The eastern Himalayan state of Manipur in the northeast is distinguished by its breathtaking natural beauty, which encompasses hills, verdant valleys, and forests. Like the rest of India, Manipur has a rich past and is home to a diverse population with a wide range of traditions and customs. Manipuri culture combines Hinduism, Buddhism, and the ancient beliefs and practices of the Meitei community—who make up the bulk of the state’s population—in unique ways. In addition to being well-known internationally for its music and flavor, Manipuri cuisine has also become known for its art and dance. There are a variety of famous local Food items in Manipur that you can try during your trip.
There are numerous native tribes in Manipur, and each has a unique cuisine. Manipuri cuisine has a unique flavor that comes from a combination of regional foods and plants, as well as the various cooking techniques used by the state’s various tribes. The cuisine of Manipur is renowned for its strong flavor and use of mostly regional ingredients.
List of Famous Local Food Items in Manipur
Along with the mainstay of rice, the cuisine of Manipur includes a variety of vegetables and fish. Due to the heavy use of chili peppers in its preparation, Manipuri cuisine is well-known among people who like spicy food. Additionally, Manipur offers a treat for tourists with a sweet craving. Without further ado, here is the list of Manipuri delicacies that you simply must try.
1. Alu Kangmet
The potato is a favored vegetable of many in our nation, including us. And each state in the union has its own variation of mashed potatoes. Manipur is no different. Alu kangment, which means “potato mashed” in Manipur, is the local dish. The ingredients are pretty straightforward: boil, mash, then combine with various spices. Salt, mustard oil, and a lot of chilies are used to prepare mashed potatoes in Manipur. This is healthful cuisine, and it tastes just as good as it is easy to make!
2. Singju
Singju is a Manipur-style famous salad among tourists also. It is packed with green and colorful vegetables and tastes the best. The salad contains a vast variety of vegetables apart from tomatoes, and onions. On the contrary, it contains vegetables including cabbage, coriander leaves, onions, ginger, lotus stems, singju leaf, and others. To name a few Raw papaya, banana flowers, cabbage, and lotus root are a few of the dish’s variations. Besan, perilla seed powder, chili powder, and other herbs are used to taste the singju.
3. Chak-hao Khee
A true sumptuous dessert causes happy dancing when one eats into it. It is similar to how one feels after eating a bowl of chak-hao kheer. The meal’s colour is unusually and strikingly purple thanks to the black rice. The rice is boiled until tender, blended with milk and sugar, and simmered to create this rich and creamy rice pudding. The meal can be served warm or cold and is garnished with nuts. Chak-Hao Kheer, a Manipuri dessert, has a lengthy and illustrious past.
4. Nga-Thongba
One of the specialty dishes of Manipur is known as Nga-Thongba. It is a rich, creamy fish curry made with freshwater fish from the area and a mouthwatering concoction of herbs, spices, and vegetables. The dish is frequently prepared in a clay pot and served with steaming rice. Nga-Thongba’s unique flavor is a result of the fermented fish and other local ingredients. Both locals from Manipur and tourists adore this famous local Food item in Manipur.
5. Paknam
The delectable Paknam, a traditional pancake created in Manipur from chickpea flour, green vegetables, a blend of herbs and spices, and fermented fish, is known throughout the world. The batter is wrapped in banana leaves and steam-cooked to eliminate the harmful effects of deep-frying. An enjoyable evening snack is some paknam and a cup of hot tea or coffee.
6. Peruk Kangsu
Due to its distinct flavor and preparation, peruk kangsu is a well-liked native Manipur cuisine. It is a type of salad made with cooked potatoes, white peas, the medicinal herb peruk, and fermented fish chutney. This dish complements other traditional Manipuri foods like rice-based meals or stews and is frequently served as a side dish or an appetizer.
7. Maroi Thongba
Manipur, a state in northeastern India, is home to the vegetarian meal known as Maroi Thongba. It is one of the healthiest and most famous local Food items in Manipur. When boiled in a broth with onions, garlic, ginger, and other spices, the leaves and stems of the Maroi Nakuppi plant—which have a flavor similar to mustard greens—are used to make a delectable curry. Fresh coriander leaves are used to decorate this meal, which is served with hot rice. Because it contains so many vitamins and minerals, maroi thongba is regarded as a nutritious dish.
8. Champhut
The spicier and more flavorful chutney is champhut. It is a speciality dish popularly referred to as “A-nganba” from Manipur. In a mortar and pestle, roasted or boiled vegetables like aubergine, tomato, or potato are minced along with green chilies, ginger, and garlic. Salt and spices like cumin and coriander can enhance the flavor. A-nganba is typically served as a side dish to rice or another main dish. The spicy and sour flavor of this well-known Manipuri condiment is popular.
9. Eromba
Do you enjoy seafood? You’ll appreciate eating Eromba if you respond positively. Fish and veggies are used to make it. Actually, the fish used in this meal is a dry fermented variation of the Ngari fish. The fish and veggies are cooked until they resemble a paste. After that, the dish is served hot with a liberal amount of maroi and fresh coriander leaves.
10. Uti Thongba
Manipur is home to the well-known vegetarian cuisine uti thongba. To make a tasty curry, colocasia (taro) stems and leaves are cooked in a hot broth with onions, garlic, ginger, and green chilies. Typically, uti thongba is eaten with warm rice or Manipuri bread. Fresh coriander leaves are a fantastic garnish. It is a popular food both in Manipur and worldwide since it is tasty and healthy.
11. Chagem Pomba
We must have another curry item on our menu because Manipuris love curry. But this time, we have fermented soybeans in place of the fish. The fermented soybean, also known as hawaijar and chagem regionally, rice, and a few spices are cooked together until they resemble a thick curry in a large pot. This dish will be served in great quantities if you visit Manipur during the Ushop and Firoi festivals.
12. Sana Thongba
The national dish of Manipur is Sana Thongba. Indian cottage cheese and paneer cubes are used to prepare this vegetarian dish. A creamy sauce comprised of sauteed onions, ginger, garlic, and herbs including cumin, coriander, and turmeric is used to cook the paneer. Before serving, finishing touches like mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chili peppers are frequently utilized. Steamed rice or Manipuri bread is frequently served alongside it. Its wholesomeness and sweetness are valued by many people in Manipur and elsewhere.
13. Chamthong
The traditional vegetable stew chamthong is a trademark of the Indian state of Manipur. To make this wholesome and nourishing dish, green and other seasonal vegetables are cooked in a broth with onion, garlic, ginger, and other aromatic spices. In addition, the stew includes meat or lentils. Chamthong is served with steamed rice or Manipuri bread and garnished with fresh coriander leaves. This is among the famous local food items in Manipuri and is praised for its strong flavor and luxurious texture.
14. Morok Metpa
One of the distinctive and tasty cuisines from Manipur is morok metpa. Over an open flame, green chilies are roasted before being ground into a paste with salt and finely chopped onions. The intensity of flavor in the dish is mostly attributed to the tomatoes, garlic, and coriander leaves. Frequently, this paste is consumed with rice, bread, or other substantial dishes. To suit personal preferences, the heat, and flavor of Morok Metpa can be altered by using various chiles or spice mixtures.
15. Chak-hao Kheer
A true sumptuous dessert causes happy dancing when one eats into it. It is similar to how one feels after eating a bowl of chak-hao kheer. The meal’s color is unusually and strikingly purple thanks to the black rice. The rice is boiled until tender, blended with milk and sugar, and simmered to create this rich and creamy rice pudding. The meal can be served warm or cold and is garnished with nuts. Chak-Hao Kheer, a Manipuri dessert, has a lengthy and illustrious past.
16. Chagem Pomba
Chagem Pomba, a traditional Manipuri potpourri meal, is made with a variety of ingredients including mustard greens, fermented soybeans, smokey and sun-dried fish, rice, green peas, full leaves, and dried prawns. Even if those who are inexperienced with Manipuri cuisine may not be drawn to the sight and scent of this dish, they will not soon forget it once they have it.
17. Chagempomba
Chagempomba , One of the traditional and famous local Food items in Manipur.
It is made with rice and veggies. The dish is distinctive and well-liked by the locals because to the aromatic and filling combination of ingredients. The Manipuris adore eating chagempomba, although it takes some getting used to. Anyone who is unfamiliar with Manipuri cuisine may find this specific dish repulsive simply from the sight or smell, but once one has tasted it, it is unquestionably a food that cannot be quickly forgotten.
18. Mangal Ooti
Manipuri peas are used to make Mangal Ooti, a flavorful dish that is high in protein and packed with Indian spices. For a simple weekday dinner, serve it with phulka or rice, a salad, and other side dishes. The Manipuri area serves Manipuri Mangal Ooti as a side dish during the Kang festival. A straightforward peas meal that is a very popular alternative for breakfast or dinner. It is prepared with soda and mustard oil tadka and is a delectable side dish for any Indian bread.
For a delicious lunch, serve Manipuri Style Mangal Ooti (Yellow Dried Peas Curry Recipe) with phulka or Homemade Butter Naan (Soft Yoghurt Bread).
19. Tan
Recipe for Manipuri Style Tan Ngang, a fried bread cooked in the Manipuri tradition with curd and refined maida flour. The mixture is combined to form a smooth dough, which is then cooked like a puri. Manipur is a state in eastern India, close to the country’s border with Burma. Being one of the seven sister states, Manipur’s cuisine differs only a little from that of the rest of the northeastern regions. Any type of dry preparation or gravy meal can be served beside this puri for eating.
Serve Manipuri Style Sana Thongpa or any other curries, such as Kala Desi Chana Recipe, with the Manipuri Style Tan Ngang Recipe – Refined Flour/Maida Indian Puri Recipe for Sunday breakfast.
20. Chak Angouba
The Manipuri style of vegetable pulao, Chak Angouba, employs a variety of vegetables with straightforward seasonings. Their main dish, the Veg Pulao, is made with black rice rather than regular white rice. Although spring onions can be used in place of herbs like chives in chak angouba, they are not required.
Only by using black rice will you be able to distinguish this pulao from the standard pulao or fried rice that we create if you choose to use regular white rice.
21. kelli chana
The meal is prepared in Manipur using green peas and ordinary peas. Food prepared with swabs, cumin, coriander, red chili, and boiled peas. They should be well combined before being topped with chives, onion, and coriander leaves.
In Manipur, kelli chana is a well-liked street snack. People from all over Manipur are believed to have gathered around the tree where an elderly woman named Kelli used to sell her chana, an addicting food. She supposedly took the recipe to her death and never shared it with anyone. Many people have attempted to reproduce her recipe, but none have succeeded in making it taste as good as the original.
Ready to taste the Mouth Watering Local Foods of Manipur?
It is not sufficient to merely read about Manipur food! It is deserving to sample their cuisine. Additionally, it is really healthy, so you won’t have to worry about binge eating while you’re on vacation. So, when you travel to the North East to enjoy its natural beauty, be sure to stop in Manipur and savor its cuisine. Which of our listed famous local food items in Manipur are you most eager to try? Try it out, whatever it may be. Additionally, enjoy as many meals as you can while you are in Manipur. It will undoubtedly be a tasty journey!