The Taste of Travel: an Assamese Bihu table

If Bihu is heard in the drums, it is remembered at the table. Assamese cooking relies on rice, fresh greens, fish, and a handful of distinctive flavours: mustard oil, bamboo shoot, lemon and the local chilli known as bhut jolokia.

At Bohag Bihu, the spotlight falls on pitha, rice cakes that come in many forms: some are steamed, some are fried, some are rolled with sesame and jaggery, others are filled with coconut. Laru, sweet balls made with coconut or sesame, are also common. Visitors who are offered a plate should not be shy about asking for the name of each item and who made it.

A traditional Assamese meal often begins with khar, an alkaline dish made with a filtrate of plant ash, and ends with tenga, a sour fish curry made with lemon or tomato. It is a progression from the bitter and alkaline to the sour, designed to aid digestion. Duck cooked with ash gourd and fish steamed in banana leaf are also well loved.

For vegetarians, Assam is manageable but requires clear communication: many dishes use fish, and some greens are cooked with meat stock. Ask in advance, and stay with a host who can plan around your needs.