The Essential North-East Cookbook

Those who live in, or have visited the seven sister states - Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura - would tell you that the kitchens of the North-East are the source of an extraordinary range of dishes that blend tradition and innovation in unexpected ways.

The basic tribal diet of jungle produce has over the years been shaped by the influence of various other communities: the Thais, who once ruled over some parts of the territory; the Chinese, because of their proximity; and the Bengali migrants, and it is this unusual combination that makes the food of the region unique in India.

Lightly spiced, with hardly any oil, and flavoured with herbs that are now available in stores across the country, the stews, chutneys and curries in this book can transform the most ordinary meal into an exotic experience. Recipes include: Galho (Rice with green vegetables) Guntok (Vegetable potage) Komal saul (Soft rice) Ar sawchiar (Chicken pulao with herbs) Bhoja haah (Stir-fried duck) Mansha jhol (Mutton curry) Berema butui (Sun-dried fish and chilli potage) Masor jhol (Fish curry) Jadoh (Pork biryani) Voksa pok (Pork with mustard leaves) Akhuni chutney (Fermented soya bean chutney) Ironba (Vegetable chutney) Rongpu takeng (Egg chutney)