Skip the usual and try these off-beat North-Eastern culinary feasts

Region: North East
The state of Arunachal Pradesh is known for its scenic beauty. The food is sumptuous and unique. Think boiled porcupine, Arunachali grain wine, grilled bison.

Tribes: Before heading to the dinner table, it is best to understand the state’s three distinct cultures. The first including Galos, Apatanis, Nyishis and a diverse set of ‘sub-tribes,’ generically known as the ‘Adis’. All of these three tribes are nature worshippers and have several similarities.

These tribes use a lot of fermented bamboo shoot in their cooking. Also their food is either stewed, steamed in wild leaves or fire-roasted, and use a lot of local chilli. Like most tribal food, this kind of cooking depends heavily on the freshness of ingredients, the availability of forest produce and the flavour of wood fire. Arunachali cuisine has a lot of Tibetan influence. They eat varieties of noodles to name a few thenthuk, thukpa and momos, drink salty butter tea, use ghee and aromatic fermented cheese called ‘churpee’ in their stews.

Nagaland: In the state of Nagaland, there are sixteen main tribes in Nagaland, each with similar yet unique traditions and practices. While food from each tribe overlaps, there are also certain dishes that are specifically known from a certain tribe. Rice, pork, chicken, dog, insects and worms, vegetables, and famous chilli sauces are essential in the Naga diet. Head to the bug market in Kohima to shop for insects that will soon be in on a cooking pan.


(The Bug Market in Nagaland sells different types of insects, its popular chilli — Bhut Jolokia and more. Image: BCCL)