The comparatively unexplored northeastern part of India is home to a lot of exotic agro-horticultural produces. These ingredients from the Northeast with their own GI tags are proof that you need to restock your kitchen with these soon!
GI or Geographical Indication tag is a kind of intellectual property right which provides exclusivity and legal protection to a product that’s grown in a or belongs to a certain geographical area. A GI tag helps a community of producers of that particular item to build goodwill in the market and sell these at a premium price. For consumers, this tag acts as a stamp for genuine quality products. Let’s look at some of the most exotic GI-tagged ingredients from the Northeast.
Most exotic GI-tagged ingredients from the Northeast
Thuku elaichi- Sikkim
Elaichi, or cardamom, is a pretty common ingredient across all Indian households. But did you know that about 86 per cent of the entire cardamom of India grows in Sikkim? Thuku elaichi, or Sikkim’s large cardamom is an ingredient exclusively grown here and is sold for almost Rs 2,000 per kg as of late 2021. What makes this ingredient from the Northeast even more special is the fact that back in 2003, Sikkim had banned the import of all fertilisers. As a result, all products from the state are sustainable and completely organic.
Chak Hao- Manipur
Once reserved for the Chinese royalty for their health and longevity, the famous black rice or Chak Hao of Manipur used to be known as the ‘forbidden rice’. But today, this rice with a nutty flavour is a pretty common ingredient in the state and finds its place on a platter during festivals and special occasions. The black rice takes on a purple hue after it’s cooked and can be used to amke various rice dishes, like kheer, risottos, spicy friend rice and even as a replacement for the regular white rice. Give your kitchen a makeover with this GI-tagged ingredient from the Northeast.
Bird’s eye chilli- Mizoram
Until a few years back, not a lot of people had heard of this famous variety of chilli that is also one of the hottest in the world. With its colour changing from green to red as it ripens, this chilli grows up to only about half an inch in size. In Mizoram, this chilli is used for making a spicy chutney of roasted tomatoes, garlic, onion and coriander, in some spicy meat curries. In Assam, the locals use this to pickle in oil. But don’t even think of putting an entire chilli in your dish when you’re cooking something in your kitchen. Speaking from personal experience, just a single drop of this ingredient from the Northeast is enough to punch up your dish.
Darjeeling tea- West Bengal
One of the most common ingredients from the northeast, Darjeeling tea has been the fancy tea in most northeastern households. With floral and fruity aromas, this tea is made from Camellia sinensis var and is grown and processed in Darjeeling and Kalimpong Districts in West Bengal. Majorly processed as black tea, some tea estates in the state have also expanded their product offerings to include leaves suitable for other varieties, such as green, white and oolong teas.
Karbi Anglong Ginger- Assam
One of the purest forms of organic ginger, this ingredient from the Northeast is grown in the picturesque hill district of Karbi Anglong in Sikkim. Known for its superior quality and taste, this ginger is grown in two varieties- Nadia, the fibrous one and Aizol, the non-fibrous one. Using the age-old techniques of jhum and tila forms of cultivation, this ginger is grown with an average annual production of more than 30,000 tonnes by around 10,000 farmers. While the Nadia variant is more suitable for domestic use, you can also incorporate the Aizol variant in your kitchen.
Boka Saul- Assam
Boka Saul, also known as ‘mud rice’ for its soft, squishy texture is one of the most popular rice in Assam. What makes this rice so famous is that it needs absolutely no cooking. All you need to do is soak it in hot water for about 15 minutes or in cold water for upto an hour and your rice is ready. Traditionally had with a little bit of curd, jaggery, and banana, or some butter or ghee, you can totally include this ingredient from the Northeast in your pantry for those lazy days when you don’t feel like cooking.
Sei Bangenuo- Nagaland
Sei Bangenuo, or tree tomato or tamarillo is an egg-shaped fruit, that has a tangy-sweet taste and is loaded with numerous health benefits. This Naga tree tomato is normally grown in kitchen gardens by locals and other times, farmers raise the seedlings from the mature old plants. This has maintained the purity of the crop for generations. This ingredient is found in all districts of the Naga hills, including Kohima, Zunheboto, Wokha, Tuensang, Kiphire, Mon and Phek. These fruits have more tart and are tangier than the normal tomato
Khasi Mandarin- Meghalaya
Known as the King of Oranges, Khasi Mandarin is cultivated only in the state of Meghalaya and has a deliciously sweet and citrusy taste. Slightly larger than a tennis ball, these are bright orange and quite hard to peel, but on the inside, they are filled with a sweet, aromatic juice. The fruits are traditionally harvested between November and February. But these fruits are not famous just because of their taste and texture. According to local belief, Khasi Mandarin can break down anger and is often given as a present to make up for offences.
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May 03, 2022 at 03:45PM
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Amp up your kitchen with these 8 GI-tagged ingredients from the Northeast - Lifestyle Asia India
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