Soibum and Nga Thongba
February 15, 2014By Sangeeta Nameirakpam
Soibum or fermented bamboo shoot and fish curry is a very popular dish of Manipur. The dish tastes better with the authentic soibum available there. However, one can also use the canned or bottled soibum to prepare the dish. The taste may vary a little but nonetheless it is equally delectable.
In my recipe I have used the bottled one, widely available in the Asian stores
Ingredients : 
- Pieces of fried Grass Carp or Rohu fish (2-4, if big cut the pieces half)
- Soibum/fermented bamboo shoot (2cups, washed 4-5 times and squeezed)
- One small size potato (peeled and cut)
- Green chillies (3-5) or Oomorok/ghost chilli (1)
- One small onion (thinly sliced)
- Maroi/chinese chives ( few strands, cut into an inch length)
- Chopped ginger and garlic (1 tsp each)
- Bay leaf/ tejpatta (1)
- Whole jeera/cumin and fenugreek seeds(methi) & mustard seeds
(one tsp each) - Turmeric powder (2tsp) & Asafoetida/hing (1/2tsp)
- Coriander and cumin powder ( one tsp each)
- Red chilli powder and salt to taste
- Fish masala/garam masala (one 2tsp spoon)
- Fresh coriander leaves
- Heiribob/citrus microptera (1 small piece)
- Mustard oil ( 3-4 tbsp )
- Ngari/fermented fish (one small, slightly roasted)
Method
Heat oil in a pan. Add whole jeera, methi & mustard seeds one after another. Allow them to splatter, then add bay leaf ginger-garlic, sliced onions, Chinese chives and sauté for a while. Now add bamboo shoots, turmeric, coriander and cumin powder. Stir and mix well. Then add red chilli powder, fermented fish and hing. Cook a while and then add the fried fish pieces, fish masala or garam masala powder, heiribob, salt and mix well. Add water, cover it up. Then add slit green chilies and coriander leaves, and cook until it’s done. Savor with hot rice!
Note: There may be some ingredients missing and the method may also vary, but this is my version of doing the dish with the ingredients/raw materials available to me
Sangeeta Nameirakpam
