Tripura Cuisine

Tripura is a unique state of North-East India: nestled among hills and endowed with roughly 10 major rivers, the region is a crucial nerve-centre for floral and faunal diversity. Tripura is, in fact, part of one of the biodiversity hotspots of India. The geography of the region has shaped its demography and makes it an abode for various tribal communities like Tripuris, Debbarmas, Jamatias, Reangs, Kukis, Bhils, Santhals, Oraons, among others, while settlers from adjoining territories like Bengalis, Meiteis, Vishnupriya Manipuris, Chakmas and Mogs etc. have also carved a significant niche for themselves in the state. Each of these ethnic groups follows different religious and cultural mores, thereby, contributing towards the state’s social and cultural vibrancy. This diversity finds a telling reflection in the cuisine of the people of Tripura.

Recognised as an Indian state in 1972, the oft-ignored gastronomical world of Tripura is deeply embedded in its locally produced and procured food items. The state’s cuisine boasts of a complex indigenous food spectrum, comprising a rich assortment of vegetables, roots, tubers, alongside meats of various sorts like chicken, pork, lamb, mutton, fish etc. The heavy usage of condiments is often offset in order to make the original taste of the ingredients shine. While ginger, garlic and chilli peppers have been accorded a significant place within the cuisine, fermented fish and vegetables add a special tanginess to the palate.

With an enormous area under cultivation through farming and jhum (shifting cultivation), the economy of Tripura is primarily agrarian. Interestingly, food habits in the state are marked by a distinct diversity that ranges from roasted, boiled, fermented food to a broad spectrum of practices such as collecting fruits, leafy edible items, fishing and hunting wild animals or birds.

A variety of local flora and fauna are used to prepare these culinary items. Some of the local plants used by them for food preparation are the amchukai (wood sorrel), bel (wood apple), borchuk boroi (Indian jujube), goyam (guava), haching (ginger), pepui (long pepper), risam (garlic), swtwi (turmeric), kelikadam (river tamarind), kanta doga (spiny amaranth), mritinga (bamboo), tha duk (yam), dry khamka sikam (turkey berry), makhna (prickly water lily) subra (Indian coffee plum), makal, chamal, amloki (Indian gooseberry) and thankuni.

The other local and wild plants used in cooking by tribal communities consist of the batema (elephant foot yam) whose stem, leaf, rhizome and flower are used, the stem of the tharai (ginger), the tender shoot of the kuttuila (spiny amaranth), the flower of the chapok, shoot of the wandal (Indian timber bamboo), leaf of the tala kachu (ivy gourd), whole plant of the mwitu or lati (taro), fruit of the baikang (sword bean), among others. The tubers of tha borok (bitter yam), tha bolong (yam), tha ganga (five-leaf yam) are used to prepare traditional dishes.

These local plants are used to make different types of traditional dishes like the godak, berma bwtwi, ser, thok mwi, chakhwi, awandru, mwiborok or hontali and mosdeng. One characteristic feature of most of these dishes is that they are prepared without the use of cooking oil.

While rice remains a staple in the daily platter, it also commands indelible cultural importance in the dietary life of the region. Rice is also a dominant part of ceremonies and rituals and a frequent offering in indigenous liturgical services. Among the myriad rice dishes, Bhangui, a beloved dish of the region, involves rice being rolled inside a conically shaped banana leaf and flavoured with ginger and onion. It is then steamed in water which infuses the aroma of the banana leaf into the sticky rice. The guria variant of rice is generally used in preparing this distinctive dish, as it allows the rice to remain in its conical form and enables ease of consumption.

The traditional nature of the dish is evident from its presence in most of the celebrations in the region, although its preparation varies according to the nature of the event. It is primarily accompanied by staple proteins like fish, mutton and pork. However, it can also be transformed into a sweet dish called Awang Bhangui, where the typical ginger-onion flavourings are replaced with cashews sauteed in ghee and soaked raisins.

Bamboo, a traditionally used natural resource, is not only crucial to Tripura’s industrial sector, but also enjoys a significant presence in the list of ingredients for various dishes in Tripura. Muya Awandru, a popular dish that is cooked during celebratory occasions, is made with bamboo shoots, berma (fermented local fish seasoned with herbs and local spices), rice flour and spices. Another dish, Muya Bai, is traditionally cooked with pork along with bamboo shoots, jackfruit, and papaya but it could be improvised with other locally available ingredients.

A widely consumed curry is the chakhwi. Although originally a dish of the Tiprasa people, it has gained much traction among the other tribes and settler-communities of Tripura. Mostly slow cooked, chakhwi marks the coming together of people during moments of celebration like weddings, and other communal ceremonies. Cooked with vegetables or meat or both, this preparation comprises household spices, condiments, aayong (rice powder in Kokborok language), edible soda and easily available vegetables. Traditionally, chakhwi requires the indigenously made chakhwi khok, a bamboo cooking-tool mandatorily needed for sifting the rice, ash and water. A bed of heated coal is placed within the chakhwi khok that lends the combination its unique aroma. However, due to the commercial availability of sodium powder these days for flavouring, the technique is gradually disappearing.

Godak, a delicious dish from Tripura, is popular among the myriad tribal communities of the region. The vegetables used in preparing the dish depend on their availability and usage within the tribes. Rich in nutritional value, Godak is a non-oily dish prepared by boiling a semi-fermented traditional fish product called shidal made usually from the puti fish (a small fish from the carp family) along with vegetables. It is consumed with rice and due to its low spice-composition, it acts as a healthy food item.

A juicy and spicy regular meat dish that has made rapid inroads into the fast-food scenes of Tripura is the scintillating pork salad or Wahan Mosdeng. ‘Wahan’ implies pork while ‘Mosdeng’ stands for ground chilli. This famous delicacy is also often dubbed as Pork Bharta. Traditionally, the dish was prepared by the indigenous Tripuri people from wild boar meat, but Wahan Mosdeng is today also made from a variety of meat sources including chicken and pork. A mashed salad of sorts, the dish is made of smoked ingredients including pork, green chillies, garlic and shallots, garnished with onions and coriander leaves. Wahan Mosdeng is served primarily with Awang Bangui (sticky rice) or even Ruti (Roti/ Indian flat bread).

Perhaps a fish delicacy that is undoubtedly the cornerstone of Tripura cuisine is the beloved Mui Borok. Berma, a dried and fermented fish forms the heart of the dish. Cooked without oil, and with a wide range of vegetables, Mui Borok is extremely healthy and its lip-smacking spicy flavours and saltiness makes the dish unique and a favourite among the people.

The traditional rice beer from Tripura, Chuak, is a drink made by fermenting rice and is served during special occasions or festivities. Variations in primary ingredients of the drink ranges from mami rice, pineapple, jackfruit, etc. Consumption of alcoholic beverages by the adults of the tribal communities is widespread. Having indigenous roots, Chuak and Chuwarak are reasonably safe intoxicating drinks and are, in many ways, perceived as mediums to celebrate communal spirit especially during local religious and social events, much like their other Indian counterparts such as bhaang, chhaang, and handia.

A dish that is deeply reminiscent of the Bengali influence in Tripura cuisine is the Panch Phoron Tarkari. A blend of five spices is used to cook the dish. A vegetarian’s delight, the Panch Phoron Tarkari is made from chopped vegetables such as brinjal, pumpkin, potatoes along with other condiments like bay leaves, red chilli, green chilli, turmeric powder, salt and is served with parantha or luchi/puri (puffed bread fried in oil).

Among other scrumptious meals and dishes, mention must be made of Kosoi Bwtwi. A dish of high nutritious value, it is made from beans simmered with garlic and chillies, and is usually served as an entrée coupled with rice. French beans, fermented berma, chopped onions, green chillies, chopped tofu, occasionally khundrupui leaves, salt, turmeric and a hearty dose of garlic form the foundation of the recipe.

The classic Tripuri chutney, Mosdeng Serma, is made of berma (fermented fish), red chilli, garlic and tomatoes. Typically served alongside rice or roti, Mosdeng Serma is a popular state dish having a spicy and tangy flavour. The chutney enhances the flavours of the other dishes and manages to lace the entire meal into a complete gastronomical experience.

Tripura also has much to offer to satiate the sweet tooth in all of us. The Poda Pitha, although prevalent across several Indian states, is a traditional Tripura dessert made from rice, lentils, coconut and jaggery which are ground, soaked and fermented. Subsequently, it is combined with a paste made from jaggery, coconut, sugar and salt and then baked at appropriate temperature.

A simple yet versatile dish that is born out of the mixture of mangoes, yoghurt and rice flakes is the Aam Doi Chirey. Inspired from Bengali culinary practices, it is often consumed as breakfast or in the afternoons. The dish is made from ‘poha’ or rice flakes, mango pulp (although, this can sometimes be replaced with any other seasonal fruit), curd, jaggery or sugar, and cardamom powder. Garnished with crushed nuts such as almonds, pistachios, cashews this delicious dish is embedded in nostalgia and love.

The Tripura cuisine is testament to a seamless synergising of ancient and modern food practices. The close nexus between people and their natural world finds its reflection in their dietary preferences. In a world that is rapidly moving towards low nutritious fast food alternatives, it becomes crucial to engage with such healthy indigenous food practices.