The Taste of Travel: Khasi kitchens

Khasi cooking is simple, hearty and well suited to a cool, wet climate. The base is rice and meat, especially pork, with ginger, onions and local herbs, and fewer of the spices associated with other regional Indian cuisines.

Look for jadoh, a dish of rice cooked with pork and sometimes with blood and spices, which is often served at celebrations. Dohneiiong is pork cooked with black sesame seeds, a dish with a deep, nutty flavour, and tungrymbai is a fermented soybean preparation used in several dishes. In towns such as Shillong, small local eateries serve these alongside rice, dal and vegetables.

Vegetarian options exist but need clear communication, because many dishes use pork or fish. Ask your host or restaurant, and seek out vegetable dishes, rice and lentils. The best way to understand Khasi food is at a homestay or a local market, where the cook can tell you what each dish is made from.

In the rains, markets offer seasonal greens, mushrooms and fruit, and the damp climate suits a hot cup of tea in a roadside shop. Accept food graciously, and ask before photographing a meal in someone's home.