ASSAM

ASSAM

30NOV2014

Food of Assam , as of any other place, is largely influenced by its climate, soil and vegetation. This north-eastern state of India is mainly of agrarian nature. Rice is the staple diet and the common people of Assam eat it everyday. Along with rice, fish curry is very common. Other dishes include those made of lentils, vegetables, meat and some sweet dishes. The people of Assam prefer to eat non – spicy foods. Spices like cumin, coriander, mustard, ginger, garlic, fenugreek, panch foran, cardamom and some ingredients that are found in Assam only are generally used.

Traditionally, Assamese food is cooked in earthen ware. This method imparts a smell from the utensils to the food itself giving it a distinct flavor. Vegetables in sour soup are common. The Assamese have a typical habit of using all the leftover vegetables together to eat it next day with Assam slices, green chilies and mustard. This gives a variety of taste at one go and is also very appetizing. Different types of herbs are also used sparingly in the cuisine of Assam giving it a characteristic aroma of its own.
Thirty-nine herbal recipes prevalent among the different tribal groups of Assam have been identified that are medicinal for the protection of liver. These are slowly gaining recognition among the urban world for its immense benefits. Sweets from Assam are mainly made from rice paste. This paste is used in various consistencies and shapes and is even mixed with additional ingredients to make the variation. A typical food of Assam may be reserved only for a certain festival or occasion and such foods have made themselves an inevitable part in the particular celebration.

Assamese is the eastern-most language of the Indo-European family of langauges. It is spoken by about twenty million people in Assam on both banks of the mighty Brahmaputra. It has an illustrious written history going back almost a thousand years.
The Assamese language grew out of Sanskrit, the ancient language of the Indian subcontinent. However, its vocabulary, phonology and grammar have been substantially influenced by the original inhabitants of Assam, such as the Boros and the Kacharis.

The state has the largest number of tribes within their variety in tradition, culture, dresses, and exotic way of life. Most tribes have their own languages; some of their traditions are so unique and lively that these causes wonder to others. Boro (or Kachari), Karbi, Kosh-Rajbanshi, Miri, Mishimi and Rabha are also among these tribes exhibiting variety in tradition, culture, dresses, and exotic way of life.