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Tag: Assam

  • Assamese Khar

    Khar is both an ingredient and a dish, and it is so central to Assamese identity that the community sometimes calls itself 'khar khowa', the khar eaters. The ingredient is an alkaline liquid made by burning dried peel of the bhim kol banana, mixing the ash with water and filtering it. Traditionally khar is the first dish eaten at a meal.

    The most common version is papaya khar: raw papaya, often with a little masoor dal or rice, cooked in mustard oil with garlic and green chilli and then simmered with a spoon of khar. The alkali softens the vegetables and gives a distinctive smooth, slightly soapy-earthy taste that is hard to compare to anything else. Baking soda is the usual substitute outside Assam.

    At a glance

    RegionAssam
    CuisineAssamese
    DietVegan
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsraw papaya / masoor dal / khar (banana ash water) / garlic

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups raw papaya, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
    • 1/4 cup masoor dal, soaked 20 minutes
    • 2 tbsp mustard oil
    • 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds or panch phoron
    • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
    • 2 green chillies, slit
    • 1 1/2 tbsp khar (or 1/4 tsp baking soda dissolved in 2 tbsp water)
    • 1 1/2 cups water
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. Heat the mustard oil in a pan until it smokes, then lower the heat to medium.
    2. Add the fenugreek seeds and let them turn light brown, then add the crushed garlic and green chillies and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
    3. Add the papaya cubes and drained masoor dal. Stir-fry on medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
    4. Add salt and 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil.
    5. Stir in the khar. Cover and simmer on low heat for 15-18 minutes until the papaya is soft and the dal has broken down.
    6. Mash a few papaya pieces lightly to thicken the gravy. It should be a loose, soupy consistency. Serve hot.

    Tips

    • Be careful with the quantity – too much khar or baking soda makes the dish taste soapy and bitter.
    • Some families add a handful of soaked rice with the dal to give the khar more body, or a few pieces of fish head for a non-vegetarian version.
    • Khar is eaten in small portions as the first course, mixed with a little rice.

    Serve with

    The first few mouthfuls of plain rice at an Assamese meal.

  • Masor Tenga

    Masor tenga means sour fish, and it is the curry Assamese families eat most often, especially in the hot, humid months. Sour food is believed to cool the body, and the souring agent changes with the season: ripe tomato, outenga (elephant apple), thekera (dried mangosteen), lemon, or kaji nemu, the long fragrant Assamese lemon.

    Compared with most Indian fish curries it is thin, bright and simple. Rohu or another freshwater fish is fried lightly in mustard oil, then simmered in a tomato broth tempered with fenugreek seeds. There is no coconut, no heavy masala, only turmeric, green chillies and coriander. The soup is meant to be poured over rice.

    At a glance

    RegionAssam
    CuisineAssamese
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrohu fish / tomato / lemon / mustard oil

    Ingredients

    • 500 g rohu steaks
    • 1 tsp turmeric powder, divided
    • 1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
    • 4 tbsp mustard oil
    • 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
    • 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
    • 3 green chillies, slit
    • 2 cups water
    • Juice of 1 lemon (or 1/2 Assamese kaji nemu)
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Rub the fish steaks with 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1 tsp salt and set aside for 10 minutes.
    2. Heat the mustard oil in a kadhai until smoking, then lower to medium. Fry the fish for 2 minutes per side until lightly golden; they need not be fully cooked. Remove.
    3. In the same oil add the fenugreek seeds and fry for 10-15 seconds until they turn reddish brown; do not let them blacken.
    4. Add the tomatoes, remaining turmeric and salt. Cook on medium heat for 6-7 minutes, mashing with the spatula, until the tomatoes turn soft and pulpy.
    5. Pour in 2 cups water and add the green chillies. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
    6. Slide in the fried fish and simmer on low heat for 6-7 minutes until the fish is cooked through.
    7. Turn off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and coriander, and serve hot.

    Tips

    • Add the lemon only after switching off the heat; boiling makes it bitter.
    • For outengar tenga, add a few pieces of elephant apple with the tomatoes and skip the lemon.
    • Fried fenugreek should smell nutty – burnt seeds make the whole curry bitter.

    Serve with

    Plain steamed rice, with aloo pitika on the side.

  • Aloo Pitika

    Pitika means mash, and Assamese cooks make it from almost anything: potato, brinjal, tomato, dried fish or masoor dal. Aloo pitika is the most common and often the first dish served on a plate of rice, alongside dal and a tenga. It is also a favourite comfort dish on rainy days with khichdi.

    The secret is pungent raw mustard oil, which gives the mash a sharp, nose-tickling edge that sets it apart from other potato dishes in India. Finely chopped raw onion and green chilli add crunch and heat, and coriander adds freshness. Some families mash in a boiled egg or a roasted dry red chilli for extra smokiness.

    At a glance

    RegionAssam
    CuisineAssamese
    DietVegan
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time15 minutes
    Total time25 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspotato / mustard oil / onion / green chilli

    Ingredients

    • 4 medium potatoes (about 500 g)
    • 1 small onion, very finely chopped
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
    • 1 1/2 tbsp raw mustard oil
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 1 dry red chilli, roasted (optional)

    Method

    1. Boil the potatoes in salted water or pressure cook for 3 whistles until completely soft. Drain and peel while still warm.
    2. If using the dry red chilli, roast it directly over a low flame for 10-15 seconds until it darkens and smells smoky, then crumble it.
    3. Mash the potatoes with your hands or a fork until smooth, leaving no lumps.
    4. Add the onion, green chillies, coriander, salt and roasted chilli.
    5. Pour in the raw mustard oil and mix well with your fingers so the oil is evenly absorbed.
    6. Taste and adjust salt, then shape into a mound or small balls and serve at room temperature.

    Tips

    • Mash the potatoes while warm; cold potatoes turn gluey and do not absorb the oil as well.
    • Use kachi ghani mustard oil and do not heat it – the raw pungency is the whole point.
    • Add a boiled egg mashed in for 'kani aloo pitika', a popular home variation.

    Serve with

    Rice, dal and masor tenga, or with khichdi.

  • Hanh Kumura (Duck with Ash Gourd)

    Duck is festive meat in Assam, especially during Magh Bihu in January and among the state's many communities who rear ducks in paddy fields and ponds. Hanh kumura pairs the rich, gamey bird with kumura, ash gourd, which soaks up the fat and spices and softens the strong flavour of the meat.

    The curry is hearty rather than fiery. Duck pieces are browned well in mustard oil with onion, ginger, garlic and whole spices, then simmered slowly until tender; the ash gourd goes in towards the end and turns soft and translucent. Black pepper and a little garam masala give warmth. It is a long, slow cook, ideal for a winter lunch.

    At a glance

    RegionAssam
    CuisineAssamese
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time90 minutes
    Total time120 minutes
    Serves5
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsduck / ash gourd / onion / ginger / garlic

    Ingredients

    For the duck

    • 1.2 kg duck, skin on, cut into medium pieces
    • 1 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp salt

    For the curry

    • 500 g ash gourd (kumura), peeled, deseeded and cut into 4 cm pieces
    • 4 tbsp mustard oil
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 3 green cardamoms
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 3 medium onions, finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp ginger paste
    • 2 tbsp garlic paste
    • 2 tomatoes, chopped
    • 1 tsp red chilli powder
    • 2 tsp coriander powder
    • 1 tsp cumin powder
    • 1 tsp freshly crushed black pepper
    • 4 green chillies, slit
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 3 cups hot water
    • Salt to taste
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Singe off any remaining feathers over a flame, wash the duck well and rub with turmeric and salt. Rest for 20 minutes.
    2. Heat a dry heavy pot and add the duck pieces skin-side down. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, turning, until the fat renders and the skin browns. Pour off excess fat, keeping 1 tbsp.
    3. Add the mustard oil to the pot and heat until it smokes, then lower to medium. Add bay leaves, cardamom and cinnamon, then the onions. Fry for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
    4. Add ginger and garlic pastes and fry for 2 minutes until the raw smell is gone. Add the tomatoes and powdered spices and cook for 5 minutes until the oil separates.
    5. Return the duck to the pot and bhuno on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring, until the masala darkens and coats the meat.
    6. Pour in 3 cups hot water, add green chillies, cover and simmer on low heat for 45-50 minutes (or pressure cook for 6-7 whistles) until the duck is tender.
    7. Add the ash gourd and black pepper and simmer uncovered for 12-15 minutes until the gourd turns translucent and soft.
    8. Finish with garam masala and coriander, and rest 10 minutes before serving.

    Tips

    • Duck is fatty – rendering the skin first gives better flavour and a less greasy curry.
    • Do not add the ash gourd early; it releases water and turns to pulp if overcooked.
    • If you can find it, a pinch of crushed Assamese bhut jolokia gives the curry its fiery local version.

    Serve with

    Steamed joha rice or plain rice.