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They Eat Everything!! The India You’ve Never Seen Before!!

Best Ever Food Review Show・2 minutes read

India offers a diverse range of unique foods, including unconventional dishes like rat soup curry and bug-eating practices. Northeastern Indian cuisine showcases unique proteins like toad and pigeon, reflecting the region's varied cultures and biodiversity.

Insights

  • Northeastern Indian cuisine is diverse and unique, featuring unconventional dishes like rat soup curry and bug species like woodworms and silkworm pupa, showcasing a wide range of protein sources beyond traditional meats.
  • Assam's fusion cuisine, influenced by neighboring countries like Thailand and China, deviates from traditional Indian spices and flavors, offering dishes like intestine fried rice and pigeon curry that redefine Indian culinary norms.
  • The rich cultural heritage of Nagaland, distinct from mainland India, is evident in practices like headhunting, mummifying rats and squirrels for food, and unique culinary traditions like preparing hornet larvae for consumption, reflecting a deep-rooted connection to tradition and identity.

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Recent questions

  • What are some unique foods in Northeast India?

    Tandoori chicken, crispy dosas, rat soup curry.

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Summary

00:00

Diverse Foods of Northeastern India

  • India offers a wide range of unique foods, including tandoori chicken in the north and crispy dosas in the south.
  • Indian cuisine can also feature unconventional dishes like rat soup curry made from guinea pigs or wasp larvae.
  • Mainland Indians may be shocked or hesitant about bug-eating practices in certain regions.
  • The northeastern region of India, comprising eight states, boasts diverse societies with unique foods and cultures.
  • Assam, for example, includes dishes like tapioca, pork, and various bug species like woodworms and silkworm pupa.
  • In Nagaland, there are no restrictions on what can be eaten, including dog meat, cat, rat, and guinea pigs.
  • Beef is a controversial food in India, banned or regulated in many states, but celebrated in certain regions like Kohima.
  • Northeastern Indian cuisine differs significantly from the rest of the country, influenced by diverse populations and neighboring countries like Thailand and China.
  • Assamese dishes like intestine fried rice showcase unique flavors and ingredients, deviating from traditional Indian spices.
  • The region's fusion cuisine, like chow mein with a local twist, reflects a blend of Chinese and Indian culinary influences.

14:52

Assam's Diverse Cuisine: From Pork to Pigeon

  • Mainlanders may view Port as impure, but when they visit Assam, they encounter diverse Indian cultures and try pork.
  • North Indians visit Assam and sample pork curry for the first time, flavored with ginger, green chilies, turmeric, black pepper, cumin seeds, tomato, onion, and coriander.
  • Assam's pigeon curry is prepared by boiling pigeons, removing feathers, frying with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, onions, garlic paste, salt, black pepper, cumin seeds, turmeric, water, and potatoes.
  • Pigeon curry is described as savory, peppery, and beneficial for flu and cold, with a squishy, dark meat texture.
  • Northeast India's diverse cuisine aims to redefine Indian cuisine, showcasing unique proteins like toad and pigeon, reflecting the region's varied cultures.
  • Assam's locals consume bugs, pests, and insects as a protein source, with dishes like Pita, Ladoo Badoo, and sticky rice being popular.
  • Insects like water beetles, ants, red ants with eggs, and grasshoppers are collected for consumption, reflecting the region's biodiversity.
  • Silkworm farming is a significant industry in Assam, with silkworm pupa being cooked and eaten, providing a sustainable protein source.
  • Silkworm pupa is boiled, cleaned, and cooked with oil, onion, bell pepper, salt, and turmeric powder, offering a unique and nutritious dish.
  • Grasshoppers are also consumed in Assam, collected from rice fields, and stir-fried until crispy, providing a crunchy and salty snack.

28:07

Exotic Foods and Unique Recipes in Nagaland

  • The town of Solona is where Padma's cousin and extended family live, a mix of Rob Hall and Carby people who sacrifice a goat to welcome Padma and honor their arrival with a feast.
  • Water beetles, found in smaller bodies of water like lakes or ponds, are complementary to fishing, offering a protein source available throughout the year.
  • A goat curry is cooked inside bamboo tubes with goat meat, seasoned with onion, chili, ginger, garlic, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and curry leaves over a direct flame.
  • The goat intestines, blood, and other organs are boiled and fried with onions, mustard oil, chili, ginger, and salt, offering a unique texture and flavor experience.
  • Water beetles and giant water bugs are fried in mustard oil with salt, offering a crunchy and flavorful snack similar to popcorn, with the water bug tasting slightly fruity.
  • The market in Nagaland's Mao Market complex offers a variety of unique foods, including white rats, guinea pigs, and bamboo rats, believed to have medicinal properties.
  • White rats are used for medicinal purposes, while guinea pigs are considered tastier, and bamboo rats are rare and difficult to find, with their fresh blood used for medicinal purposes.
  • Dog meat is a precious food for Naga people, especially for athletes, believed to enhance strength, while wild animals like wildcat, deer, and monkeys are also consumed.
  • Wood worms, found in dead wood from fallen trees, are fried in hot oil and have a leathery texture with a peculiar floral aroma, offering a unique taste experience.
  • The market also features buggy offerings like wood worms and other exotic foods, with vendors like Meets, a Naga influencer, showcasing unique recipes on platforms like YouTube.

42:42

"Nagaland's Exotic Culinary Traditions and Transition"

  • Nagaland hornets are known for their large size and potent sting, causing fever for one to three days.
  • Premature hornets are harvested before fully maturing into adults, with a white bubbly outer layer.
  • The hornet larvae are extracted from the nest during the second week of November to prevent full metamorphosis.
  • The harvested nest keeps the hornets fresh until consumption, with each nest costing around $50.
  • Newborn hornets are deep-fried in hot oil with a pinch of salt for a crunchy, salty taste.
  • The hornet larvae are dropped into boiling water with salt, ginger, bamboo shoots, and chilies for a unique culinary experience.
  • Traditional Naga homes showcase the rich culture and hunting prowess of the Naga people.
  • A medicinal concoction made from bamboo rat blood and whiskey is believed to help with asthma.
  • Rodents like white rats, guinea pigs, and bamboo rats are prepared into soups and curries.
  • The younger generation in Nagaland is moving away from traditional exotic meats due to a preference for processed foods.

58:26

"Christian Village Feast: Meat Tuna Celebration"

  • Village used to follow animism, converted to Christianity 125 years ago
  • Celebrates conversion every 25 years with a giant feast for 5,000 people
  • No catering team, just villagers and untrained cooks
  • Meal must be ready in two days, starting with pig slaughtering
  • Protein sources include pork, beef, and a unique creature called the meat tuna
  • Cooking divided into upper section for pork and lower for buffalo
  • Over 50 animals, including a sacred cow, will be sacrificed
  • Village now predominantly Christian, with over 90% following Baptist faith
  • Preparation involves cooking massive amounts of food, including meat tuna
  • Feast day arrives, with thousands of guests enjoying a variety of dishes including pork, beef, and meatoon

01:13:59

"Nagaland's Unique Culture and Cuisine"

  • Pork is softer and succulent, but contains sinew and tissue that can be tough to chew through.
  • Organ meat is caked in blood, offering a unique flavor with hints of blood and organ taste.
  • A variety of body parts, including heart and fat, are combined in a pot for a delicious dish.
  • Guests at an event receive a present called Modi based on family registration.
  • Nagaland's unique identity is distinct from mainland India, with financial dependence on the Indian government.
  • Nagaland's culture, dress, food, and language differ significantly from mainland India, leading to discrimination.
  • The ghost pepper, the world's hottest pepper, is commonly eaten in Nagaland.
  • The Konyak tribe, known for headhunting, mummifies squirrels and rats for food.
  • Pork is a significant part of the Konyak tribe's diet, with every part of the animal utilized.
  • The Konyak tribe's gun culture is evident in their ability to make guns and bullets, essential for hunting.

01:28:05

End of Headhunting: From Guns to Feasts

  • Longshot, a former Headhunter, took five lives with guns starting at 13 years old, now 86.
  • The government ban on headhunting in India, along with Christian missionaries' influence, led to the end of the practice.
  • The Cognac tribe transitioned from animism to Christianity due to the love of Christ.
  • Headhunting ceased by the 1970s, with muskets now used for hunting animals and face tattoos no longer common.
  • Mummified rats and squirrels are prepared for long-term storage and consumption, seasoned with various ingredients.
  • A feast featuring pig head curry, pig organs, and rabbit stew is enjoyed by the village elders, the last remaining Headhunters of the Cognac tribe.
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