Meghalayan cuisine
Indigenous cuisine of Meghalaya's tribes, featuring rice and fermented dishes.
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Meghalayan cuisine is the Indigenous cuisine of the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia tribes, as well as the migrant Gurkha population of the Indian state of Meghalaya. Rice is the staple carbohydrate, often paired with foraged vegetables and fermented dishes, while millet was historically widely consumed.
Quick Facts
- Staple carbohydrate
- Rice
- Primary tribal groups
- Khasi
- Garo
- Jaintia
- Migrant population
- Gurkha
- Notable recognition
- Slow Food movement Ark of Taste catalogue
Facts from the source article.
Regional cuisines
The three primary culinary regions in Meghalaya correspond to the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia tribal populations, with rice as the main carbohydrate; millet, once widely used, is now a heritage crop. Colonial influence is especially evident in the Khasi areas, particularly Shillong, which served as the colonial capital for the bureaucracy, military, and administration of Assam covering most of Northeast India, creating a unique colonial food culture. Notable dishes include Jadoh (rice and meat), Tungrymbai (fermented soybeans), Dohkhlieh (pork salad), Tungtap (fermented fish), Dohjem (pork in sesame seeds), Syrwa Tit Tung (wild mushroom soup), Doh Masi Khleh (beef salad), Syiar Nei-iong (chicken curry with black sesame), Muli Khleh (radish with perilla seeds), and Shana Nei-iong (black beans in sesame).
Did You Know?
- Cha khoo is a Jaintia rice concoction that yields a beverage similar to tea but leaves a bland coffee taste.
- Sha shiahkrot is a Khasi tea derived from boiling the root of the creeper Shiahkrot (Smilax ferox).
More in Indian Cuisine by State Or Union Territory
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Meghalayan cuisine (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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