Going Gaga Over Naga Food

Nestled amidst tall coniferous trees that tower into the sky, Niraamaya Retreats-Aradura in Kohima was my abode from which I explored enchanting Nagaland. In the capital city of Kohima, yet far from the buzz, the resort gave me immense opportunities to study the Naga food culture through conversations with the warm and friendly staff (most have roots in the tribal communities of Nagaland), enjoy the unstinting Naga hospitality, and get immersed in the beauty of the spectacular vistas of the valley below and the early morning symphony of birds.  

A Variety Of Market Produce

Exploring the local market was both fun and educational. Displayed in stalls, neatly packed in plastic bags, were different types of local vegetables. I looked for the notorious Naga morich (also called king morich) and found them in plenty, both in fresh and dried versions their exorbitant price matched their reputation of being the hottest. The tiny, bitter brinjal (Titaguti), various versions of bamboo shoots, different parts, and stages of the banana, flower, fruit, and plant are all there, along with huge bunches of bitter beans/stink beans called Yongchak that grow on big trees.

Among a multitude of spices and vegetables were round baskets filled with small white rats. At first, I mistook them for chicks they were so tiny and cute. Leaf-green frogs lazily swam in buckets of water, ready to be picked and taken home for a hot, wholesome dinner. "If you have chest congestion, rat soup is the best remedy," said Chef Ben from the resort, who accompanied me on this outing to the vegetable market.  

Back at the resort, I saw tomatoes growing on a tree when Chef Mathew plucked them fresh for chutney. These were fleshy, oval tomatoes (tamarillo) from an eight-foot-tall tree. Then he reached for the tall, lanky tree cabbage in the resort's backyard with a tuft of green leaves at the top. The sheer magic of unwrapping pale green cabbage leaves to find a tiny white bud inside a regular cabbage may be missing here, but the tree cabbage, I was told, is highly nutritious.  

Fermentation Is The Key 

Devoid of spices and made from locally sourced harvests (which are mostly organic), their food is mainly fermented, pickled, and boiled but never fried in oil. The Naga tribes ferment their food, especially meat, to preserve it since fermented meat and fish products are vital sources of micro and macronutrients, and fermentation enhances the physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory attributes of food. Of almost 150 types of fermented products, including pork, fish, crab, bamboo shoots, mustard leaves, yam leaves, soybeans, etc., rice beer and akhuni are the most popular and feature in their principal diet. The food is fermented by first boiling it and then putting it out in the sun or near the fire until the fermentation process is complete and a peculiar smell emanates. The fully fermented food is then wrapped in a banana leaf and stored next to the fire until further use or sale in the market. Akhuni/Axone is used for fish, pork, and chicken curries, as well as chutneys. 

The meats are cooked in their fat, while the fresh, succulent vegetables release their flavoursome juices while cooking. This type of cooking retains the maximum nutrients and proteins from the raw materials used. Ginger and garlic are added for flavour along with the ubiquitous Naga king chilli, with its rightfully prestigious GI tag.

A Diet Staple 

Rice is their staple diet and figures in every meal. Some Naga tribes believe that they were given rice as a crop by their animist deities. The day starts early with a plate of boiled rice, meat, and rice beer (Zutho). Similar to Chinese rice farming, they grow "Wet Rice" in the Naga Hills. Traditionally, they produced millet, rice, and yam, along with gourds, which were used for making jars and mugs. Chemical fertilisers are still not in use as farmers continue to follow their conventional methods of farming. Zhavame, the Vegetable Village (at the foothills of Kapamodzu Peak), is known for its rich produce of organic vegetables, especially cabbage and potatoes. Khonoma, the Green Village (20 km from Kohima, a UNESCO World Heritage Site), also grows several organic crops. It is said that they supplied vegetables to Kohima residents throughout the lockdown during the pandemic.

Besides agriculture, the Naga tribes have traditionally supplemented their food through hunting, fishing, and foraging. Foraging is still an essential part of the food culture in Nagaland women with Khophis strapped to their backs leave at dawn into the forests in search of firewood, mushrooms, tubers, herbs, etc. They know that nature provides for all and provides aplenty.