Food Stories Of Meghalaya

Meghalaya, also known as Scotland of India have a cuisine whose cooking style is still untouched by the influence of changing time. Want to know more about Meghalaya Cuisines, read below>>

A place which is famous as Abode of clouds, Meghalaya is one of that incredible stone of Northeast Region of India which forces you to stay there because of its beautiful and peaceful environment. It is said that peoples of Meghalaya are often happy-go-lucky in nature and simple in living. Meghalaya was established in 1972 when it was separated from Assam on the basis of Traditional and Cultural Value(“Sanskritic Mulay”).

Meghalaya is famous as that state of India also which have Cherapunji, a place where most rainfall took place. Meghalaya is blessed with ponds as well as rivers, green valley and big mountains too.

A  place where clouds are roaming in the sky like an Eagle, and mountains are trying to touch these clouds, is a house of many peoples who are taking care of their heritage in the form of their dressing style, language and living methods happily. They are taking care of that heritage which one cannot find in any book, infact it is found in their kitchens and their traditional cuisine.

Nowadays, Communities like Jayantia, Garo, and Khasi gives a completely different position to the Traditional and Cultural value of this state. And all three communities have their own different identities and local places where they live.

Among these three communities, Garo is considered as a child of Mountain in real terms. It is believed that 3000 years ago from now these Garo people’s reached Meghalaya and other nearby regions from Tibet. Garo People is believed to belongs to one of the groups known as Bodo Group, a group which came from Tibetian Burmese Community. You can say that North-East part of India is a place where people of East and West meet each other.
People of West India came here for a very long time for purchasing of medicines and herbs. And because of which they were called by the name “Kiraat” which means “Vaid” / doctor (according to Vedic Literature). Many peoples from these traveling groups reached different-different mountains and get settled there and further get split into different-different communities.  So, people who get settled in Garo Hills, they became famous as Garo Community. 

These Garo peoples still use the ancient method of shifting agriculture/burn agriculture for farming and this method of farming is famous as Jhum among them. Each phase of Jhum is celebrated as a festival by Garos. Terrace cultivation is another method of farming. Shifting cultivation is done around forest area whereas Terrace cultivation is performed in valleys and foothills and inside plantation forests.

Major food crops of Meghalaya include Rice and Maize. Easily cultivated fruits include Orange, Pineapple, Lemon, Guava, Jackfruit, and Bananas. Commercial crops include Potato, Jute, Cotton, Arecanut, Ginger, Turmeric, Betel Leaf and Black Peper.

Talking about their culinary style, when you see them cooking you will realize that there is a close relationship of theirs with nature. They usually depend on whatever offered by their natural surroundings and cooked it along with minimal spices, ginger, little amount of turmeric and locally available chilies.

They also use a paste of fermented fish, like other local communities as they found it very savory/tasty. “Tung Tap” is the name given to this paste in which along with fermented fish, chili powder, onion and coriander leaves (“dhaniya”) is also being used.

Another popular dish of this locality is “Khalchi” which is prepared with water which passes through Banana Tree Leaves and Bamboo Shoot. Khalchi is a kind of soda in which these Banana Tree Leaves is burned after being dried in the sunshine and then ash of these leaves is collected and water will be added to that ash. At last, this amalgam is passed through a filter for the making of soda.

Another dish of Garo Cuisine which is made along with these two is “Nakham Bitchi”. In which only ginger, chilli, and salt are used.It is a kind of soup and “Nakham” is a special dry fish which is used to make the soup.

Garo peoples also make “O Tepa” in which after wrapping Khalchi and fresh fish in Banana leaves, it is put directly in the fire for frying.

"Minil" is a sticky rice dish of Garo Cuisine. It has rich nutty flavour. Minil’s rice is boiled in fresh bamboo.

Other than fish, you can also see the use of Chicken and Pork in their dishes.
  

But the most wanted thing of Garo Cuisine is their famous Rice Beer, "Chaang". Taste of which attracts people from all over the world. This Rice Beer is an important part of Garo Culture, none of their festivals get started without this bear. First of all, it was served to God-Goddesses and after that everyone will drink it. Whenever any guest visits their houses, they have been welcomed with this Rice Bear.

Western method of making bear had reached India after the year 1825, but production and use of this Chaang Bear in Meghalaya have been taking place for many decades.

Yawning clouds and peacefully sleeping mountains of Meghalaya left such an impression in once mind, that running life of metropolitan cities seems childish in front of such positive, happy, peaceful and natural environment.

Like Garo Community, Khasi Community was also settled on Khasi Hills for a very long time. These people believed that their ancestors came from Heaven to Earth.

Khasi Group is famous for the immense use of Pork in their food. Most popular dish of Khasi Cuisine is "Jadoh Rice".

Jadoh Rice is red in colour and is made up of using red rice, pieces of pork along with green chillis, onions, ginger, turmeric, black pepper and bay leaves. It is an absolute treat to the foodies who like to eat pork.

Other than Jadoh Rice, a pork salad, "Doh-Khlieh" is also an important part of Khasi Cuisine. In the preparation of Doh-Khlieh onion, salt, ginger, lemon and minced boiled pork meat is being used.  

"Doh Sniag Neong" is next dish of Khasi Cuisine, it is a pork curry in which fried pork is mixed with a thick curry made up of green chilies, pepper, red onions, local spices and Black Sesame. Use of black sesame gives it a unique flavour and lip-smacking goodness.

Along with Garo and Khasi Community, Jayantiya community of Meghalaya also has a special place in food map of Meghalaya.

In the starting of 16^th Century, Jayantiya Dynasty established their rule over Meghalaya. Kings of Jayantiya ruled here until they lose a battle against Britishers in 1835.

Even they belong to Jayantiya Dynasty, taste and cooking method of Jayantia’s food is quite similar to the cooking style of other 2 Communities.

Using red rice, Jayantia’s made "Jaso", which is served along with fish or pork curry.

One thing which can be seen in the cooking style of Meghalaya Dishes is their love for Black Sesame Seed (“Kala Til”). They used it after mixing its powder with fermented Black Soyabean. This mixture is used in gravy as well as in soups.

This Sesame Seed which is used all over the nation today is actually production of India and proof of its use has been traced in Sindhu Ghati’s Culture that too 400 years from now. In Rig Veda also, there is mention of many sesame seed food products which is served along with Jaggery (“Gud”).     

"Tungrymbai" is a regular meal of Meghalaya's Peasants. It consist fermented soya beans, boiled and chopped pork, black sesame, ginger, onion and other spices.  

Like Black Sesame, Rice is another thing which is widely used in Meghalaya. Recently, a kind of Rice which was 6000 years old is found in Meghalaya. Where the use of white or Basmati rice is traced in other parts of the nation, Red rice of Burma is used by the people of Meghalaya.

By the way even if nowadays rice is the staple food of Meghalaya. Historically, they used to eat heavy grains ("Mota Anaj"). And the story behind this change is that once upon a time, drought happened in Meghalaya and before this drought, they used to eat Corn (“Makka”), Millet (“Bajra”).But during drought, they are compelled to find an alternative of these grains and for this, they were roaming in forests and one day they met someone who told them about Rice and possibility of growing rice in the hilly region. And from then Rice becomes an important part of their food.

"Pumaloi" is a kind of Chapati which is made up of rice. Khiew Ranei, a unique pot which is used for its making by steaming rice. It is served along with curry dishes.

"Pudoh" is another dish in which rice is used but in its powder form. In Pudoh, powder rice is steamed along with small pieces of pork to add its flavour. A special curry sauce is prepared for this Pudoh.It is prepared for special occasions like weddings, festivals.
  

"Pukhlein" is another dish in which powder rice is used along with Jaggery. This sweet dish is made when jaggery and rice mixture is fried together.

Another sweet dish of Meghalaya is "Sakin Gata". It is a sticky rice cake which is made when sticky rice is soaked in water overnight and then mixed with sugar.

For picturesque Meghalaya, People of Meghalaya works as a “Cherry on the Cake”. Each community has its own enriched culture and delicious cuisine. But one thing which works as a common thread between these different community cultures and cuisines is “Kwai”/“Supari”) (Areca Nut). Kwai reached India from South East Countries, 3000 years from now. And its first mention was in Dharamsutra, which was written in 400 B.C. Kwai is something which you can find in any house either it is of poor or rich.

There is one interesting story related to this Kwai which is famous among People of Meghalaya. According to what, once upon a time there were 2 close friends, one of them is very rich and second one is poor. Usually, poor friend goes to his friend’s house for lunch or dinner, but one day due to some reason, a situation arises which made his rich friend visit his house for dinner. And when his friend came to his house, he and his wife went to the kitchen to find anything which they can serve to his friend for dinner but they found nothing and due to this embarrassment they commit suicide. And when after waiting for some time, his rich friend went to the kitchen to enquire that what was going on, he found their friend and wife dead. And he felt so bad that because of him, his friend and friend’s wife committed suicide, he killed himself also. And when this news was heard by that friend’s neighbour who was a thief by profession, he got so afraid by thinking that now everybody/people will think that I did this, he also committed suicide. And the result of this story is that from that day onward, it is mandatory for everyone to have Kwai and Paan (“Betel Leaf”) in their house which one can serve to their guests without any hesitation. And it doesn’t matter whether your guest is rich is poor. Thus, Kwai removes the barrier of caste, religion, and class among people of Meghalaya.

Either it is Garo Cuisine, Khasi Cuisine or Jyantia Cuisine, each cuisine has its special place in Meghalaya's Food Stories. That’s all about “Food Stories of Meghalaya”. Hope you like this Food Trip to Meghalaya.