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Tripura Had Its First Forest Food Festival; A Sneak-Peek Into Some Of Their Local Dishes

by Tejashee Kashyap
Tripura Had Its First Forest Food Festival; A Sneak-Peek Into Some Of Their Local Dishes

Tripura’s cuisine is a treasure trove of flavours, with its use of local ingredients, aromatic herbs, and spices. It showcases the rich cultural heritage of the state and offers a gastronomic experience that is both satisfying and unforgettable.  Recently, Tripura had its first forest food festival that offered visitors a chance to try the state’s unique dishes in Agartala.

Take A Peek Into Tripuri Dishes

A journey through the culinary landscape of Tripura is a treat for food enthusiasts, providing a glimpse into the region’s history, traditions, and love for good food. The festival was held to popularise forest foods among people, especially for the ones living in urban areas.

Rice is the staple food of Tripura, and various preparations of rice form the backbone of their cuisine. The commonly consumed food includes boiled rice, steamed rice, and fermented rice. For example, they served a sticky rice dish flavoured with ginger and ghee called bangoi. The rice comes wrapped in leaves and steamed in cones.

Gudok, a meal made with bamboo shoots, is another regional speciality of the state. In addition to fresh veggies including beans, potatoes, chillies, and jackfruit seeds, the dish asks for berma, a dried and fermented fish.

Moreover,  Tripura cuisine includes preparations with bamboo shoots. They add a unique taste and texture to the dishes and are used in curries, pickles, and even desserts. The bold, earthy flavours of bamboo shoots lend a distinctive character to Tripura food and are a testament to the region’s culinary creativity.

Also Read: Soon A Weekend Tourist Hub To Be Developed By Tripura Government Around Ujjayanta Palace

The event served a wide variety of forest foods too. There was tohan mosdeng, a chicken chutney seasoned with chillies, wahan mosdeng, a hog chutney made in the Tripuri style, and muya awandru, a rice-based sauce made with fermented fish, vegetables, and basil leaves.

There were other foods like chalta salad (elephant apple salad) and asokja, or grilled fish. Hundreds of people gathered at the location to sample these native Tripuri cuisines.

Tripuri Food Requires More Limelight

Tripuri food offers a truly delightful gastronomic experience. The cuisine has a harmonious blend of flavours, drawing influences from indigenous ingredients, neighbouring regions, and tribal communities. By showcasing and celebrating Tripuri food, the culinary legacy of the state is passed down to future generations.

Additionally, it is through such endeavours that we can preserve, promote, and appreciate the invaluable treasures that lie within Tripuri food.

Cover image credits: Wikimedia Commons