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

MANGSHO GHUGNI Cooking time: 1 hour Serves: 2-4 Origin: West Bengal Lamb with chickpeas. INGREDIENTS ½ cup (100 g) chickpeas (kabuli chana) 5 Tbsp (75 ml) vegetable oil ¼ cup (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 1 Tbsp (4 g) fresh cilantro leaves (hara dhaniya), finely chopped

HARA BHARA KEBAB Cooking time: 40 minutes Serves: 3 Origin: Uttar Pradesh A quick party starter is also the best way to indulge your kids in healthy eating. INGREDIENTS 2 cups (60 g) fresh spinach, boiled 1 cup (160 g) green peas (hara matter), 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) 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

KHAMAN Cooking time: 30 minutes Serves: 2 Origin: Gujarat Steamed chickpea flour cakes tempered with mustard seeds. 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 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

AKHUNI CHUTNEY Cooking time: 15 minutes Makes: 50 grams Origin: 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 METHOD 1. In a skillet over high heat, heat the vegetable oil 2. Add the green chiles. Cook, turning until the chiles are charred. Transfer to a blender. 3. Add the remaining ingredients and blend into a coarse paste. 4. Serve with a traditional Indian-style meal, thali. OAMBAL

NAGA-STYLE PORK CURR Y Cooking time: 1 hour Serves: 2 Origin: Nagaland Spicy pork curry best served with steamed rice. INGREDIENTS 10 dried red chiles (sookhi lal mirch), soaked in water for 2 hours, drained 8 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

POTOLER DORMA Cooking time: 40 minutes Serves: 2-4 Origin: West Bengal Bengali-style stuffed pointed gourd curry. 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 ground cumin (jeera) ½ tsp ground turmeric (haldi) 1 tsp red chile powder 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

MACHI Cooking time: 30 minutes Serves: 2 Origin: Punjab Spicy fried fish fillet. INGREDIENTS 2 sole fillets 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

MOOLI KA RAITA Cooking time: 15 minutes Serves: 2 Origin: Punjab A cooling side dish made with yogurt. INGREDIENTS 2 cups (480 g) yogurt (dahi) ½ cup (125 g) grated radish (mooli) 1 green 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

PARWAL KA MEETHA Cooking time: 1 hour Serves: 3 Origin: Madhya Pradesh Unique stuffed gourd dessert. 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 markets), slit 2 cups (480 ml) warm sugar syrup (here) Silver leaves, for garnishing (warq; optional; here; available at Indian markets)

KOKUM KADHI Cooking time: 40 minutes Serves: 4 Origin: Maharashtra Kokum-laced coconut milk curry. 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 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