The na khuwa bhooj thali |
I am not a big fan of the phrase ‘bizarre
foods’.
foods’.
I just feel that dubbing food that
other people eat as ‘bizarre’ is being slightly judgmental.
other people eat as ‘bizarre’ is being slightly judgmental.
I don’t have an
issue with the term ‘exotic’ though. That refers to food that is just different from what you are
used to.
issue with the term ‘exotic’ though. That refers to food that is just different from what you are
used to.
I had a chance to experience one such
exotic meal recently. This was an Assamese meal. ‘Exotic’ because one hardly gets
to eat Assamese or any North East Indian food for that matter in Mumbai. And it included
meats such as goose, pigeon, and, listen to this, silk worms! Rather different
from what you will find on our table on an average day. These were brought in
from Assam along with some pork by our host Gitika Saikia.
exotic meal recently. This was an Assamese meal. ‘Exotic’ because one hardly gets
to eat Assamese or any North East Indian food for that matter in Mumbai. And it included
meats such as goose, pigeon, and, listen to this, silk worms! Rather different
from what you will find on our table on an average day. These were brought in
from Assam along with some pork by our host Gitika Saikia.
I have written
about Gitika earlier. I had been to one of the first Assamese meals hosted
by her. A tamer Bihu meal than what we head this time. Gitika, of course, has almost single handedly raised
the flag of Assamese cooking in Mumbai. She has quit her job since the time I
first ate at her place and is now there at almost every pop up, food event in
Mumbai, sharing the Assamese food love.
about Gitika earlier. I had been to one of the first Assamese meals hosted
by her. A tamer Bihu meal than what we head this time. Gitika, of course, has almost single handedly raised
the flag of Assamese cooking in Mumbai. She has quit her job since the time I
first ate at her place and is now there at almost every pop up, food event in
Mumbai, sharing the Assamese food love.
Gitika and her husband DJ in their home in Malad |
The Assamese lunch she invited me to on Saturday was
the Na Khuwa Bhooj featuring winter tribal dishes from Assam. Her popularity
has obviously increased since when I first met her. That time there was three
of us at her place in Malad. This time it was a packed house and there were
possibly more than ten of us trying out her food that afternoon.
the Na Khuwa Bhooj featuring winter tribal dishes from Assam. Her popularity
has obviously increased since when I first met her. That time there was three
of us at her place in Malad. This time it was a packed house and there were
possibly more than ten of us trying out her food that afternoon.
I was most anxious about the silk worms and
wondered if I would try them. While I have eaten various exotic meats, I have
stayed away from creepy crawlies so far. Gitika showed me the white larva and
the rather colourful stir fried dish (Polu Leta Fry – silk worm stir fry) she had made from it. I then made a face, held my breath and popped
in a silk worm.
wondered if I would try them. While I have eaten various exotic meats, I have
stayed away from creepy crawlies so far. Gitika showed me the white larva and
the rather colourful stir fried dish (Polu Leta Fry – silk worm stir fry) she had made from it. I then made a face, held my breath and popped
in a silk worm.
silk worms |
It was like biting on a shell with some dense liquid inside it. Didn’t entice me to try a second one to be honest.
Still I felt happy with myself for having tried it at least.
Still I felt happy with myself for having tried it at least.
The pigeon (Alu aru Paro Manxoh Jalukia peppery pigeon meat with
potatoes) and goose (Raj Haanh aru Kumura – goose with ash gourd) were more familiar territories. Both were rather gamey and the meats
a tad chewy. The preparations, specially the peppery pigeon with baby potatoes
reminded me of the Bengali cooking tradition. Rather manghser jhol like.
potatoes) and goose (Raj Haanh aru Kumura – goose with ash gourd) were more familiar territories. Both were rather gamey and the meats
a tad chewy. The preparations, specially the peppery pigeon with baby potatoes
reminded me of the Bengali cooking tradition. Rather manghser jhol like.
peppery pigeon curry with potatoes |
Goose is best eaten in winter Gitika said
as they feed on fresh young rice and the optimum size to have them at is when
they reach a kilo if I remember right from her talk. Apparently villagers in Assam keep an eye on the geese in December to see when they have reached the right size.
as they feed on fresh young rice and the optimum size to have them at is when
they reach a kilo if I remember right from her talk. Apparently villagers in Assam keep an eye on the geese in December to see when they have reached the right size.
goose with ash gours |
Gitika had got the pork over during her
trip to Assam. The pork was really tender. She said that she cooked it for just one whistle on the pressure cooker, much less than what she needs for pork sourced from Mumbai according to her. She cooked this with mustard greens (Lai Xaak aru Gahori – pork with mustard greens) which had been couriered to her from Assam.
I was awe struck by how the flavours of the mustard greens had permeated the
tender pork. This is the dish to try for those who lament the heavy use of over powering masalas in many mainline Indian dishes. The little red chilli bits livened up things.
trip to Assam. The pork was really tender. She said that she cooked it for just one whistle on the pressure cooker, much less than what she needs for pork sourced from Mumbai according to her. She cooked this with mustard greens (Lai Xaak aru Gahori – pork with mustard greens) which had been couriered to her from Assam.
I was awe struck by how the flavours of the mustard greens had permeated the
tender pork. This is the dish to try for those who lament the heavy use of over powering masalas in many mainline Indian dishes. The little red chilli bits livened up things.
pork with mustard greens |
goose intestines with brinjal |
The rice served with the dishes was small
grained and reminded me of Gobindobhog.
grained and reminded me of Gobindobhog.
Naomi
Dutta, on twitter, wondered if what I had shared about the lunch constituted as Assamese food.
She said she is an Assamese from the plains and had never tried these dishes. I
said that Gitika said these are rural tribal dishes and Naomi said that
possibly explained it.
Dutta, on twitter, wondered if what I had shared about the lunch constituted as Assamese food.
She said she is an Assamese from the plains and had never tried these dishes. I
said that Gitika said these are rural tribal dishes and Naomi said that
possibly explained it.
For deserts there was Akhoi, Gur aru Cream (puffed rice
with jaggery and cream). A variation of the Bengali doodh,
khoi, gur. The jaggery was made at Gitika’s home in Assam and all of us just loved
this dish. The Bengalis in the room (there were around 5 or 6 of us) marvelled
about how much we liked the dish and were bemused by how we looked down upon it while growing
up.
with jaggery and cream). A variation of the Bengali doodh,
khoi, gur. The jaggery was made at Gitika’s home in Assam and all of us just loved
this dish. The Bengalis in the room (there were around 5 or 6 of us) marvelled
about how much we liked the dish and were bemused by how we looked down upon it while growing
up.
I left for the long drive back home fully
convinced that this was one meal worth travelling for. I got to learn more
about food from the far off regions of India and enjoyed what I ate and lost my
silk worm virginity in the bargain.
convinced that this was one meal worth travelling for. I got to learn more
about food from the far off regions of India and enjoyed what I ate and lost my
silk worm virginity in the bargain.
I think Gitika is doing a stellar job
by spreading the Assamese and North Eastern food tradition in Mumbai and here’s
wishing more power to her.
by spreading the Assamese and North Eastern food tradition in Mumbai and here’s
wishing more power to her.
She is doing a repeat of the lunch on
Saturday, 20th Dec and the event details
are here.
Saturday, 20th Dec and the event details
are here.
I was
a guest of Gitika this time. The cost of the meal was Rs 1,400
a guest of Gitika this time. The cost of the meal was Rs 1,400
See Andrew Zimmern's show to truly understand what "bizarre" means in the culinary context!
Ash gourd? Chal kumro?
Good going . What container does she use to cook food ?
Anrosh
Sorry for the late reply. I cook in cast iron kadhai.