Discovering Assam, one dish at a time

Express News Service

India is a diverse country, and each state (and smaller communities) has its own cuisine, with signature dishes that are distinct in taste and preparation. No matter how much time you spend in another state, the flavours of your native cuisine will forever linger on your taste buds.

For Chittaranjan Park resident Sneha Saikia, the food of her home state Assam has always evoked a sense of nostalgia. An avid foodie, Saikia would earlier cook local dishes and post photographs and videos on her social media account.

However, the response she received was often disheartening. “People think Northeastern cuisine is about insects and snakes,” Saikia shares.

To bust similar myths and showcase true Northeast cuisine, Saikia decided to host weekend lunches at her home. Saikia’s ‘Table for 6 Luncheons’ concept was launched in 2019. Although a professional fashion designer who works at an export house, Saikia’s true passion has always been cooking.

While the focus in her curated menus remains Assamese food, Saikia also incorporates dishes from other Northeastern states. Her six guests are served traditional dishes. “I want people to see our food is healthy and herb-based,” she adds.

With the growing popularity of her concept, Saikia has introduced on-request dinners since August, 2021. “Since the setting is more intimate, I have the opportunity to inform guests about the food,” she shares.

Purposeful, native delights

Each six-seater luncheon is a six or seven-course meal featuring vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes along with local chutneys. Saikia shares that every Assamese meal must begin with Khar – a dish made with an alkaline liquid prepared from dried vegetable peels.

“In Assam, we believe in zero-wastage. So Khar is made out of whatever is left over from vegetables,” Saikia explains. This is followed by a lentil soup made with different vegetables, one of them being Autenga Diya Mati Dali or lentil soup with elephant apple.

The meal also comprises a vegetable dish, a meat dish, and ends with something sour, usually Masor Tenga – a tangy fish curry made using sour ingredients such as tomatoes, lemon, among others. To end the meal, Saikia serves tea, not desserts. A supporter of fresh, local produce, Saikia gets most ingredients shipped from Assam.

This way, she mentions, the dishes are as authentic as possible. Moreover, each menu is curated keeping in mind a theme and the season. For instance, during spring, Saikia curates a menu with different edible flowers from Northeast such as Aloo Pitika (mashed potatoes) with lemon flower, pork with roselle flower, etc.

South Delhi-resident Sikha, who has attended Saikia’s lunch twice – once in November, 2021, and later in March, this year – mentions how the nostalgia of home-cooked meals prompted her to find Saikia’s luncheons.

She concludes, “I am Assamese and married to a North Indian. So, I don’t get to make these dishes at home. I like that while the food is Assamese, Sneha prepares it such that even someone who is not familiar with the cuisine will enjoy it.”