Assamese cuisine is distinct for its ability to taste good despite the usage of minimal spices and oil. Its earthy and rustic scent is truly inviting to all food lovers. Even if you have Assamese food in a restaurant, you will never feel like you are outside. The homeliness of Assamese cuisine is undeniable.

Nonetheless, it is also quite unexplored by the mainlanders. If you plunge into the sea of knowledge, you’ll discover that Assamese cuisine is way more than “Aloo Pitika”, “Bhoot Jolokia”, and “Pork with Bamboo Shoots”.

Main elements of Assamese Cuisine

A mouth-watering Thali full of Assamese delicacies

Like all other cuisines in the world, the Assamese cuisine is reflective of the culture, tradition, and lifestyle of the local inhabitants of Assam. An Assamese thali is mostly composed of simple dishes made with local ingredients. The taste is very subtle and there is a homely feel to it. Almost all ingredients are locally available.

As rice is the staple food of Assam, it is also the primary item in an Assamese thali. Wheat was never grown in Assam, which is why it never became part of the Assamese thali. Even now, the majority of Assamese people do not consume wheat on a daily basis. An Assamese thali is a very healthy ensemble of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Irrespective of your preference, you will surely find something that you will love.

Although many dishes of Assamese cuisine are oil-free, Mustard oil is extensively used to prepare other dishes. The true essence of Assamese food comes out when pure mustard oil is used. The local people say that opening the bottle must release a strong tear-inducing pungent scent. The usage of refined oil, ghee, butter, etc is optional. They were not used traditionally. Most importantly, they do not compliment the taste of the ingredients.

The spices used in Assamese cuisine are not like other parts of India. Dry spices are used mostly while cooking non-vegetarian food. In the majority of other dishes, ground garlic-ginger paste, fresh leaves of coriander, aromatic leaves of certain herbs, etc are enough. Assamese cuisine also makes use of fermented ingredients such as fermented bamboo shoots (Khorisa), Fermented Mustard seeds (Pani Tenga), Fermented fish (Hukoti), etc.

But what makes Assamese cuisine interesting is that it is incomplete without Ghost Pepper, which is locally known as “Bhoot Jolokia” or “Bee Jolokia”. This pepper is very known to have many health benefits. People either eat it raw or in pickled form while having meals.

Two more special ingredients are Elephant Apple and Kazi Nemu. Elephant Apple is locally known as “O Tenga”. Although it has “Apple” in its name, it is a sour ingredient. It is extensively used while cooking dal, fish, etc. Kazi Nemu is a type of lemon, which is extremely juicy and fragrant. People use it while cooking or have it as a condiment.

Apart from these, there will be some form of green leafy vegetable in an Assamese thali for sure. Assamese people eat healthily and a lot of green leafy vegetables are consumed by them throughout the year. Different seasons allow the consumption of different vegetables and people are happy to relish them anytime.

14 Unique and Delicious traditional dishes in Assamese Cuisine to try at least once

A bowl of boiled pork cooked with lettuce leaves

The variety of Assamese food is huge. It is impossible to cover everything about Assamese cuisine in one blog. One whole blog can be dedicated to Assamese cuisine, food, and culture. However, if you are curious about where to start, we are listing down 14 Unique and Delicious traditional Assamese dishes to try at least once in a lifetime.

1. Omita Khaar

Omita Khaar is made out of unripe papaya mixed with Kaar. Khaar is an alkaline solution prepared by burning dried banana leaves and mixing the ash with water. This is used as a palate cleanser and is very good for the stomach. It is the first thing to be eaten from the Assamese thali.

2. Fried Fiddlehead Fern with Elephant Apple (Dhekia with O Tenga bhaji)

Fiddlehead Fern tastes good on its own. But when it is combined with thinly sliced Elephant Apple, it becomes tastier. The primary taste would be sour, but the intensity depends on the amount of Elephant Apple used. It is good to use that in moderation to get the best taste. Other ingredients include onion, pure mustard oil, salt, and a pinch of turmeric powder.

3. Banana Flower with Chicken/Duck Meat

Banana Flower is rich in iron and other vital nutrients. To make it even healthier, you can combine it with chicken or duck meat. It tastes great, depending on the culinary skills of the cook. It does take some effort to make it taste really delectable. The dish is supposed to be just moist and not soupy.

4. Duck Meat with Ash Guard

Ash guard is locally known as Joha Kumura and is very dear to the Assamese people. Joha Kumura is different from the Pani Kumura due to the distinctive scent it has, similar to Joha rice. When cooked with duck meat, it can surely drive your taste buds crazy. Assamese people love it. It can be cooked both in a dry form or in a stewy form.

5. Spinach and Small Fish curry with Elephant Apple

There is truly no comparison to this humble dish made out of three primary ingredients. This combo is absolutely loved by the Assamese people. The curry is very light and delicious.

6. Roasted and Mashed Brinjal and Potatoes

Mashed Boiled potatoes are famous all over India as part of North Eastern food in general. But when combined with Roasted Mashed Brinjal, it tastes heavenly. The mixture is seasoned and customized according to taste. It is a mouthwatering side-dish for sure.

7. Black lentil curry

Black lentils are quite loved in this part of the country. But contrary to the South Indian and North Indian counterparts, black lentils are consumed in a much simpler way.

8. Steamed Fish cooked by wrapping in banana leaf

Firstly, small freshwater fishes are thoroughly cleaned. Then, salt, coriander, chillies, etc are mixed for taste and then wrapped in a banana leaf for steaming. After it’s done, add lemon juice to it and enjoy.

9. Chicken/Pork with Lettuce

Locally found lettuce varieties go really well with chicken and pork. It can be stir-fried as well as boiled with other ingredients such as ginger-garlic paste, salt, pepper, and turmeric.

10. Chicken/Pork with Black sesame:

Chicken and Pork meat also go really well with black sesame seeds. It is said that in earlier days, it was used to substitute oil. Because of the oily nature of black sesame seeds, this dish uses very less oil. Other ingredients include salt, ginger garlic paste, and pepper.

11. Pigeon Meat

Pigeon meat is a much-loved delicacy in some communities of Assam. It is more popular in Lower Assam than in Upper Assam. It is said to keep the body warm and is widely relished in winters.

12. Silkworm

As exotic as it might seem, silkworm pupae are delicious and crunchy when stir-fried. Some people also like to prepare a stew with it.

13. Dry fish chutney

Dry fish chutney is an irresistible condiment during lunchtime. Some people don’t like dry fish. But for the people who love dry fish, it is too tasty to leave it out. Obviously, one might not have it for breakfast.

14. Colocasia leaves

Colocasia leaves or “Kosu Xaak” are cooked in many ways. People cook with elephant apples, cherry tomatoes, dried fish, and fermented fish. It is very tasty and very nutritious. You must be careful to cook it properly as it can cause itching in the throat due to sodium oxalate present in it. This is another reason why it is cooked with something sour.

Hopefully, you learned some key points about Assamese cuisine and enjoyed reading our blog. We keep uploading interesting blogs like this. Do check out this space soon.

About Protech Group

We at Protech make constant endeavours to help build better properties in both the residential and commercial sectors in Guwahati. If you too are looking for properties in Guwahati, Assam in either of these sectors, Protech Group is your answer. Our years of experience in the real estate industry and understanding of the market allow us to introduce you to the best in the city. To know more, you can connect with our experts today by clicking here. We also hope that you enjoyed this read and would keep visiting us to learn more interesting ideas.

Have you been searching for Yoga Asanas for beginners at home on Google but never tried Yoga before? Well, the information overload online can surely be overwhelming. Most of the time, Youtube videos are not beginner-friendly. Also, most people find it difficult to find a Yoga Studio near them. But you don’t have to be overwhelmed anymore as we have explained the 10 most important tips to start a yoga asana routine if you are a complete beginner in the easiest words. 

If you are a beginner, then the best Yoga Asanas for you would be the ones that will help you with your body posture, stamina, and your flexibility. To check out some of the most beneficial yoga asanas in detail, click here.  Even advanced practitioners go back to the beginner level Yoga asanas at times to warm up or to keep their workouts light at times. The reason why beginner-friendly Yoga asanas are so great is that they improve your mood, help you to de-stress, and relax the body and mind together.

Starting a Yoga Asana routine at home is easier than you think

First of all, let us talk about why starting a Yoga routine at home is easier than other fitness practices and physical activities? The best thing about Yoga is that you do not need anything else other than your own body. If you wish, you can have a water bottle near you to take a sip from time to time in between your Yoga practice. Also, we suggest you have a skid-free Yoga Mat. Although it is not mandatory, having a Yoga mat will keep reminding you to do Yoga daily and it makes your practice smoother. Especially if you are practicing on your bedroom floor or outdoors.

Should I practice Yoga Asanas on an empty stomach?

Most beginners who want to start doing Yoga at home often ask a very common question. Should you eat something before you do Yoga? Our ancient Rishis and Yogis used to do practice Yoga on an empty stomach before sunrise, specifically during Brahma Muhurta. However, research and science have now confirmed that the key to effective practice is to keep your body light and energized. A full stomach will lead to bad and ineffective practice. All your body’s energy will be directed towards digesting your food. Therefore, you should finish your big meal at least 4 hours before your practice. In case of a light meal or your snacking session, make sure to get done with it at least 1 hour before your practice. To know more about it, you can check out this article.

Should I warm up before practicing Yoga Asanas?

Well, logic says that you should. If you have decided to follow the footsteps of our ancient yogis and want to practice Yoga just after waking up, brisk walking for a few minutes is a very good option. You can also do some jogging or running. While light yoga poses act as the perfect warm-up and stretching for advanced practitioners, beginners can do a little aerobics and simple head roll, bends, and light stretches before starting their actual Yoga practice.

Choose your surroundings wisely while practicing Yoga Asanas

The best place for doing Yoga is the one where you are at peace and most comfortable in. But that doesn’t mean you should be practicing it inside a closed room. Yoga involves a lot of conscious breathing and exhaling. We recommend you choose a place that receives a good amount of fresh air and sunlight.  If you have access to an open park, riverside, or a clean rooftop, consider yourself lucky.

Be present at the moment while doing Yoga Asanas

Mindfulness is an important ingredient that should not be missed out during your Yoga practice. It is the secret that helps in feeling relaxed and at peace. This is the reason why we put the previous point before this one. Choose a place where you are comfortable. It should also have minimum distractions. If you feel uncomfortable doing Yoga in a park where everyone can see you, we don’t really recommend you to choose any public place. Do it in the comfort of your living room.

Look for a Yoga Teacher online

If you have certain health conditions or have specific goals such as weight loss or weight gain, feel free to reach out to an expert online. But make sure to choose a teacher wisely Always get enough social proof of them bringing results to their clients. In this era of social media, it is really easy to trust the wrong person. If you do not have any special health conditions and are pretty fit physically, you can look for Yoga apps on Playstore. An app such as Downdog is very easy to use. It has customized practices of all levels, customized male and female voices to guide you, and you can also choose the background music. 

Who should do Yoga Asanas?

Everybody can do at least a couple of Yoga asanas! But if you have certain health conditions, such as cardiovascular complications, lung diseases, etc then it is best to consult a teacher and a physician. A pregnant woman should avoid doing difficult asanas after reaching the second trimester. If you are injured, you should be careful as well. Follow the directions of your physician.

Can I do Yoga Asanas if I am not flexible?

Some people are naturally more flexible than others. But the good news is, that everyone can grow their flexibility with time. However, you should push your limits very gradually. If you cannot bend yourself properly with your hands touching the ground, it is still fine. You can take it forward step by step. Yoga is not about looking cool. It is more about feeling good and enjoying the process.

How to know that my Yoga practice is good?

If you feel rejuvenated and fresh after the session, your practice was good. Some people only associate exercise with working out hard and sweating it out. Although your Yoga practice can go pretty intense if you wish, more than anything, the key is to be present, relaxed, and at peace with yourself. Something that will make a huge difference is the way you breathe. You are supposed to inhale and exhale in the right posture. Don’t judge yourself, don’t get discouraged if you cannot do a certain pose, just be consistent.

How Effectively Can We Do Yoga Asanas for Beginners Workout at Home?

Basic yoga asanas are simple to do. Now there are two types of people. Some people like full-fledged workout-style Yoga sessions where the asanas are done one after another in a particular sequence. That is a great way to do Yoga. But you can also choose to do just 4-5 asanas correctly if you have a particular reason to do them. However, there is one thing that every Yoga practitioner must include in their session. It is the Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation. It is a great way to get your body ready and in flow for your upcoming practice.

Best Poses to include in Yoga for beginners workout

So finally, you have reached the end of the article. Hopefully, you found it useful. For more useful and interesting blogs like this, keep checking out the space for more.