Healthy Veg/Non-veg Assamese Food: Assam is blessed with the mighty Brahmaputra which means the soil is rich with nutrients. Different types of fruits and vegetables, herbs, fishes are found here. The Assamese cuisine has many interesting and incredible age-old recipes which one can surely relish. Assam is more than just the picturesque places, the temples, and historical architecture, etc. Assamese people have scrumptious authentic dishes and a lot more to offer on the plate. Assamese cuisines are usually cooked in less oil and sans Indian masalas, hence a safe go-to food for fitness enthusiasts too.
We are well aware of the dishes like Masor Tenga (sour curry), or the basic khaar (alkaline dish), Aloo pitika (mashed potato), but there are also some lesser-known flavourful dishes in the cuisine that one must try. Food enthusiasts should have Assam on their sampling list for many more reasons now.
Traditional Assamese Yummy Food Dishes
Here are some evergreen mouth-watering assamese dishes...
1. Koldil Murgi (Chicken cooked with banana flower)
Koldil murgi is a very classic dish, newcomers might not hear about this much but it is as good as all the other chicken items cooked in Assamese style. Not just that, it is also very healthy and nutritious. Koldil (Banana flower) is known to be rich in iron and fibers.
2. Patot Diya Mass (small variety of fish cooked wrapped in banana leaf)
'Patot Diya mass' is another local favourite and a popular dish in non-vegetarian cuisine. The fish is cleaned and mixed in herbs like coriander, onions, chilies, salt, and a bit of mustard oil. It is highly flavoured and rich in taste which goes well with steamed rice. Paste of herbs like Posotiya or a paste of curry leaves is also used to cover the fish with. It is then wrapped in a banana leaf and either steamed or smoked.
3. Til-Diya Murgi (Chicken cooked in black sesame seeds)
Til is a commonly used ingredient in various Assamese dishes, savouries, sweets, and more. Its a very tasty and mouth-watering dish in Assamese cuisine. It is also healthy because Til (black sesame) is used as a substitute for oil, therefore minimal oil is needed. This dish should be on everyone's must-try list.
4. Panta Bhaat or poita bhaat (rice soaked in water overnight)
Panta Bhaat is a quite interesting Assamese native dish; it has now gained popularity in the culinary world but has its roots are back here in Assam. People here never throw the leftover rice but soaks it in water overnight in a utensil. It is taken in the morning as breakfast and can be consumed with chilies, onions, aloo pura (smoked roasted potato), Dali bata (lentils paste), a pinch of salt, mustard oil, mass pura (mashed smoked fish). This is considered very healthy for the body.
5. Dhekia xaak (Fiddlehead fern stir-fried)
Dhekia xaak is a very common dish in the Assamese household. This variety of green grows in the wild and after a downpour. This can be stir-fried with baby potatoes, chickpeas and goes very well with rice and dal.
6. Outenga dail (Lentils cooked with elephant apple)
Outenga Dail is a very soulful dish and can be relished in the summers. The elephant apple is boiled with lentils and it adds a very subtle sour flavour to it.
7. Mass Pura Pitika (roasted fish)
Roasted dishes are anyway quite famous in Assam but Mass pura is another mouth-watering authentic dish. Generally, goroi mass (a type of catfish) is used for the dish; however other types of fishes can be used too. Once the fish is roasted, it is mashed and mixed with a little bit of khaar, mustard oil, and a pinch of salt.
8. Paro Mangkho (Pigeon meat)
Paro Mangkho (pigeon meat) is a staple delicacy of the Assamese people. It is a perfect dish for the winters and keeps the body warm. A flavourful curry is made with potatoes and ginger, garlic paste, and can be cooked with papaya, Koldil (banana flower) too.
9. Gahori with laai xaak (pork with mustard greens)
Lai xaak gahori is a very popular and loved dish of the people in this region. The pork is cook till its tender with mustard greens, which also has a very strong flavour. This dish is made in different variations across the communities in Assam, hence loved by all!
10. Haah Kumura (Duck meat curry)
Duck meat in Assam is prepared in a very unique way. The meat and ash gourd (kumura) is cooked together in one pot. An adequate amount of spices are used in the making and are best cooked in the firewood. People generally prepare this dish on special occasions and events.