Assamese Cuisines : Easy Eats

Pumpkin Flower Fritters

‘Bors’[1] are generally served as a starter in Assam, to be enjoyed with a bowl of ‘khar’[2] and rice at the beginning of a meal, although they can be enjoyed as snack with a cup of tea as well. Assamese cuisine has some of the most interesting bors made from flowers like  Xewali phool    ( night-flowering Jasmine), lau phool (pumpkin flower), koldeel (heart of the banana flower ), Bhaat-gheela, tita phul, bok phul etc.

Ingredients for Pumkin Flower fritters

1. 6 pumpkin flowers, stamen removed.
2. 1/2 cup gram flour or an equal mix of flour and rice flour
3. Salt to taste
4. 1/2 cup oil.
5. Cold water

Preparation

1. Clean and wipe flowers with a clean damp cloth.
2. Heat oil in a karahi ( wok)
3. Make a thin batter of flour and salt by adding water.
4. Dip pumpkin flower in gram flour or rice flour batter, seasoned with salt.
5. Deep fry in hot oil till golden color.

Serve hot

Khar Kothalgutir Logot / Khar with Jackfruit Seeds

Khar is a class of dishes named after the main ingredient-Khar (alkali )

Ingredients

1. 1 raw papaya or white gourd, peeled and cubed
2. 1/2 cup, peeled washed jack fruit seeds
3. 1/2 cup liquid kola khar or 1/2 tsp soda bi-carb
4. 2-3 garlic pods chopped
5. Salt ,according to taste
6. 1 tsp Mustard Oil
7. Handful of masur lentils-optional

Preparation

1. Light fry the papaya pieces and jack fruit seeds (lentils)along with the chopped garlic
2. When papaya pieces turn light brown add salt to taste
3. Then add the Kola Khar (liquid extract of khar).
4. Add water as required.
5. Cook until pulpy.
6. Mash the vegetables slightly before removing from heat.

7.  Serve with few drops of raw mustard oil over the khar along with rice and some vegetables fritters or bor.

Simple Assamese Mutton Curry

In Assamese cooking the meat is often tenderized with raw green papaya. The grated papaya helps in softening the meat, large papaya pieces in place of the grated papaya can also be used.

Preparation

1. Mix 1 kg mutton cubes with 4 tbs mustard oil, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp coriander powder, 2 tsp cumin powder, pepper powder, 2 tbs onion paste and 1 tbs ginger-garlic paste and marinate for half an hour.
2. Heat oil (Pressure cooker or deep pot)add 2 sliced onions. Brown slightly. Add the meat and fry well.
3. Add 2 cubed potato, 1/2 cup of raw papaya pieces (grated) and salt and fry till the oil separates.
4. Add water and cook till done.OPTIONAL: grind tog cinnamon, clove, pepper and cardamom powder. Add a pinch to the curry. Bring to a boil and serve with rice or bread (luci,puri,roti)