Tai-Khamyang Cuisine and Fermented Foods

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 2, (2020), pp. 4811 - 4815

Tai-Khamyang Cuisine and Fermented foods

Jasmine Chetia Assistant Professor, Dept. of Botany, Sonari College, Assam, India.

ABSTRACT

The traditional foods processed and prepared by different ethnic communities are connected to the socio-cultural, ecological, spiritual life and health, which demonstrate their incremental earning to sustain their life and ecosystem as a whole. This paper discusses different cuisines and fermented foods of the tribe Tai-Khamyang based on data collected from survey in three old villages of Charaideo district of Assam namely Disangpani Shyam Village, Solapathar Shyam Village and Rohan Shyam Village. The foods used in the dietary system were found to be nutritionally rich and culturally important.

(Keywords: cuisines, fermented food, Tai-Khamyang)

INTRODUCTION

North-east India is characterized by a diverse population of people with different ethnic background. Tai-Khamyang, also known as Shyam, is a subgroup of the Great Tai peoples of South-east Asia. The Tai groups migrated to Assam from south-west China and north Myanmar in the historical past. Presently they are distributed in Tinsukia, Jorhat, Sivasagar and Golaghat districts of Assam as well as adjacent parts of Arunachal Pradesh.

Tai-Khamyang people have indigenous methods of preparing fermented foods, which are similar to other Tai stock community. The traditional way of carrying out fermentation at the household-scale is followed using relatively simple processing facilities. This traditional knowledge system is also being transferred to the next generation since time immemorial. Traditional fermented food preparation is one of the oldest biotechnological processes around the world (Sekar and Mariappan, 2007). Fermented food is very significant to human diet especially in developing countries as it is an inexpensive technique used by the world communities across the globe for food preservation along with enhancement of nutritional and sensory values of the food(Narzary et al,2016).Fermentation is brought about by microorganisms that transform the raw materials into biochemically and organoleptically useful products with the harmful products like phytales, tannins and polyphenols being destroyed or detoxified. Fermented food products act as neutraceutical agents to impart beneficial health effects( Sharma et al, 2013)Fermentation also helps in proliferation of digestibility, breakdown of complex

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 2, (2020), pp. 4811 - 4815 carbohydrates into simpler one, improves bioavailability essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals, and upsurges the whole quality ,taste, and aroma of the food( Sanlie et al,2017).Fermented food products are also supportive in maintaining the healthy configuration of celiac micro biota that play a crucial role in protection from numerous illnesses and can sustain physiological homeostasis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present study was conducted in three old Khamyang villages of Charaideo district of Assam namely DisangpaniShyam Village, SolapatharShyam Village and Rohan Shyam Village. Using the questionnaire and survey method, information about the diverse types of fermented foods and cuisines were collected. Secondary literature sources have also been referred.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The survey gave a detailed picture of different type of cuisines, fermented foods along with alcoholic beverages used by the Tai-Khamyang tribe. In the present paper cuisines, fermented foods and alcoholic beverages have been documented which are discussed as follows:

CUISINES

Khauhou

Rice is the main food of the Tai-khamyang people. Rice is soaked for about half an hour, water is boiled and soaked rice is put into the steaming vessel for about an hour .After steaming rice is wrappedimmediately in Ko leaves (Phryniumimbricatum) as circular balls in a traditional wayand served, which is a very popular dish and often served in ceremonies.

Khautak

Khautak is a ball shaped dish prepared form puffed rice (akhoi) and jaggery during religious and other ceremonies.

Khaulam

Sticky rice in bamboo hollow is another popular dish. At first the washed rice is put into the bamboo and warm water is added to it. The open end of the bamboo is sealed with banana leaf and the bamboo hollows are kept for about three hours for the rice to absorb water. After that the bamboo hollows are burnt until the colour of the bamboo changes to ash black. The burnt outer layer of the bamboo is removed after cooling and it is served in unique way after cutting. The variety of bamboo used is known locally as maidang, It is a thin and soft bamboo used only for this purpose. It has a thin membrane that coats rice during cooking and allowing the rice to stay in shape.

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 2, (2020), pp. 4811 - 4815

Laitenga

It is a traditional recipe prepared from fermented mustard greens with fish. Mature mustard green leaves are dried and preserved in bottles by adding starch. It becomes sour after few days and then used to make sour fish curry.

Phak tam(Chutneys)

Mashed grilled fish, mashed grilled chilli recipes are prepared using lemon basil/Thai basil leaves as spice leaves. It is prepared by grinding grilled fish, grilled chillies, lungpaat,onion slices and salt.It is commonly known as lung paat.Mashed grilledchillis is a speciality of Thai Khamyang community which they serve with every lunch or dinner. It emits a strong lemony taste as this basil has a strong lemon flavour.

Tong Tap(Cake)

The ingredients used for Tong Tap preparation are rice flour, molasses, grinded coconut, cashew, reisins, banana leaf or Koleaf and water. All the ingredients are mixed together in correct proportion and water is added, preparing a paste. A cone is made of Ko –leaf or banana leaf, and the mixture is put into the cone in a ball shaped manner and it is sealed. The cone is pressed giving it a triangular shape and these tong taps are steamed for half an hour to 45 minutes.

Phak Tom (Boiled vegetables curry)

The ingredients used are banana flower, arum, salt, ginger and garlic paste and Po-Hoi- Hom. Water is allowed to boil in a pot. Salt, onion slices and ginger garlic paste is added to it. After ten minutes the arum is added, banana flowers are added to this boiling curry .Poi-Hoi-Hom is added for flavour.

No-Mou Tom

Boiled pork or No-Mou Tom is prepared by boiling pork with Poi-hoi-hom,a traditional herb.First water is boiled, properly washed pieces of pork are added to the boiling water. After few minutes salt is added. It should be stirred properly for cooking. Po-Hoi-Hom,the traditional Tai herb is added for flavour and it is stirred properly. Ginger-garlic paste is added sometimes to enhance taste.

FERMENTED FOODS

Heng

Gajtangais made from succulent bamboo shoots (Dendrocalamushamiltonii, Bambusatulda). Young shoots are taken and their sheaths are removed till only the soft white part of the shoot remains. The shoot is then cut into small pieces and pressed tightly into bamboo baskets covered with banana leaves. A hole is made in the middle so as to let the juice drain out. The preparation is kept in that manner for about 2-3 weeks till the

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 2, (2020), pp. 4811 - 4815 bamboo shoot is completely rained out of its juice. The fermented bamboo shoot is then dried.

Nooshum

Nooshumis a fermented bamboo shoot product prepared by the Tai-Shyam community. The raw materials include bambooshoots, hollow matured bamboo stems opened from one side(Bambusabalcoa), earthen pot, bamboo tray, traditionalgrinder , and banana leaves. First, the bamboo shoots are washedproperly, peeled, and then grinded. This grinded material is kept inearthen pots. Some amount of water is added to it, andthe mouth of earthen pot is covered with banana leaves and keptfor 6 to 7 days for fermentation. This pot is kept in bamboo racksinside the kitchen. The mode of consumption of Nooshum is similar to other fermentedbamboo products and can be added in vegetables, fish,meat, etc., to give a distinct flavor and tangy.

Napi

Collected fishes are washed properly and dressed to remove scales, fins and intestines. Fishes are then mixed with salt and turmeric with no fixed ratio and kept for 8-9 hours in a container covered with a plastic sheath to prevent fly infestation. The very next day fishes are washed and again mixed with salt and turmeric and spread uniformly on a circular bamboo tray and is sun dried for 3-4 days or dried over kitchen fire by placing it on a rack made up of wood and bamboo. Fishes are dried to an extent which makes the fish texture tough and to facilitate subsequent grinding operation. However keeping fish over kitchen fire is more popular. Dried fishes are later grinded traditionally to a powdery form. Along with different traditional herbs the powdered fishes are grinded and then stuffed into bamboo cylinders, which are then sealed and dried.

REFERENCES

1) Sekar, S. and Mariappan, S. 2007.Usage of traditional fermented products by Indian rural folks and IPR. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge 6(1): 111-120. 2) YutikaNarzary et al, A study on indigenous fermented foods and beverages of Kokrajhar,Assam, India. Journal of Ethnic Foods 3) Sharma et al.2013.Comprehensive study of different traditional fermented foods/beverages of Himachal Pradesh to evaluate their nutrition impact on health and rich biodiversity of fermenting microorganisms.InternationalJournal of Research in Applied Natural and Social Sciences, 1: 19-28 4) Şanlier,N.,Gokcen, B. B., and Sezgin, A. C. 2017. Health benefits of fermented foods. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition,Pp. 1-22. 5) PranjyotiSharam et al, Hukoti-An indigenous dry fish product of tribal communities of upper Assam;IndianJournal of Traditional Knowledge, vol 12,January 2013

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 2, (2020), pp. 4811 - 4815

6) K. Rawat et al.Traditional Fermented Products of India.Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci(2018) 7) Das,A.J.andDekaFermented foods and beverages of the North-East IndiaInternational Food Research Journal 19(2): 377-392 (2012)

AUTHORS PROFILE

First author: Jasmine Chetia, daughter of Sri Anil Chetia and Mrs Rupa Chetia, resident of Golaghat,Assam. She did Msc in Biotechnology from Gauhati University in 2015. Presently she has been working as Assistant Professor(Contractual) in the department of Botany, Sonari Collge, Sonari, Assam- 785690.She has published 3 papers in various ugc approved journals and had presented 3 national seminars.She has undergone two months summer training at RMRC,Dibrugarh.A project entitled “To learn the different techniques involved in biomedical research including Sampleprocessing, Nucleic acid extraction, Polymerase Chain Reaction, ELISA and also Cell cultureTechniques” under the guidance of Dr. D. Biswas (Scientist – E).

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