India offers an excellent variety of cuisines. Each state is popular for its special delicacies that satisfy your taste buds and Assam is not an exception. Every tea-lover appreciates Assam’s gardeners who put a lot of effort into cultivating tea, which is distributed all across India.
A paradise for non-vegetarians, Assam offers scrumptious dishes that consist of both savoury and sweet recipes. These recipes will definitely leave you craving more. Known for its unique flavours, Assam’s traditional food is just perfect. In addition to food, Assam is popular for its rich fauna, scenic beauty, Nilgiri Hills, Brahmaputra River, and tribal heritage.
Try these Assamese cuisines on your next trip to the state.
1. Maasor Tanga
The most savoury and scrumptious dish that completes the traditional Assamese Thali is Maasor Tanga. Locals prefer Rohu and Catla fish and they love it. Tourists also love the taste of the fish cooked in vegetables. This fish curry is different from the usual curry recipes in that it consists of elephant apple, raw mangoes, tomato, lemon, potato, and a lot of other ingredients that give it a tangy and spicy flavour. Some chefs add panch phoran (five spices) . The thick gravy with freshly cooked fish is just the perfect meal for the day. You can also order it on Swiggy and enjoy it at home.
2. Aloo Pitika
Just like Chokha in Bihar and Jharkhand, Aloo Pitika is a popular, traditional food of Assam that’s perfect for vegetarians looking for a light and delicious meal. It’s a mixed vegetable recipe made of boiled and mashed potatoes. You can add all your favourite flavours to complete the recipe. This includes pumpkin, eggplant, and potatoes. The dish is garnished with green chilies and coriander.
You can have it for lunch or dinner, whatever you prefer. It’s mostly eaten with Chapati, although it can be served with pickles and rice as well. This Assamese version of mashed potatoes with fresh vegetables is just too good to be missed. It has a simple recipe yet so many flavours that you will love every bite of it. The next time you happen to be in Assam, order a plate of Aloo Pitika and enjoy this delicious delicacy.
3. Khar
Khar is a dark liquid and one of the famous Assamese recipes, which is prepared by sun-drying banana peel, collecting ashes from the burnt peel, and filtering them with fresh water. The procedure may sound a bit complex, but Khar is quite a popular recipe in Assam and is widely prepared in different cities in the state. The dish is often cooked with raw papaya, lentils, spices, and seasonings, all of which lend it a perfect flavour and the right amount of spiciness. Each tribe has its own method of preparing Khar and the ingredients used in the recipe might also differ. Take some time to savour this mouth-watering Assam-special cuisine on your next trip to the state.
4. Paror Mangxo
If you are a non-veg lover, you are going to love the pigeon curry. In addition to being an incredibly delicious and flavourful dish of Assam, Paror Mangxo is known for its many health benefits. The ingredients used in the recipe tend to keep you warm and cosy, making it a perfect winter food for Assam tourists. It’s usually served with Koldil, also called banana flower.
The delicious combination of Koldil and pigeon meat gives you a scrumptious meal that tastes amazing. Banana flower refers to the buds obtained from the banana plant. You should order this special Assamese pigeon meat whenever you visit Assam. You could also Swiggy it if you are not in the mood for going out.
5. Silkworm
Assam happens to be the largest producer of Muga Silk in the world. But can it be a dish? Well, one of the many traditional Assamese dishes, fried Silkworm, tastes incredibly delicious and crispy. Although it is not for everyone and there’s a chance you might not like it, it’s definitely worth a shot. Silkworm is an exotic dish that has a crunchy layer on the outside and soft liquid on the inside. Silk is obtained from cocoons and is stir-fried. Often served as a snack, you can find fried silkworms at street shops. If you are in the mood for something exotic yet not too spicy, try fried Silkworm.
6. Ou Khatta
For savoury food lovers, this spicy and tangy Chutney in Assam can satisfy your taste buds. Prepared using jaggery and elephant apple, Ou Khatta has delicious flavours, which leave a perfect aftertaste in your mouth. The recipe is quite popular as a side dish, often served with rice and the main course. It has a perfect blend of sweet and spicy flavours, making it one of the most popular Assamese chutneys.
Not just in restaurants and street shops, but Ou Khatta is commonly made in nearly every household. It’s a staple food of Assam. Ou, or the Elephant apple is boiled and mixed with jaggery to prepare this chutney. Overall, it’s delicious.
7. Pithas
Assam doesn’t disappoint its tourists who have a sweet tooth. If you are craving a dessert after your meal, try Pitha. These are sweet dumplings made of rice flour and stuffed with sweet filling. There are many variants of Pithas available. You can also make them savoury by stuffing them with a spicy filling.
You can have Pithas fried or steamed. It’s just like momo, but it can be sweet and cooked in a variety of ways. You can try different variants of Pithas, depending on what satisfies your hunger pangs. If you are looking for a sweet dish, try Pithas from the local street shop in Assam.
8. Duck Meat Curry
Assam sure has a lot to offer when it comes to meat variety. From Pigeon’s curry to duck meat, the options are countless and each dish comes with a special taste and many health benefits. Like other recipes in the state, Duck Curry can be prepared with different vegetables, sometimes lentils, and Ash Gourd.
The Tai Ahom community of Assam often prepares Duck Meat on special occasions and when they have guests. This recipe has been part of Assamese traditional food and the local culture for quite a long time. It’s another winter-special cuisine that you must have if you happen to visit Assam. The dish has a thick and creamy gravy, which tastes incredibly delicious.
Different spices and seasonings can be added to give it a perfect flavour. If you can’t wait for a special occasion to try this special cuisine, you can order it online on Swiggy and enjoy it with your loved ones.
Bottom Line
This was our list of the best Assam traditional foods that can help satisfy your hunger pangs and show you the true taste of Assamese food. Foodies and those who love to try local dishes of the state should definitely visit Assam. From the delicious duck curry to pigeon meat and from Maasor Tanga to Ou Khatta, the state has a lot to offer. You can hit the nearby local restaurant to try these delicacies or you can order them online, whatever works best for you. Hope you have a great time trying Assam’s traditional food.
