North-East India, though alienated and often treated as poles apart, has an enormous domain of cultures and languages. Tripura is one of the states bordered by Bangladesh from three sides, namely North, South, and West. Despite being a border state having high value and national interest attached, the culture is a blend of the multiverse, consolidating such a rich culture, the local delicacies range from Tribal to Tribal-Bengali fusion with the dishes to be not only mouthful and luscious but also ensure the diet is health Conscious which marks it to be distinct and anonymous from the rest of the country.
Here is the list of dishes one must try.
1. Berma
It is one of the famous dishes in Tripuri Cuisine. It is made by boiling vegetables with fish, since there is no use of oil, it gets the tag of a super healthy meal. The twist in the dish is that only Fermented Fish is used, which ensures that the taste buds have a unique and flavorful journey.
2. Kosoi Bwtwi
The Kosoi Bwtwi is a typical staple food in Tripuri Cuisine. This Kosoi Bwtwi is prepared with steamed beans and Garlic, and to maintain the protein levels, fermented fish is used; sometimes, paneer or tofu is used to make the dish vegetarian.
3. Gukok
This smashed delicacy is a must-try dish. The semi-solid dish is prepared by boiling vegetables and adding the vegetable stock to make the porridge smooth and lump-free. The use of sutki (Fermented Fish) gives the dish a unique and flavorful taste.
4. Muya Bai Wahan
The local delicacy includes bamboo shoots, jackfruit, pumpkin and pork. This soup-plate is served with rice and don’t worry; it’s oil-free, making it extremely healthy. The dish is also available for fish lovers, just replace pork with rohu fish, and that’s it.
5. Muya Awandru
Muya Awandru is a semi-solid type of gravy. The key ingredients in this dish are Bamboo Shoots, Rice Flour, Garlic, and Shidol(Dried Borali Fish). The bamboo shoots are boiled with shidol and Garlic, and then rice flour and water are added to make the semi-solid gravy. Garlic acts as a pomander to cut the smell of shidol and make the dish more garlicky.
6. Mosdeng Serma
The spicy addition to the dish is served with rice and pork. Tomatoes with green chilies and Garlic are fried with mustard and smashed; some, water is added to make the dish non-dry.
7. Chuak
This infamous beverage is well known for its after-effects. This drink is a local beer made by fermenting rice with water. Chuak is usually offered on social occasions by the elders to celebrate Traditional Tripuri culture.
8. Bangui
The term Bangui is derived from the word Banana leaf. The conical rice cake is made by stuffing sun-dried rice in a banana leaf in a cone shape, and boiling it in water. This rice cake is served with pork curry or sometimes fish stew.
9. Paanch Phoron Tarkari
This Tribal-Bengali fusion dish will make one’s mouth burst in a flavorful cluster of masalas. Pumpkin, beans, potato, brinjal and cauliflower are used to make this dish. Due to the presence of five masalas and five vegetables, the dish is named as Paanch Phoron Tarkari also called Paanch Misalir Tarkari (Mix of five vegetables in one dish).
10. Chire Doi Aam
The mouth-filling, sweet and luscious item is a dish eaten at times of religious gatherings and sometimes also eaten as breakfast. The plate is an ensue of the Bengali culture where Chire (Rice flakes) is mixed up with Doi (Curd), which is usually sweet, and Aam (Mango). Rice flakes are mixed up with Doi and then mango pulp is blended and mixed with rice flakes. Sometimes the mango is eaten as a whole with the rice flakes and curd mixture.
11. Tohan Mosdeng
Feeling hungry, Tohan Mosdeng will fill your appetite. The dish is also entitled as Chicken Bharta, which is boiled shredded chicken mixed up with red and green chilies with finely chopped onion and coriander with mustard oil. Roti with Tohan Mosdeng is a must-try combo. The first bite with the dish’s spiciness will make one forget about the taste, but the taste comes back with the second bite with shredded chicken pouched in a piece of roti.
12. Poda Pitha
This local dessert is made by mixing pasted Urad Dal, Jaggery, Black salt, and grated and sliced coconut. The mixture is then fermented for 8 hours and baked to form a solid sweet.
13. Bash Korol
This local delicacy is made of bamboo shoots. The tender bamboo shoots are cut, boiled and mixed up with Garlic; sometimes, prawn is used to name the plate as non-vegetarian and increase the protein content.
14. Suwar Bharta
This dish is a double must-try item. The salver is made by mixing boiled pork meat with chopped onion, coriander, and green chilies. The dripping of fatty oil from the mouth just after biting the pork belly makes the lip smack like sandpaper, and the spiciness of the dish induced by the meat makes it tastier and flavorful.
15. Thaiplok Mwkhwi
It is a snack usually eaten as an evening snack. The snack includes raw mangoes where the raw mangoes are sliced, and mixed with salt, black pepper, and red chili powder. The sourly and salty taste with the spiciness of the red chili powder, bombs the mouth with flavorful combination of tantrums.
16. Chatang
This gravy dish is prepared using eggplant, taro salon, and dried puti fish. All three items are boiled together with salt and green chilies to enhance the taste. Turmeric powder provides the dish a yellowish color. The dish is served with rice and tomato chutney.
17. Chwak Bwtwi
It is made from bamboo shoots, jackfruit seeds, and dried puti fish. The bamboo shoots are boiled and mixed with jackfruit seeds and dried puti fish in oil. This flavorful dish is a must-try item.
18. Sikamuk Mosodeng
This dish can be named snail chutney, in which snails are boiled and fried with chopped onions, tomato and chili paste, and shidol (fermented fish).
19. Awan Bangwi
This steamed rice dessert is a local delicacy in which sweet conical rice cake is served with raisins and cashew nuts.
20. Shidol Chutney
It is the extreme form of Tripuri and Bengali fused delicacy found everywhere in Tripura. The dish is prepared by frying chopped onions with shidol (fermented fish) which varies differently with different types of shidol. The excess use of Garlic, Oil, and Onion makes it extremely flavorful and finger-licking. Raw onions are eaten as an add-on with rice to make the lunch crunchy.
