Share
The Northeast of India and states like Nagaland have an incredibly rich culinary heritage, and yet, most people living in India are unaware of the wide variety of food available there. The common idea about the cuisine of Nagaland most people tend to have even in this day and age is that it is all about non-vegetarian food and there aren’t any vegetarian dishes cooked across the state. Breaking all those myths is Nagaland Minister Temjen Imna Along.
Known for being a foodie with a great wit, Minister Along recently took to X, previously known as Twitter, to challenge the idea that only non-vegetarian food is available in his home state of Nagaland. He tweeted a GIF with this avatar asking “Who said?” or “Koun Bola?” to the caption of “Nagaland mein veg nahi milta!” meaning “Veg food isn’t available in Nagaland”. The idea behind the post was to disillusion the world about the fact that vegetarian food is indeed available in Nagaland.
Minister Along not only posted this little tidbit on his social media but also engaged in banter with people who responded to the post. One user asked where in Nagaland, especially the capital of Kohima, they could find Pav Bhaji. To this, the minister responded that if the user was specifically looking for Pav Bhaji in Nagaland then maybe they should just stay home. To this, the user replied that the priority is Nagaland’s beauty and not the food. He further suggested that he will open a Pav Bhaji stall in the capital since he’s certain that basics like cauliflower and potatoes would be available.
Despite this conversation, the fact remains that most people are unaware of the fact that Nagaland is home to some of the nation’s most unique vegetables, greens and herbs. While the state’s cuisine is indeed dominated by pork, chicken and other meat dishes, the terrain does have a wide variety of produce to offer that falls under the category of vegetarian—including ingredients like bamboo shoots and soy beans.
Further, there are many traditional Naga dishes that highlight the use of local veggies and greens. For example, Hinkejvu is a traditional staple made with colocasia, cabbage leaves, mustard leaves and locally grown beans. Akibiye, a dish popular with the Sema community, is strictly vegetarian and made with colocasia roots, mustard leaves and mild spices. So, while Pav Bhaji and other vegetarian dishes popular in North India might not be available in Nagaland, while visiting the state, there are indeed plenty of local vegetarian options that foodies can explore.
