Something new from the North East in Bangalore

After the onslaught of various regional cuisines such as Bengali and Rajasthani, Bangalore’s foodies now also have food from the North Eastern states of India to try out.

The ANTS store, Indiranagar, is working on a project called ‘Positive stories from the North East’ in an effort to raise awareness about the region in the city. The store recently held a Manipur Food Festival focusing on the cuisine of Meities, a major Manipuri tribe. ANTS has organised similar evenings around Mizo and Naga food in the past.

“The Manipur Food Festival was organised by a few Manipuris in Bangalore — mainly working professionals and students,” says Devakishore Soraisam, a business management graduate from Christ College who was involved with the event, which was the brainchild of Trichao Thomas of ANTS.

Most cuisines from the North East are unique and very exotic and the same is true for Meitei food. The crowd savoured Manipuri dishes like Shingju, Paknum, Chagem Pomba, Bamboo Shoots, Eromba and Shareng Thongba. “I loved the eromba, a very common dish which the Meitai prepare from fish, brinjal, potato, bamboo shoot, and chillis,” says Paonam Mahesh Chandra Singh, a Manipuri student.

Naga food is also making inroads in the city — and it’s not just Naga students making a beeline for the newly opened Naga Kitchen in Kamanahalli.

“The menu is very customer-friendly and we expect Bangalore’s foodies to try out North Eastern food,” says Mustaque Ahmed, owner of The Naga Kitchen, Bangalore who expects dishes such as smoked pork chili, smoked chicken fry, fried fish, Naga fried rice and pork Naga curry to do well.