Food And Local Cuisines Of Tripura

The inhabitants of Tripura and the locals, called the Tripuris are very fond of traditional food. A common Tripura platter would include items like rice, pulses, vegetables, fish, meat and chutney. The most interesting thing about a typical Tripuri platter is the absence of oil and the generous use of herbs. As a result, while being tasty, a traditional Tripuri cuisine is extremely healthy. The charm and attraction of authentic Tripuri food draws innumerable tourists and visitors to the ‘Queen of Eastern hills’ that is, Tripura.

Cultural Diversity in Tripura

The cultural diversity prevailing in Tripura is clearly reflected in the food habits of the tribal and the non-tribal people. The non-tribal Bengali community living in Tripura mainly eat rice, fish, meat and also pork. The non-tribal community staying in Tripura is particularly fond of ‘Hilsa’, the king of all fish which is easily available since Bangladesh is at stone’s throw. The tasty ‘Hilsa’ from River Padma of Bangladesh is one of the most favorite and popular items served on the dining tables of the non-tribal inhabitants of Tripura.

When it comes to the genuine Tripuri cuisines, you could just not refrain from trying the tasty and healthy preparations. The aroma of the Tripuri dishes would win your heart immediately and the health effects of those preparations made sans oil would make you an ardent fan of the local cuisines of Tripura. The original Tripuri cuisine is called ‘Mui Borok’ by the locals. Characterised by its organic, mild, zesty and distinctive aromatic flavor, these preparations of the North-East can easily be considered the tastiest and healthiest options considered by a food connoisseur.  Fish stews and food items made out of bamboo shoots are not only popular but almost staple.

Major Dishes and Ingredients in Tripuri Cooking

Berma

A prime ingredient of a Tripuri cuisine is Berma which is a fermented and dried fish by the name ‘puti’. Although, apparently the flavor of Berma is unpleasant, but one cooked, the delicacy becomes mouth-watering. Berma is that special ingredient which identifies a quintessential Tripuri cuisine.

Chauk

Chauk is the traditional rice beer that is prepared by fermenting rice in water. It is one of the most popular drinks that the Tripuris enjoy during social occasions and festivals. There is another drink that is prepared from millet rice which is called Apong. Muya Awandru is a Tripuri preparation which has bamboo shoot, rice flour and Berma as its ingredients. Muya bai Wahan is made of bamboo shoots, papaya, jack fruit and pork.

Gudok

The Tripuris have a particular favorite dish by the name Gudok which used to be prepared in young bamboo pipes of the wandal category in the past. But nowadays as this variety of bamboo has become scarce, Gudok is prepared in a common cooking pan. However, the one that used to be made in bamboo pipe used to have a special aroma and taste which is missing in the modern ones prepared in cooking pans. Nevertheless, Gudok has a distinctive aroma and a sumptuous taste.

Kosoi Bwtwi

Kosoi Bwtwi is another Tripuri cuisine made of beans and Berma. Mosdeng serma is a very interesting and lip-smacking Tripuri chutney which is made of berma, garlic, red chilli and tomato. The Tripuris are particularly fond of pork. Wahan is typical a dish made of pork. In the hilly region of Tripura, when the winters set in, many tribals are often found to set up tiny roadside food kiosks where they sell freshly made chapattis and pork bharta. Young children usually love to buy these food items and relish with their friends. Some other typical Tripuri cuisines are Awandru, Chakhwi, Chatang, Chakhwtwi Kwthwng, Berma bwtwi, Thokni Chakhwi, Chakhwtwi, Mosodeng, Ik, Rabra, Ser, Muitru,  Muhr, Mwkhwi, Napek, Yohk, Peng, Ruk, Hontali, Sok, DengHang,  Yaksapik .

If you are interested to turn your kitchen into a Tripuri one you could do so with the help of the recipes provided below. How about bring the typical North-East flavour in your kitchen and surprising your family? The recipes of some of the popular Tripuri dishes are given below:

Kosoi Bwtwi

Ingredients

• Beans: 500 gm
• Green Chilli: 10 pieces
• Berma: 4 pieces
• Onion: 2 pieces of medium size
• Garlic: 10 flakes
• Turmeric powder: 2 Tea spoons full
• Salt: as per taste

Procedure

You have to wash the beans and clean them thoroughly and remove the fibres simultaneously from the marginal area. You should cut every bean in a way that each piece is not longer than 3 to 4 cms. The green chillies should also be cut longitudinally. You need to make rings out of the onions and hence cut those accordingly. You need to peel off the garlic and crush it.

• Fill a pan with 1.5 litres of water and boil it for five minutes keeping the flame at a medium range.
• Add the turmeric powder, the quantity as directed above. You also have to add the pieces of Berma and let it boil for another five minutes.
• Add the green chillies and cook for five more minutes. The beans should then be added to the broth and the whole thing has to be cooked for around 20 minutes.
• Simmer the gas flame and then add crushed garlic and keep pan covered for around 3 minutes.
• Add the final but crucial touch by adding a traditional Tripuri spice called Khundrupui leaves after you transfer the cooked item in a serving bowl. You should always serve it hot with rice.

Muya bai Wahan Chakhwi

Ingredients

• Bamboo shoots: 500 gm
• Pork: 250 gm
• Jack fruit seeds: 100 gm
• Green papaya: 100 gm
• Backing soda: 2 tea spoons full
• Green chili: 10 pieces
• Ginger: 50gm
• Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon full
• Fresh Lemon leaves: 12 pieces
• Rice flour: 30-40 gm

Procedure

You should peel off the bamboo shoots and cut the tender areas into small pieces, so that each one is not more than 1-2 cm. The skin of the green papaya should also be cut into small pieces, although little bigger than the pieces of the bamboo shoots. The jack fruit seeds have to be peeled off their skin and soaked in water for some time, around 15 minutes. Once soaked, the red skin of the seeds should be removed and the seed should be cut longitudinally. Each lemon leaf has to be torn into two parts and the ginger should be finely chopped. You also have to prepare a liquid paste of rice flour in a tiny bowl and keep it. The pork meat should be cut into medium slices. The chillies should be split longitudinally and the seeds should be removed.

• You need a big pan to prepare this dish. Fill the pan with 1.5 litres of water. Add baking soda and let it boil for 5 minutes. The foam then needs to be removed gently.
• Salt should be added as per your taste. You should also add the turmeric powder and the boiling process should continue while you keep on adding the chopped ginger and the split green chillies. The whole thing should now be allowed to boil for 3 minutes.
• Add bamboo shoot and the jackfruit seeds. The burner should be kept between medium and high flame and the whole thing should be boiled for 10 more minutes.
• Add the papaya and the pork and let it cook for 20 minutes keeping the pan covered with a lid.
• Then after you simmer the flame, you should add the rice flour paste and keep stirring the curry slowly. Again the lid should be put so that it is kept this way for another 5 minutes.
• After this, you have to add the fresh lemon leaves and mix them properly in the curry. You have to keep the lid covered and leave it for 2-3 minutes. This dish too needs to be served with hot rice.

Muya Awandru

Ingredients

• Bamboo shoot: 750 gm
• Rice flour: 50 gm
• Berma : 4 big pieces
• Green chilli paste: 3 tea spoons full
• Garlic : 10 flakes
• Banta: 15 leaves

Procedure

You should peel off the bamboo shoots first and then cut the tender parts into small pieces, each being 3-4 cms. You should make a paste out of the green chillies. The berma should be washed and cleaned thoroughly. Before crushing the garlic flakes, you need to peel those off. You also have to prepare a liquid paste of rice flour with water.

• Fill a pan with 1.5 litres of water and let it boil for minutes.
• Add the green chilli paste and boil for 3 more minute.
• Add the berma and salt and let it boil for 7 minutes.
• You have to add the bamboo shoots now and cook it for half an hour.
• Take a small bowl to make the liquid paste of rice flour with water. Keeping the flame simmered, you have to mix the paste slowly and keep stirring it simultaneously. You need to cook it for another 5 minutes.
• The garlic flakes have to be crushed and added to the boiling bamboo shoot. Keep the pan covered with a lid.
• When you remove the pan from fire and transfer the cooked item in a bowl, you should not forget to garnish it with banta leaves. The food is now ready to be served with hot rice.

Sobai Gudok

Ingredients

• Sobai (Lubhia) : 500 gm
• small variety fish: 100 gm
• Green chilli: 12 pieces
• Onion: 2 pieces of medium size
• Potato: two pieces of medium size
• Coriander leaves: 10 branches
• Berma: 3 pieces
• Turmeric powder: half a spoon
• Salt: as per taste

Procedure

You should wash and clean the lubhia and cut into tiny pieces. The scales of the small fish need to be peeled off and then the fish must be thoroughly cleaned putting under running water. The chillies should also be washed. Onions should be chopped finely. Once peeled, the potatoes should be cut into small cubes. You have to wash the berma and chop the coriander leaves.

• Fill a pressure cooker with half a litre of water. You have to boil it after adding two spoons of salt and half spoon of turmeric powder.
• Add berma, chilli and onion and let the mixture boil for 5 minutes.
• After adding the small fish, you have to put the lid tightly and wait for two whistles.
• Simmer for two minutes.
• Remove the lid and let the mixture cool. You have to sift the soup and put it in a plate. You must be careful enough in extracting the chillies from the mixture.
• Crush the lubhia and mix it with chilli paste. You have to add the water that you have sifted and stir the whole thing. The dish reaches its final stage when you garnish with coriander leaves. This dish tastes awesome when served with hot rice.

Wahan (Pork) Mosdeng

Ingredients

• Pork: 1 kg
• Onion: 5 pieces of medium size
• Green chilli: 25 pieces
• Ginger: 150 gm
• Coriander leaves: 50 gm
• Salt: as per taste
  

Procedure

Chop the onions and peel the ginger off before chopping it finely. The pork meat should be cut into small slices. Piece knife into every piece of chilli and separate the coriander leaves one by one from the branch.

• Pour half a liter of water in a pressure cooker. There you must add two spoons of salt, two spoons of chopped ginger, 4 spoons of chopped onion and close the lid of the cooker putting it on high flame so that the contents can be cooked softly.
• The green chillies should be toasted on a flat iron utensil called tawa.
• Once you release the pressure from the cooker, you must sift the pork and let it cool. It should be then cut into even smaller pieces.
• You have to prepare a fine paste of the toasted chilli.
• You should take the pork in a serving bowl and add chilli paste, chopped onion, chopped ginger, salt and mix all.
• Finally you should garnish it with coriander leaves and enjoy it either with rice or with bread.
  

Mosdeng sermaor the famouos Tripuri Chutney

Ingredients

• Berma : 5 pieces
• Red chilli: 10 pieces
• Onion: 3 pieces
• Garlic: 12 flakes
• Tomato: two pieces
• Cooking oil: one serving spoon full
• Coriander leaves: 4 branches
• Salt: as per taste

Procedure

You should keep the red chillies soaked in water for 10 minutes. Take a mixer and make a paste of the red chillies. You could alternatively make a paste of red chilli powder even. You have to chop the onions, take out the seeds from the tomatoes before cutting those into tiny pieces and also chop the garlic. The berma should be washed thoroughly in running water. The coriander leaves must be cut into pieces.

• Take a non-stick frying pan and heat oil in a medium flame. You should add the chopped onion in the oil and fry it till brown. Then the berma needs to be added and stirred continuously.
• Add garlic and keep frying it for 7 minutes.
• Add the chilli paste and keep stirring thoroughly till the chillies are fried.
• Then you have to add the tomatoes. You should continue to fry and stir. You also have to cover the pan with a lid and simmer the flame.
• When you find the tomatoes melting and blending well with the chillies, you should add the coriander leaves.
• You have to remove the mixture from oven and transfer it to a small serving bowl. It would act as a great appetizer. Hence you have to serve it in small quantity and enjoy it with rice or fried rice.