New Delhi: Our culture and identity are strongly influenced by our food. What we eat defines who we are. It reflects our geographic origins and the ingredients we utilise that are found close to where we live. Given that the manner of life of tribal people is so intricately entwined with nature and its resources, their food systems are also profoundly ingrained in local culture and customs. The preparation of ethnic food demonstrates not only the inventiveness and wealth of the food heritage left by tribal women but also their gradual learning to support life and the environment as a whole. 


Here are some lip-smacking dishes from the tribal cuisine that are worth giving a try:


1. Eri Polu:


Due to its primary component, silkworm larvae, this dish from the northeastern state of Assam is unlike any other. Many foodies travel to the state in pursuit of a genuine and unusual experience because it is a tribal speciality. The larvae of the silkworm are those that are still present after the cocoon's silk has been removed. To give the worms more flavour, they are first flavoured with a variety of herbs and spices. They are then smoked in bamboo stalks, giving them a juicy underside and a soft exterior. It is frequently used as a side dish or snack.


 



Eri Polu (Image Source: Twitter/@explocityblr)


2. Tromba:


The Meitei ethnic community of Manipur has a dish called tromba. It is a flawless meal made using old fish. Due to the first-ageing of the fish, it has a strong sharpness. Red chillies, green leaves, and mashed potatoes make up the remaining ingredients. There is remarkably little oil used in the preparation of the meal. This dish, which is essential to Manipuri cooking, is eaten as a side dish with a multi-course meal. It is also typically eaten as a snack and it tastes wonderful despite the overpowering fragrance.


3. Chikhvi:


A delicious Tripuran delicacy to swoon over is chikhvi. The major ingredients of the mouthwatering platter of this cuisine are pork and bamboo shoots. Smoothly chopped pork is cooked with pan-seared bamboo stalks. It has the perfect amount of smoke and heat. Each bite of the perfectly cooked pork contains a hint of wetness. The dish is prepared solely with homegrown and handmade seasonings. The majority of the time, chikhvi is eaten for lunch and dinner with steamed rice.


4. Chaprah:


The Bastar tribe, which is present in the east-central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, is where this dish originates from. The primary component needed to prepare it is red ants. Yes, it is a chutney prepared by making a paste from of red ants and their eggs. It is eaten with conventional Indian flatbreads directly or as a side dish and certain spices may be added for flavour. An alternative version of Chaprah substitutes black ants for red ones.  


 



Chaprah (Image Source: Twitter/@IWTKQuiz)


5. Zan:


One of the most popular foods in Arunachal Pradesh is zan, a traditional dish of the local Monpa clan. It is a millet-based porridge dish made with boiling water and millet flour. As, millets, maize, and wheat are produced in prodigious quantities in the state, these are the primary ingredients in a substantial majority of the recipes. The meal can be eaten with raw vegetables and boiled meat added to it. It is eaten for breakfast or as an evening snack because it is seen to be a healthy bite. To enhance the flavour, natural spices produced at home are incorporated.