Manipuri cuisine refers to the cuisine ofManipur, a state of northeasternIndia. Daily meals are based on rice, with a few side dishes of vegetables, fish and meat.[1] A meal would usually have a vegetable stew calledensaang orathongba, flavored with dried or fried fish; stir-fried vegetables calledkanghou; and a spicy item, which could bemorok metpa (a chili paste),eromba (boiled and mashed vegetables with chili and fermented fish), orsingju (a piquant salad). All piquant side dishes are accompanied by a choice of fresh herbs, collectively calledmaroi. The base and essence of Meitei cuisine is the fermented fish calledngari. Several dishes of meat, mostly chicken and pork,[2] are cooked with unique recipes.[1] Due to religious taboos, Muslims living in Manipur do not cook pork.
A side dish of steamed (a-ngaanba) or boiled vegetables with a hint of sugar (cham-phut) are also quite common as palate cleansers in most meals. The aromatics of most dishes start with frying bay leaf, chives, onion, garlic, and ginger in mustard oil. The rest of the vegetables follow after that. Oil is sparingly used in most of the main stews but the side dishes ofkanghou (stir-fried spicy vegetables) andbora (fritters) make up for that. Fish is also a staple, and appears in every meal, either asngaari or as roasted or fried pieces. While fish is an essential part of the diet, due to increasing prices, fish curry is prepared only occasionally, or during feasts. The Meiteis live in the valley of Manipur where freshwater fish from lakes and rivers and ponds had been plentiful until recent times. In Manipur, meals are known aschakluk.
The staple diet of Manipur consists of rice, fish, and large varieties of leafy vegetables (both aquatic and terrestrial).[3] Manipuris typically raise vegetables in a kitchen garden and rear fishes in small ponds (pukhri)[4] around their house. Since the vegetables are either grown at home or obtained from local market, the cuisines are very seasonal, each season having its own special vegetables and preparations. The taste is very different from other Indian cuisines because of the use of various aromatic herbs and roots that are peculiar to the region.[5]
There are also ingredients in the cuisine that require an acquired taste, such ashawaijaar (fermented soya bean, somewhat similar to the Japanesenattō),soibum (fermented bamboo shoot),ngaa-ri (fermented fish), andhentak (fermented fish powder and herbs).
Eromba: achutney of vegetables boiled or steamed with a lot of red chillies orumorok (king chilli) withngari (fermented fish), smoked or roasted fish and mashed together. It is garnished with herbs like maroi (maroi nakuppi, phakpai, mayang-ton, toning-khok, kaanghumaan, lomba, tilhou,chaantruk, coriander leaves and many more).
Singju: a piquant salad which is prepared with an assortment of raw vegetables, and can have varying combinations depending on preference or season. The vegetables arejulienned, while the accompanying herbs and leaves are coarsely chopped or shredded. Some of the usual main ingredients are cabbage, lotus stem,laphu tharo (banana flower),komprek (a kind of scented herb),kollamni (another herb),yongchaak (tree beans/stink beans/Parkia speciosa). The accompanying herbs and leaves include sweet pea shoots,toningkhok (Houtuniya cordata) leaves and roots,heibi mana, coriander leaves etc. Most singju items are seasonal. Singju can be seasoned with a chili paste flavored with roastedngari (fermented fish), or with roasted "thoiding" seeds (Perilla frutescens) powder and roasted chick pea powder/roastedbesan, plus roasted red chili powder. Thoiding seeds are rich in healthy fats and vitamins, and when they are roasted they give a nutty flavor that is distinctive to a singju. Other additional ingredients include boiled beans and peas, and also savory crispies, though these are optional.
Chamthong orkangshoi: a stew of any seasonal vegetables with coarsely chopped onions or spring onion,maroi - bothyennam nakuppi andnapakpi, ginger,ngari and salt, topped with ngari,[7] dried fish, or fried fish pieces and water. It is soupy in consistency and is eaten with rice.
Morok metpa: a coarse paste prepared with green or dry red chilies mixed with chopped onions, coriander leaves and other local herbs for garnishing. The chilies are steamed or roasted with ngari[7] or simply crushed and then mashed with salt and this fish condiment; fried fish pieces can also be added to it. This is something which accompanies both the meals as a routine side dish.
Kang-ngou orkaang-hou: various vegetables stir-fried with traditional spices
Nganam: fish andmaroi baked on a pan
Paaknam: a pancake prepared with a mixture of pea flour,maroi napaakpi,laphu tharo,awa phadigom, andngari wrapped in turmeric and banana leaves and either baked in a pan or steamed first and then roasted
Nga thongba: a fish curry
Nga ataoba thongba: a fried fish curry
Nga atoiba: mashed fish
Ooti: a typical vegetarian dish generally characterised by its slightly overcooked texture of having the ingredients slightly mashed. Baking soda is also frequently used for this dish.
Pakoura thongba orbora thongba: a fritter curry
Chagem pomba: a curry made with fermented soya, mustard leaves, roasted or smoked fish and other herbs; broken rice is also a main ingredient and so the name "chagem" in this dish
Keli chana: a spicy chickpea snack
Alu kangmet: boiled potatoes mashed with fried red chili andnakuppi with salt and/or dressed with mustard oil
Sana thongba: a curry prepared with paneer
Yen thongba: a chicken curry
Nganu thongba: a duck curry
Oak thongba: a pork curry
San thongba: a beef curry
Hameng thongba: a mutton curry
Tharoi thongba: a snail curry
Pan hawaijar thongba: a taro and fermented soybean curry
Soibum thongba: a bamboo shoot curry
A-nganba orchamphut: steamed vegetables, such as pumpkin, peas, carrots, French beans, etc
.svg)
