ASSAMESE RECIPES

The Assamese are known for their excellent hospitality. Their staple food is rice and fish curry. But the Assamese cuisine varies from region to region depending on the border shared in that area, the migrated population and the like.

Khar Khoa Asomiya is first served for the guests. The last course is called as tanga which is a tangy curry.

The Assamese use much of mustard oil in their cooking along with spices like ginger, garlic, pepper, fenugreek, etc. Green chilly and coriander are also used as per wishes. Fish is taken almost daily and baked fish in plantain leaf is a delicacy over here.

EGG SHOAP RECIPE

Ingredients Potato peeled and boiled 2 Egg boiled and peeled 2 Onions finely chopped 1 Chopped green chillies 1 Corainder powder 1 tbsp Cumin powder 1/2 tbsp Turmeric 1/4 tbsp Salt to taste   Bread crumbs and egg   Oil fo frying

Method Mash potatoes with the eggs. In a pan heat some oil and fry chopped onions along with green chillies. Fry till golden brown. Add salt,coriander, cumin and turmeric. Add the fried onions to mashed eggs and potato mixture. Make small balls of the egg-potato mixture. Break the unboiled egg in a bowl. Coat the balls first with the egg and then with the bread crumbs. In a wok or Kadhai heat some oil and fry the balls till golden brown and serve hot with tea or as any apetizer

PUMPKIN OAMBAL RECIPE

Ingredients Pumpkin boiled and mashed 1 lb.gms Dilute tamarind water 1/2 cup Grated jaggery dissolved 1/2 cup Bay leaf 1 Mustard seeds 1 tbsp Lime juice 1 tbsp Raisins 1 tbsp Water 1 cup Dry red chillies slit 2 Mustard oil 1 tbsp Salt to taste

Method Add the tamarind water to the pumpkin and mix well. Heat the oil add mustard seeds and fry till thay start sizzling, then add chillies and bay leaf. Stir for a minute, add the raisins and stir for another minute. Add the pumpkin-tamarind mixture and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Stir in the jaggery mixture and bring to the boil. Allow to simmer for a couple of minutes and remove from heat. Add the lime juice and stir well. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

TOMATO OAMBAL/CHUTNEY RECIPE

Ingredients Plum ripe tomatoes diced 1 lb/500 gms Grated jaggery dissolved 1/2 cup Bay leaf 1 Mustard seeds 1 tsp Lime juice 1 tsp Water 1 cup Dry red chillies slit 2 Mustard oil 1 tsp Salt to taste

Method Heat the oil add mustard seeds and fry till thay start sizzling, then add chillies and bay leaf. Stir for a minute, add the raisins and stir for another minute. Add the tomatoes and simmer till tomatoes change color. Stir in the jaggery mixture and bring to the boil. Allow to simmer for a couple of minutes or till the dish is thick with a rich color. Add the lime juice and stir well. Remove the bay leaf before serving

CABBAGE KOFTA CURRY RECIPE

Ingredients For the Kofta   Cabbage shredded finely 1 small Onions minced finely 2 small Salt to taste   Garam Masala powder 1 tsp Chilli powder 1 tsp Besan 1 cup For the curry Onion sliced finely 1 large Cloves 2 Cinnamon stick 1 Cardammom pods 1-2 Onion medium 1 Garlic clovettes 5 Ginger 1 small Jeera 1 tsp Corainder seeds 1 tsp Poppy seeds 1 tsp Cashewnuts 1 tsp Green chillies 4-5 Tomato 1 medium Chopped corainder leaves 1/2 cup Yogurt 1/2 tbsp

Method Mix all the kofta ingredients together and make a batter. Pour small round lumps of the batter in hot oil, deep fry and set aside. Heat oil in a pan and fry the sliced onion till it turns translucent. Now add the masala paste. Fry till the oil starts separated from the onions. Add 1 tablespoon of yogurt and mix well. Add salt and enough water to make a think gravy and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the deep fried koftas and heat through. Serve hot with chapatis or rice.

ASSAM LAKSA RECIPE

Ingredients Tamarind strained 50 gm Daun kesom(Polygonum) 3-4 stalks Salt to taste   Sugar to taste Water 4 litres Spice Paste(Grind together) Fresh shallots 30 Belacan granules 1 tsp Lemon grass 2 stalks Dried chillies 10 no Fresh chillies 10 no Lengkuas 1.5 cm Fresh turmeric 0.5 cm piece

Method Mix water with tamarind and strain. Bring tamarind water to the boil. Put in spice paste and daun kesom. Add salt and sugar to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes. Put in flaked fish, stir well and remove from fire. Serve the stock with laksa noodles and garnish with shredded cucumber, lettuce, pineapple, big onions and chillies. Add a few mint leaves and sprinkle some finely sliced ginger buds and add a tablespoon of shrimp paste (har koe).

BAMBOO SHOOT FRY

Ingredients Baking soda 2 tsp Fenugreek 1 tsp Dry red chillies 4 Oil 1 cup
Method Scale off the hard exterior of the bamboo shoot, wash and cut into small pieces. Add the baking soda and mix it well. Fry the methi seeds and red dry chillies and add salt to taste. Put the bamboo shoot into the pan and cook on a slow fire. When the bamboo shoot dries up, add 2 tbsps of water, stir well. Serve hot and crisp.

POORA HAAH RECIPE

Ingredients Medium size duck   Egg 1 Bread 4 slices Onion chopped 1 large Potato cubed 1 large Lime juice 3 tsp Black pepper powder 1/2 tsp Large green chillies chopped 2-4 Corainder leaves ground 1 bunch Green spring onions chopped 2 stalks Vinegar 1 tsp Chilli powder 1/4 tsp Cooking oil 1 cup Salt to taste

Method First of all remove the giblets. Clean it and wash. Chop them to fine pieces. Next, clean the duck and wash it. Keep it whole. Take salt and mix it in lime juice. Rub this mix inside and outside of the washed duck. After doing this keep it seperately for at least fifteen minutes. Crumble the bread slices and mix to the potato cubes. Now also mix all the ingredients mentioned above along with half of the cooking oil. Beat the egg properly and fold it into the mixture. Take the giblet and add it the this mixture and stir well. Half of the oil is left with you. Rub it all over the duck once again stuff the mixture and truss it properly. Roast the whole duck on a charcoal fire for at least 30 minutes or till it is done. Instead of charcoal fire, you can also roast in hot oven. Dont forget to baste the duck with a little cooking oil frequently while it is being roasted. Poora Haah is ready to serve. Serve it hot with boiled rice and roasted potatoes.

FISH FRIED RICE RECIPE

Ingredients Long grained rice 2 cup Onions chopped 2 large Desiccated coconut 2 tbsp Ground corainder 1 tbsp Turmeric powder 1 1/2 tsp Piece ginger 1 inch Ground cumin seeds 2 tsp Fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp Bay leaf 1 Juice 1/2 lime Oil 1/2 cup Salt to taste

Method Wash the rice and soak it in cold water for at least 1 hour. Wash and cut the fish into 2-inch pieces. Mix the coriander, cumin, turmeric, fenugreek and ginger together. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan and fry the mixture for about a minute. Place the fish in the pan, stir without breaking the pieces. Cover the pan and allow the fish to cook in its own steam for five minutes. Remove the fish carefully with a fish slice and keep them warm. Meanwhile, fry the onions with the bay leaf in the remaining oil till brown. Drain the rice and add to the onions. Mix the coconut and lemon juice in the rice and fry lightly for a couple of minutes. Pour a cup of water into the pan in which fish was fried and bring to the boil, pour this water into the rice mixture. Add extra warm water, just enough for the rice to simmer and cook Turn the rice out on a serving plate and arrange the cooked fish pieces on top. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.