10 must try local cuisines of Meghalaya

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Whenever we talk about the Indian food, we often miss to highlight the food from the North-East India. The dishes that originate from the North-East has rich blend of tradition and culture of the Seven Sisters State. Meghalaya also has the same traditional foods with distinct dishes to gratify one’s taste bud. Let’s explore few of the famous and tasty dishes of Meghalaya while being in Meghalaya.

Pumaloi:       Rice is the staple food of Meghalaya and it is consumed in different way by adding it with different preparations.  So, with Pumaloi which is one such favourite dish of Meghalayan cuisine.   Pumaloi is prepared with powdered rice, after steaming it. The pot which is used to cook the rice is called Khiew Ranei.  The dish is cooked on medium heat with just right amount of water.  The Pumaloi dish is very unique dish of Meghalayan culture, as it is served mainly during public celebrations and festivals in Meghalaya.

Doh-Neiiong:     Doh-Neiiong is a pork curry dish, one of the richest and delicious dishes of Meghalaya. The preparation of this amazing dish demands fried pork with rich thick gravy flavoured with green chillies, pepper, red onions, local spices and black sesame.  The magical ingredient of the dish is black sesame, which provides it it’s unique taste.  This is highly recommended and must to try for the pork lovers during their tour to Meghalaya.

Tungrymbai:     The cuisine of Meghalaya is known for it’s wholesome characteristic and Tungrymbai Is the most befitting example of it. A dish that makes you feel warm and happy.  It is traditional food item of Meghalaya that needs to be tried out at least once. The dish is made up of fermented soyabeans and it practically has everything in it, from onions, carrots, ginger, spices to boiled or fried pork.  All these ingredients fried and sauted together and left simmering sometime to deepen the colour and taste. After all the places to visit in Meghalaya have been explored, you will absolutely love hogging this local dish.

Jahdoh:     Jahdoh happens to be one of the most popular Khasi street food items in the State of Meghalaya.  You will rarely find someone who does not like eating this dish.  The dish can seem a little daunting to those who are scared of space but in reality, this red rice and pork preparation is mouth-meltingly yummy! Spice lovers can get an extra helping of green chillies in their Jahdoh and drench in some chutney to make their palette sing and dance. It is very appetising as it is made up of red rice, cooked with generous amount of pork meat, green chillies, onion, ginger, turmeric, black pepper and bay leaves.  All these ingredients provide it with a rich colour and taste. It is mainly a non-vegetarian dish, however a little modification results it into eatable for vegans as well by substituting pork with some local vegetables.

Doh-Khlieh:    Meghalayan cuisine celebrates pork in all it’s glory. Be it steamed, boiled, fried or grilled, pork plays a key role in most of the dishes eaten by the local population.  One such is Doh-Khlieh, which is essentially a salad prepared with minced up pork, green chillies and onions.  Now, this might seem like a pretty simple dish to most of us, but the wow factor is a servicing of pig brains, curry and bread along with this local delicacy.  The sheer magic of this traditional Meghalayan food item is an experience that you need to have on your next trip . While exploring the Police Bazaar in Shillong, you can try this pork salad at Tattoria, which is literally a hole in the wall food joint that prepares the most outstanding Khasi Dishes in the City.

Nakham Bitchi:   Pescatarians or people who eat fish but no other form of animal meat can have the time of their lives in Meghalaya.  There are a lot of dishes prepared by curing small fishes and drying them out completely.  Nakham is a type of dried fish that can be either fried or boiled to prepare a soup or Bitchi. The idea of this dish is to soothe your nerves on a chilly winter night in Shillong. Devouring this homely soup with a group of friends is the ultimate Meghalayan way of life.  Don’t go to commercial places for this particular dish as the one prepared at small shacks would taste much better.

Minil Songal:   A popular dish among the Garo tribe of Meghalaya, Minil Songal is a sticky rice preparation. Minil is a sticky rice which has a rich nutty flavour and delicate texture. It has a high amount o starch, making it sticky. To make Minil Songal , minil rice is boiled in fresh bamboo and eaten as snacks. So, when you are planning your vacation to this State, it would be wise to do your homework on the most popular shacks, restaurants and even home chefs who will deliver food to your doorstep.

Sakin Gata:     A fascinating aspect of food in this state is it’s delicate balance between tribal and Asian influences. Travellers who have visited other part of Southeast Asia will notice that there are certain dishes found in the cuisine of Meghalaya that are very similar to theirs.  Sakin Gata is a rice cake that will make you happy the moment you put it inside your mouth. This sweet dish will have several layers of rice and roasted sesame seeds making such a great combination of nutty flavour that a single bite just won’t be enough for you.  Celebrated as one of the main food items in a Meghalayan thali, Sakin Gata is a treasure that you need to find at a local sweet shop as soon as possible.

Pork Kappa:   A popular culinary delight of the Garo community, Kappa is the one which is made in almost every household and is very delicious and a simple dish. Kappa is a dish made with soda and pork with some vegetables which is helpful in digestion and also helps in reducing calories. This dish is mainly light but is full of deliciousness, it’s spiciness and richness. Since the weather of Meghalaya is very cold, Garos mainly prefer their food to be spicy, they take it with rice which is their staple food.

Doh-Snam:   The Khasi Blood Sausage or Doh-Snam is for the pork lovers. Pork meat, which includes almost everything  right from liver, lungs, intestines and other parts is minced to a coarse paste with local spices. The resulting mashed pork is soaked in pig blood rolled into the form of sausage and smoked over wood fire.

IF YOU AREN’T SALIVATING BY NOW, YOUR PALETTE NEEDS A LITERAL SHAKE-UP!  THE DELECTABLE FOOD OF MEGHALAYA ALONG WITH IT’S ENHANCING TOURIST ATTRACTIONS ARE JUST WAITING FOR YOUR ARRIVAL. PLAN YOUR VACATION AND TREAT YOURSELF TO UNIQUE DELICACIES IN THIS STATE.