Cuisines in Northeastern States of India are simple. They are steamed, blanched, boiled, less spicy and have pretty many varieties of mashed-mix dishes. It is quite uncommon to see lengthy process of food-making in many households. Most dishes in north-east do not belong to the deep fried categories. The technique of cooking has always been simple with combination of basic flavours.

This issue Fried Eye selects to feature bamboo shoots for, bamboos are ubiquitous all over this region and apart from being used as building purposes and household item, it is a favoured dish for its somewhat distinct aroma. Bamboo shoots are the young growth of a bamboo plant. It has hard outer covering and a tender inner core with a faint tempting flavour. Bamboo shoots are also high on nutritional value, low in fat, rich in vitamins, cellulose and amino acids. To prepare fresh bamboo shoots for cooking, the hard outer layers are peeled off and the inner white core is sliced into thin to medium strips. Bamboo shoots are half-boiled to remove its natural bitterness. Dishes are prepared from these half-boiled bamboo shoots although it is not necessarily harmful to eat undercooked bamboo shoots. Sometimes they are preserved for future use and its tough tangy smell makes it more aromatic. In many households bamboo shoots have become a part of traditional cuisine whether cooked, fresh, dried, shredded or pickled. Its distinct smell unify with many very basic spices. But here it out! one must have the likeness for bamboo shoots to enjoy its cuisines…

A very simple side dish of bamboo shoots (parboiled) which I love always for all season is.. mix the parboiled shoots with finely chopped green coriander leaves, green chilies, ginger and salt to taste, evenly with a table spoon of uncooked mustard oil. Add lemon juice for tanginess.

Bamboo shoot goes well with different types of meat and fish especially with pork and small fresh water fishes. Pork is a delightful delicacy in north east India. Whether they are boiled, deep fried, smoked or roasted, a pork dish blends well with onions, garlic, ginger, cumin, tomatoes, green coriander leaves and potatoes or sometimes with spinach. A very simple fried pork dish requires only salt and black pepper powder. To enjoy a pork dish watch out for a slice- red meat with a layer of fat topped with skin and that really makes the best chum for those taste-buds.

We have in this feature Ashitha Sreejesh, who has her home-made north-east traditional cuisine, pork with bamboo shoots and chicken with bamboo shoots. What I liked in pork bamboo is, pork being cooked in pressure cooker. It tends to make the meat tender and has steamy flavour. The juice of the pork dish when made in pressure cooker actually tastes differently. Try cooking the same dish in a kadai or any other cooking vessel, it will taste different.
Keep yumming !
Sanjeeta Thapa

Pork with Bamboo Shoots

by:Ashitha Sreejesh

Ingredients:

1. Pork
2. Bamboo shoots – 1/2 cup
3. Chilli powder – 1tsp
4. Green chilli – 2(optional)
5. Dry red chilli flakes
6. Cherry Tomatoes – 3
7. Ginger
8. Garlic
9. Onions(optional)
10. Spring onions
11. Water – 1ltr
12. Salt – To taste

Procedure:

1. First clean the pork thoroughly. It’s good to use pork with fat in this dish. So clean the pork and keep it in a bowl. Add some salt to it and leave it aside.
2. Next cut the onions into thin slices.
3. Crush the ginger and garlic.
4. Slit the green chillies, if we are using it. Here green chilli can be used as an option, because we are adding chilli powder.
5. Cut the spring onions.
6. Next comes the cooking part, actually authentic Naga pork curry is made in clay pot and cooked for a long time. But since I don’t have clay pot so I’m using pressure cooker to cook.
7. Take the pressure cooker, add the crushed ginger, garlic, chilli flakes and onions, sauté it very slightly. Then add the spring onions and the cherry tomatoes. Next add the bamboo shoots, pork, chilli powder and salt. Then give it a slow stir so that all the ingredients mix well. Finally add good amount of water, so that the pork submerges in the water and cooks well.
8. If we are using clay pot, then also same procedure is followed. Cook it on medium flame for some 45-50 minutes. There is no need to give occasional stirs in between apart from the stir that is done after adding water to the ingredients. Here I’m using cooker, so I cook it till 10 whistles go. Either ways make sure pork is cooked well. We don’t have to add any extra oil, because the pork already have enough fat contents in it. Once the dish is ready serve it with hot rice. I hope you all will try this dish.

Chicken with Bamboo Shoots

by:Ashitha Sreejesh

Description:

This dish is mostly made in North-Eastern India (particularly Nagaland). This curry is so healthy. It does not require any type of spices or masala. Pork with bamboo shoots is also very tasty and popular dish. Let’s check out the recipe.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken
2. Bamboo shoots – 1/2 cup
3. Green chilli – 3
4. Dry red chilli flakes
5. Cherry Tomatoes – 3
6. Ginger
7. Garlic
8. Onions (optional)
9. Spring onions
10. Salt

Procedure:

1. First clean the chicken and keep aside. Add some salt to it.
2. Next cut the onions into thin slices. Crush the ginger and garlic. Slit the green chillies.
3. Now cooking part, it will be good if we cook it in a skillet or something instead of using pressure cooker. But to save time I actually cooked in cooker.
4. First pour 1/2 tsp of oil into the cooker and then add the green chillies, chilli flakes, crushed ginger and garlic. Stir it for few seconds then add the onions. Sauté it till transparent then add the tomatoes, spring onions. Next bamboo shoots will go in. Stir it well and then add the chicken.
5. We can add little water if more gravy is required. Close the cooker lid, cook it till 3-4 whistles goes and the curry is perfectly ready to be served. This curry goes good with hot rice.