adrak- lasan)
• 2 tsp red chile powder
• 8 oz (250 g) rohu fish, deboned
• 1 Tbsp salt

Cooking time 30 minutesServes 2Origin Punjab

Spicy fried fish fillet. Juice of 1 lemon (nimbu) 1 Tbsp (15 g) ginger-garlic paste (adrak-lasan) 1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain) 1 tsp red chile powder 1 tsp ground turmeric (haldi) Pinch ground asafoetida (hing) 1 Tbsp (7.5 g) chickpea flour (besan) 1 tsp rice flour Salt, to taste Vegetable oil, for frying 1 Tbsp (10 g) chaat masala

Ingredients

• 2 sole fillets

Cooking time 15 minutesServes 2Origin Punjab

A cooling side dish made with yogurt. chile, finely chopped ½ medium-size onion, finely chopped 1 Tbsp (1 g) fresh cilantro leaves (hara dhaniya), finely chopped 1 Tbsp (6 g) fresh mint leaves (pudina), finely chopped 1 tsp Indian black salt (kala namak) Salt, to taste

Ingredients

• 2 cups (480 g) yogurt (dahi)
• ½ cup (125 g) grated radish (mooli) 1 green

Cooking time 1 hourServes 3Origin Madhya Pradesh

Unique stuffed gourd dessert. markets), slit 2 cups (480 ml) warm sugar syrup (here) Silver leaves, for garnishing (warq; optional; here; available at Indian markets)

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 g) whole-milk fudge (khoya; available at Indian markets; here)
• 1 cup (200 g) sugar
• 3 Tbsp (45 ml) milk
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 Tbsp (10 g) milk powder
• 1 tsp saffron threads (kesar)
• 1 Tbsp (15 g) finely chopped dried fruits
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup (240 g) peeled and seeded pointed gourd (parwal; available at Indian

Cooking time 40 minutesServes 4Origin Maharashtra

Kokum-laced coconut milk curry. patta) 2 dried red chiles (sookhi lal mirch) 1 Tbsp (15 g) minced garlic (lasan) 2 cups (480 ml) coconut milk (nariyal) Freshly ground black pepper (kali mirch), to taste ¼ cup (4 g) fresh cilantro leaves (hara dhaniya), finely chopped

Ingredients

• 20 pieces kokum
• 2 green chiles, finely chopped Salt, to taste
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) 2 curry leaves (kadhi