FOOD AND DELICACIES OF MAWLYNNONG AND DAWKI

Mawlynnong residents eat fairly simple foods. One chicken dish served with rice, one potato dish, vegetable, dal, roti, and chutney make up the menu, which is quite basic. They even serve traditional tribal cuisines and South-East Asian cuisine. Agriculture is the mainstay and besides paddy, the locals also cultivate cash crops including bay leaves, betel nuts, and local spices. Additionally, they grow fruits including oranges, papayas, and pineapples, which are frequently sold in Shillong and Bangladeshi border areas. Their main staple foods are rice and fish, both of which are abundant in the nearby bodies of water. A must-try in Mawlynnong is its local cuisine. The fact that the food there is made using organic vegetables that are grown locally is its best part. Even the meat used in the meals is derived from in-house bred birds and animals. Delicious delicacies from traditional cuisine include Tungrymbai, a decadent mixture of fermented soybeans, bamboo leaves, and local spices; pork tossed in bell peppers, green, freshly cut, and smoked banana flowers; and Jadoh - a rice and meat-based dish. Pork is to Meghalaya what vada pav is to Mumbai and dhokla is to Gujarat. Even if a vegetarian will feel out of place here, he can nonetheless thrive. Dal is a key protein source for them, although their dals are a little watery. They make authentically local tomato chutney. The food of the Khasis is minimalist. Except for onions, ginger, sesame seed paste, turmeric, and sometimes some mustard oil, they seldom add any other spices. Fermenting and smoking are the two main styles of cooking. The meat is smoked, and literally everything else is fermented, including fish, rice, and liquor.

Some other food delicacies of Mawlynnong and Dawki are :-

Lal Cha : It is literally translated as ‘red tea’. In essence, it is a milder version of black tea. Tea is briefly boiled to almost the point of under boiling, giving it the red colour.

Jadoh : The highlight of Khasi cuisine is Jadoh. In Meghalaya, you may find a bowl of Jadoh almost anywhere - in houses and on the streets. It refers to both Ja-rice and doh-meat. Consider it a Khichdi with either chicken or pork as the meat. The rice in Jadoh is traditionally cooked with pork blood. Additionally, some eateries use pork fat as the stock to prepare the rice.

Doh-Khlieh : In India, where may you find pork in a salad form? Where else but Meghalaya? The meat is smoked and stir-fried with onions and ginger in Doh-Khlieh. None of the flavors overpower the others, making it incredibly simple. Once more, chopped up chunks of pork head are used to cook traditional Doh-Khlieh.

Dohneiiong : Pork cooked in black sesame paste is dohneiiong. It almost virtually resembles palak paneer. Pork chunks, typically belly cut, are cooked in a rich, dark-greenish gravy. Dohneiiong is a delicious curry that pairs well with Jadoh or plain white rice.

Kwai : In Meghalaya, 99% of the population (both male and female) is always chewing Kwai. It is a local paan made with lime paste, betel leaf, and areca nut. The magical ingredient is the size of the areca nut, good enough to give you a high.

Khasi Salad : The traditional Khasi salad consists of tomatoes and mint leaves with a drizzle of honey on top, giving the meal a tinge of freshness.

Pukhlein : Pukhlien, a fluffy bread that can go with everything and is the region's favourite traditional rice flour bread recipe, is best paired with tea and coffee. Pukhlein is the ideal evening snack for the majority of people.

Sakin Gata : Sakin Gata, a white rice cake, is a sweet treat popular in the Meghalayan cuisine. After being soaked all night, sticky rice is combined with sugar. It is best served hot alongside a wholesome meal.