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Our country has a rich cultural diversity, and in terms of cuisine Assam has just the right kind of flavours to tickle your taste buds. Assam's food is famous for its distinct taste and influences, and it has a wide variety of indigenous food to offer. Assamese cuisine has a variety of distinct flavours—people in this part of the country eat bamboo shoots with pork, which is uncommon in the rest of India. From khar to duck meat curry, here are some dishes from Assamese cuisine that you should try if you visit the state:
1. Khar
This flavourful curry is popular in Assam and is made with raw papaya, pulses, taro, and meat. Traditionally, dried banana leaves are used to filter khar. It adds a fresh and amazing flavour to the delicacy. This curry is typically served with rice as a filling lunch or dinner dish.
2. Ou khatta
Ou khatta is a sweet and sour chutney made with elephant apple that is bursting with tangy flavours. This delectable dish combines the tanginess of elephant apple with the sweetness of jaggery. The elephant apple is first boiled and then mashed. It is then sautéed in a small amount of mustard oil. Later, jaggery is added to the nearly-finished chutney. This chutney can enhance any type of meal with its unique flavours.
3. Duck meat curry
This is one of Assam's most popular dishes. Duck meat curry is usually served with ash gourd here. Assamese flavours are infused into this delectable dish. Some people season it with lentils, pumpkins, and sesame seeds to suit their taste buds. This dish is slowly cooked to perfection and melts in the mouth to provide a heavenly taste. Duck meat curry is prepared for celebrations or special occasions and is full of unique flavours.
4. Maasor tenga
To prepare this Assamese dish, fish is slow-cooked in a tomato, lemon, and elephant ear broth. The melt-in-your-mouth maasor tenga has a tangy and rich flavour that will tantalise your taste buds. It's one of the best Assamese dishes to try.
5. Aloo pitika
This delicacy is served with meals as a side dish. Aloo pitika is typically served with rice and dal. It features boiled and mashed potatoes accompanied by mustard oil, onions, coriander, and salt on top. This side dish, infused with the aroma of mustard oil and crisp onion, can be enjoyed with any meal at lunch or dinner. Aloo pitika is unassuming and enhances the flavour of even the most basic of dishes.
6. Ou tenga
Ou tenga is a sweet and sour chutney made from ou (elephant apple) and jaggery. The ou is boiled first, then lightly mashed. Then it's sautéed with mustard seeds in a little oil before adding jaggery. And just like that, the dish is ready to be served as a delicious side dish to your meal.
7. Paror mangxo
Pigeon meat is a delicacy and most non-vegetarians in Assam simply adore this dish. Pigeon meat keeps your body warm and is ideal to eat during the winter. It tastes best when eaten with koldil (banana flower), a popular side dish in Assamese cuisine. This is a delicious Assamese dish that combines the delicious texture of banana flower with pigeon meat. Banana flowers are banana plant buds that are soaked and shredded and used in curries.
8. Baanhgajor lagot kukura
Baanhgajor lagot kukura (chicken with bamboo shoot) is an Assamese dish made with chicken meat, bamboo shoots, and lentils. The taste of bamboo shoots is unusual and does not appeal to everyone—but once consumed, it leaves a distinct aftertaste that complements meat dishes.
9. Dhekia bhaji
This is a popular dish that is frequently served in Assamese households. Fiddlehead ferns, also known as dhekia, grow in the wild after rains. You can't go wrong with a bunch of these beautiful greens stir-fried with baby potatoes or chickpeas. It's delicious with rice and yellow daal.
10. Pitha
Pitha is a popular snack food that is typically eaten for breakfast or with evening tea. Pithas come in a wide range of flavours—they can be sweet or savoury, steamed or fried, and prepared in a variety of ways. This is one of Assam's most complicated dishes, and it takes a lot of precision to get it right.
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