By Jasmine Kaur
From Nagaland to Mizoram and Sikkim, all the seven sisters and one brother of North-East India celebrate Christmas with sweetmeats, meats and more.
The top Christmas delicacies include Kauskwe, a chicken curry with rice noodles, Vawkswa Chhum, made with pork and mustard leaves as well as sawhchiar, a meaty khichdi from Mizoram.
From the wood-fire special Christmas doughnuts to smoked pork cooked with axone and sticky rice are quintessential festive treats of the Nagas. Seasonal greens and chutneys add to the flavour too.
Small, dry and fermented local fish called berma is cooked without oil and served as Mui Borok on special occasions as part of the festive feast. It is a salty and healthy dish.
Delicacies of the Khasi tribe like Doh Jem (pork dish) and Dohneiiong (pork with sesame seeds) are intrinsic to their Christmas feast, along with pura, a pork stew and kappa, a meaty stew.
The Meitei community from Manipur prepares Nga Atoiba Thongba, a spicy fish stew and Eromba, a fermented fish and vegetable mash for Christmas lunch.
A sweet rice pudding called Saulor Payox is prepared in Assamese households on special occasions. For savoury, duck meat with ash gourd is a classic regional delight.
The only brother of the seven sisters celebrates Christmas with smoked pork soaked in brandy overnight. It takes about a week’s time to cook properly.
The Mishmi tribe is known to make an aromatic chicken and rice dish called Chambai for festive occasions. The specialty is the locally-grown Mishmi sticky rice.