Aakhol Ghor, the Assamese Cuisines and Foods from Assam

Its all about Food and Food Habits from the land of blue hills and red river, Assam.

Aakhol Ghor means Kitchen in Assamese. Assamese traditional Kitchens normally has two parts. First the dining area plus a small cooking space for tea etc. And the next bigger and more functional room is the actual kitchen with at least two earthen fire places (chowka).If you are a food lover you can hope to see a lot of authentic Assamese Recipes in this place......

DISCLAIMER

Some famous Chef of India once said, " India is so unique, one can find three different recipes for the same chicken curry in the three houses lined in the same row. Every kitchen and every cook in India has it's own cook book, unlike rest of the world."
I personally feel it is so well said. Even in my case, you might find small to big differences in your known method of cooking and the ones posted here. I call them true Assamese for two main reasons, one: because of the spices used, and two: my granny knew nothing beyond her village ( she did not believe that cauliflower can be green, which is Broccoli). So whatever she cooked was passed on over generation. And my Mom finds it hard to believe anything can be cooked beyond her traditional methods( she is best at it, though she makes excellent Indo - Chinese things, invented). So please feel free to put in your comments / correction. One thing I can assure is I have cooked all these ( everything) myself with my own hands at least once. So whatever is here is tried and tested. You are always welcome to do your bit of experiment !!!!!

Rocky and Mayur visit Guwahati

Its basically, yet another episode from the famous 'Highway On My Plate' food show telecast by NDTV Goodtimes with the iconic anchor duo of Rocky and Mayur.

In this segment, they visit Guwahai and other NE states searching for its authentic cuisines.  Quite a fun episode. Go watch it online:

http://goodtimes.ndtv.com/video/video.aspx?id=75966

Do share with your friends.
3 comments:

Bamboo Rice - Sunga Saul

Well, the simplest way is to cook plain rice.. But I am sharing a little tastier one. Try.. you gonna love it. I will add the pictures soon.

Ingredients :

1. A piece of Bamboo ( edible variety), both sides close, if possible get it  cut with a handle. My Koka said that "Sungat Diya" is best during October and November as the Bamboos have water in them and the tender variations are avaiable.
2. A fire place to burn the Bamboo.
3. Rice, about half of the Bamboo piece. ( In Assamese, "adha sunga").
4. Dried chicken/pork/meat, if you do not have the dried variety, use small cut chickens.
5. Bamboo shoot, pieced, if you like.
6. Salt.
7. Cardamom (4) and Cinamon (Half inch) along with a few Lavang.
8. One Onion chopped.
9. Little bit ginger garlic - chopped, ( only if you like).
10. Banana Leaves




Process:

Soak the rice for about half an hour. Clean all ingredients and mix in a bowl. Drain water from the rice and mix with the rest of the ingredients ( do not mix the Bamboo and Banana leaves). Open the Bamboo from one end and fill the hole with the Mixure. Pour water, leaving about  an inch to fill the bamboo. Close it tightly with Banana leaves. Now roast the bamboo with rice inside in fire place. The outer side will turn dark grey and you will be able to smell it cooked. Remove from flame and open and eat !!!

Note: I cannot specify time for cooking / roasting, as it would depend on the type size and quality of the bamboo also the weather when you are cooking it! So go ahead try it twice and you will be perfect.
You can use the same process for only rice.


Photo Courtesy: Uday@flickr


Addendum: 09/15/2010

Please check out this short video on preparation of sunga saul (bamboo rice)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E--loXwRZL8&feature=player_embedded
4 comments:

A few foodimentary on Assamese Cusines in national television

Well guys,

You might have already seen the segments on the TV, but thought of sharing these once again with you through AakholGhor.

Interestingly, both CNN IBN and Times Now telecasted them around the same weekends... competition... you bet.. and good market intelligence as well ;)

Check them out...

Secrete Kitchen Segment in CNN IBN:

Secret Kitchen: North-east serves up a treat

The Foodies in Times Now

Aromas from Assam - Part 1

There are total four parts to this segment telecasted in two weekends. Check them all.

Do share with your friends
2 comments:

Tenga gets a global twist- Ramsay gives the world a taste of a popular Assam recipe

Here is an incredible news. The quintessential Assamese dish ‘Machor Tenga’, , a sweet-and-sour curry which has come to be known as the leitmotif of the Assamese kitchen, has gone global.


The recipe for the Assamese dish is being beamed to millions of kitchens across the globe through British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, who has included fish tenga among one hundred of his favorite recipes in his TV show, Gordon’s Great Escape, aired by BBC’s Channel 4 of the UK.

Read More….

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100406/jsp/frontpage/story_12307589.jsp

And finally the link to the post in Gordon Ramsay's site on Channel 4 is:

http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/gordon-ramsay/fish-tenga-recipe_p_1.html

Check it out guys
6 comments:

Atul Lahkar's website on Assamese Food

Well, many of you must be knowing Atul Lahkar, a master chef from Assam, at least by his growing reputation. Some of you might have already got a chance to watch him cooking many authentic Assamese cusines in his famous crockery show called "Byanjan" telecasted in News Live TV channel. And I am sure there would many of you who have had at least a complete Assamese thali in his famous restaurant in Guwahati, called "Kharika" situated near Ganeshguri Chariali, Guwahati.

We have come across his wonderful site recently and again he has done a very good job showcasing so many traditional Assamese recipes with his own innovative touch. The site is:

http://chefatullahkar.com/index.html

If you go through his site, you would realize, Assamese food has been made popular by effort of many individuals and Atul Lahkar is certainly is one of the pioneers in this field. Happy reading
1 comment:
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