Order any food from the street eatery in the northeastern states of India, you’ll notice that every food is packed up in different flavors and that too at a minimal price.
And you’ll be surprised to know that the street side food of northeastern India tastes better than any glamorous night out at a fine dining restaurant. The streets are overcrowded with food lovers eating delicious meals in the lanes packed with humble carts serving specialty dishes to them. So what are we waiting for? Let the culinary adventure begin!
Also, if you want to make these meals at your home, a recipe link is available just after the specified food!
Laksa from Assam
Standard street food in Assam, Laksa is a Malaysian origin spicy noodle soup that can stimulate your taste buds clearly. The unusual taste of this delicious broth actually comes from a blend of coconut milk, tamarind, flavored fish paste, and spices. Rice vermicelli is dunked into the steaming bowl, resulting in a healthy and good meal. Many versions of this truly addictive dish are sold on the streets of Assamese cities.
Recipe: https://food.ndtv.com/recipe-laksa-551120
Alu Muri in Meghalaya
An undoubtedly mouth-watering mix of boiled potatoes, puffed rice, papaya skin, oil, roasted spices, and tamarind sauce, Meghalaya’s Alu Muri is the ideal recipe for the Indian palate. A much-loved favorite of the locals, one can find this irresistible snack at prominent Alu muri stalls located at every nook and corner of Shillong.
Recipe: http://smittenshillong.blogspot.com/
Thenthuk from Arunachal Pradesh
Thenthuk is a hearty hand-pulled noodle soup made from meat stock, local hill vegetables, and freshly made noodles. It is similar in taste and texture to thukpa (Tibetan noodle soup). While thukpa is made from flat noodles, thenthuk uses hand-pulled or bite-sized pieces of flat noodles. Traditionally eaten to keep warm during the freezing winters of Arunachal Pradesh, this deliciously comforting dish warms your soul too!
Recipe: https://www.archanaskitchen.com/thenthuk-soup-recipe-tibetan-style-noodle-soup
Chikhvi in Tripura
A fragrant stir fry of bamboo shoots and sliced pork, Tripura’s chikvi is a dish that achieves the perfect balance of smokiness and lusciousness. It is made with stir-fried chopped bamboo shoots and sliced pork. Other ingredients added are soaked jack fruit seed, green papaya, green chilies, ginger paste, turmeric powder, rice flour paste, and fresh lime leaves. The pork and bamboo shoots, cooked in a blend of soaked green papaya seeds, green chilies, ginger, turmeric, rice flour, and fresh lime leaves, are succulent and beautifully spiced.
Recipe: http://www.tripura.org.in/cooking.htm
Smoked Pork Stir Fry in Nagaland
This may be one of the more exotic dishes on this list but Nagaland’s smoked pork stir fry is too good to be left out. The state has many versions of this smoked pork dish but the trademark item among the ingredients is the hottest chili in the world, Raja Mirchi or Bhut Jolokia (ghost chili). Adding fermented soybean (akhuni), fermented yam leaves (anishi) or bamboo shoot enhances the taste of the dish and brings out an intense smokiness that is unique and unusually delicious.
Recipe: http://reviewne.com/pork-with-bamboo-shoots-naga-style
Sanpiau from Mizoram
A very popular Mizo snack sold in the streets, Sanpiau is a type of rice porridge that is served with fresh coriander paste, crushed black pepper, zesty fish sauce, and finely powdered rice. Topped with pan-sizzled spring onions, this freshly spiced dish has an intoxicating aroma. For those with a fondness for tasty, spicy but simple food, this Mizo classic may be just right.
Recipe: https://worldofgoldenharvest.com/sanpiau/
Kelli Chana in Manipur
A herb-flavored spicy chickpea snack from Manipur, Kelli chana is usually served on a lotus leaf with the aroma of the leaf contributing to the taste of this delicious dish. Kelli chana apparently got its name from an old lady Kelli who used to sell the snack under a tree. The recipe soon became very popular.
Recipe: https://www.cookshideout.com/manipur-kelli-chana-spicy-chickpea-snack-recipe
Shapale in Sikkim
Similar to a large deep-fried momo or a samosa, the Tibetan-origin Shapale is essentially a meat pie. With a crunchy, doughy exterior and a gooey interior filled with minced chicken/meat, onions, and spices, Shapale is an anytime street snack in Sikkim. Add a touch of the fiery hot chili sauce to this savory pie and pair it with rutang soup (soup made from bony meats) for a truly delectable street food experience.
Recipe: https://www.yowangdu.com/tibetan-food/shapale-recipe.html
