The traditional "Foods in Assam" are not spicy. A staple diet when it comes to food in Assam will include ‘bhaat’ rice, ‘dal’ lentils, ‘masor jul’ fish curry, ‘mangso’ meat curry or ‘bhaji’ vegetables. The curries in food from Assam are seasoned with garlic, cardamom, onions and lemons. 

Assam has a wide and rich preparation of different types of food dishes to tickle your taste buds. 

A traditional Assamese Thali

Relish ‘khar’, a meat delicacy and food item from Assam, is prepared using raw papaya, pulses, taro and some meat. This food item is filtered through dried banana that adds its unique taste to this dish and food in general and is usually consumed for lunch with rice in Assam.

All non vegetarians, when in Assam, brace yourselves for the duck meat curry! This unique food item is cooked with ‘lauki’ ash gourd for special occasions in Assam. Several ingredients like sesame, lentils and pumpkin are added to enhance the flavours of the food. 

The Masor tenga or tangy fish curry is a uniquely spiced and a refreshing portion found in Assam that includes tomatoes, ‘outenga’ elephant ear and lemon for that extra tangy irresistible taste. 

A comfort food here in Assam is the ‘aloo pitika’ taken with rice and dal. It is a simple food item cooked using mashed potatoes, chillies, mustard oil, coriander and salt. Don’t underestimate the taste of the pitika. Even though it is a simple dish of Assam, a burst of flavours await to satiate your taste buds.

‘Ou khatta’ is a delicious sweet and sour chutney from Assam that is made out of ou (elephant apple) and jaggery. For the preparation of this food item, the ou is first boiled and then mashed lightly. It is then sautéed with mustard seeds in slight oil and then the jaggery is added. This dish from Assam is enough to tingle your tongue. 

Ouu Khatta

The Paro Manxho or the pigeon meat is a food item that is a traditional delicacy of Assam and is made during winters with koldil (banana flower) which is a common side dish in the food of Assam. 

Ever tasted the silkworm in food? Try it here in Assam. These crunchy yet juicy crawlies are stir fried with spices and form a major part of the evening snacks when it comes to the food and cuisine of Assam.

Another famous food item from Assam is the chicken with bamboo shoot or the ‘Baanhgajor Lagot Kukura’  which has a unique taste, worth a try!

When it comes to food, do you crave for something sweet? ‘Pitha’ a home cooked dessert of Assam which is surprisingly taken for breakfast or for snacks will pass the test of time.

The Food of Assam has a lot of influence from Bengali food.  Assam is a confluence of heritage, multifaceted races, colourful, enthusiastic festivals and a rich culture of its people.