Most people make a trip to Northeast India for its landscapes. The rivers, the forests, the live root bridges, the mountain passes. But the food is just as compelling, and much less talked about. It is deeply regional and based on the traditions of tribes and communities, and is very different from the curries and biryanis that appear on most Indian menus.
If you are looking at North East India tour packages and wondering what to eat on your journey, then this guide covers 15 truly iconic dishes, state by state, including context on what makes them worth seeking out.
Why Northeast India's Food Stands Apart
The cuisine of Northeast India has more culinary DNA with South East Asia than with the rest of the Indian sub-continent. Fermented ingredients, minimum use of oil, smoked meats, sticky rice, and a liberal use of wild herbs and leaves characterize the cooking style across the eight states. There is hardly any deep-frying. There is almost no cream or ghee. The flavours are assertive but never spicy.
Every state has a unique food identity. What you eat in Nagaland is very different from what you find in Assam, and both of them are different from the food you find in Manipur or Meghalaya. That is what makes the region truly interesting to food travellers.
Dishes from Assam
1. Masor Tenga (Assamese Sour Fish Curry)
Masor Tenga is one of the signature dishes of Assam. It is a light, tangy fish curry that is made using a souring agent such as elephant apple (ou-tenga), tomato, or lemon. Unlike heavy curries, this one is broth-like, clean, and refreshing. It is usually served with simple rice and forms a staple of most Assamese homes.
2. Pork with Bamboo Shoot
Smoked pork made with fermented bamboo shoots is popular in several states in the Northeast, but the variety of Assam is notable for its orientation towards smokiness and acidity. The bamboo shoot provides a sharp, fermented flavor that cuts through the richness of the pork. It is rustic, filling, and genuinely delicious.
3. Khar
Khar is one of the most traditional preparations from Assam. It is produced with filtered water from the sun-dried ash of banana peel, and is characterized by its alkaline, somewhat bitter base. This liquid is added to raw papaya, pulses, or mustard greens. The taste is like nothing else in Indian cooking and represents how profoundly Assamese cooking is associated with the land and the ingredients.
4. Pithas (Assamese Rice Cakes)
The pithas are rice-based sweet and savoury preparations, prepared during festivals such as Bihu. Some are steamed in bamboo tubes, some are pan-fried, and some are made with black sesame and jaggery. Til Pitha (sesame and jaggery rolled in rice flour) is the most widely known dish of Assam. They are best eaten fresh, off the griddle.
Dishes from Meghalaya
If you are going to visit Meghalaya, make sure food exploration is included in your tour itinerary. Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia cuisines each have something different to offer on the table.
5. Jadoh
Jadoh is a Khasi rice that is made with pork, pork blood, and a spice mixture. The rice turns an intense reddish colour from the blood and is rich in taste. It is a one-pot meal, and it is heavy and satisfying. You will find it at local eateries in Shillong and in community gatherings.
6. Tungrymbai
Tungryumbai is a fermented black soybean preparation that acts as both a condiment and a side dish. It has a strong and pungent smell, which is common with fermented ingredients in the region. When cooked with smoked pork and greens, it makes a very flavourful side dish that is eaten with rice by locals. If you have had Japanese natto or Korean doenjang, the concept is rather similar.
7. Nakham Bitchi
This is a soup, made from a type of dried fish called nakham. The fish is sun-dried and stored, sometimes for months, before being used in cooking. The soup has a smoky, intense flavour and is normally served as a starter or with rice. It is an acquired taste for most of the visitors, but a beloved comfort food in Meghalaya.
8. Pukhlein
Pukhlein is a simple Khasi sweet made from rice flour and jaggery, and they are fried until they are golden. It is crispy on the outside, chewy inside, and satisfying in the way that only unpretentious food can be. It is sold at street markets and local fairs, and you should purchase it when it is still warm.
Dishes from Nagaland
9. Braised Smoked Pork with Akhuni (Fermented Soybean)
Akhuni or axone is a fermented paste of soybeans that is used widely in Nagaland. It has smell that is powerful and unmistakable. Cooked with smoked pork or dried meat, it makes one of the most strongly-flavoured dishes in the entire Indian cuisine. The film "Axone" brought it to national attention, but the real thing is way more nuanced than any portrayal.
10. Galho
Galho is a rice and vegetable porridge from Nagaland with the same concept but with a different character to it. It is prepared using rice, vegetables, and occasionally meat or fermented products. It is light, warming, and the sort of food that makes sense after a long day of travel over hilly terrain.
Dishes from Manipur
11. Eromba
Eromba is a Manipuri dish prepared with mashed boiled vegetables, often potatoes or yam, fermented fish (ngari), and dried red chillies. The ngari imparts to it a pungency and deeply savoury quality to it. It is eaten at room temperature with steamed rice and is one of the most ubiquitous dishes of Manipuri home cooking.
12. Chamthong (Kangshoi)
Chamthong is a vegetable soup with a mixture of seasonal vegetables, fermented fish, and little spicing. It is very clean tasting, almost soup-like, and considered a healthy everyday dish. The greens used are water spinach, mustard leaves, and others, which grow plenty in the wetlands of Manipur.
Dishes from Arunachal Pradesh
Travellers going for the North East India tour packages, including Arunachal, often find the food to be the most surprising element of the trip. The state has many tribes, and each tribe has its own cooking tradition.
13. Thukpa
Thukpa is a noodle soup of Tibetan origin that is deeply rooted in the food culture of Arunachal Pradesh, especially in the Tawang and Bomdila regions. The broth is made from meat or vegetables, the noodles are hand-pulled or flat, and the dish is almost always served piping hot. It is perfectly suited to the cold climate of the mountains.
14. Pika Pila
Pika Pila is a spicy condiment made of king chilli (bhut jolokia), pork fat, and fermented bamboo shoot. It is used as an accompaniment, rather than as a dish on its own. A small amount goes a long way. The king chilli from Northeast India is one of the hottest chilli varieties in the world, and this preparation makes liberal use of it.
Dishes from Sikkim
15. Phagshapa
Phagshapa is a Sikkimese pork preparation with dried radish strips and red chillies. The pork is cooked with little spicing so as to keep the natural fat and the chilli heat upfront. It is a cold weather dish, filling and to the point. Paired with steamed rice or buckwheat preparations, it is one of the most satisfying meals of the entire region.
A Practical Note for Food Travellers
In Assam, one of the dishes that must be tried is Masor Tenga, which is a tangy fish curry that is traditionally eaten with steamed rice. In Meghalaya, travellers must have Jadoh, a delicious, flavorful rice dish that is usually taken along with local red rice. Moving on to Nagaland, one of the signature dishes is smoked pork with Akhuni, which is served with steamed sticky rice.
In Manipur, a traditional favourite is Eromba, which is a spicy preparation made with vegetables and fermented fish and is usually eaten with steamed rice. In Arunachal Pradesh, visitors frequently give Thukpa, a warm noodle soup that goes well with hot butter tea, a try, particularly in the colder parts of the mountains. Meanwhile, in Sikkim, the traditional dish Phagshapa is made of pork and radish, which is usually served with buckwheat or steamed rice.
Many of these regional dishes are rarely found in restaurants outside the Northeast. To experience them in a very authentic way, travellers often need to eat in local homes, roadside dhabas, and community kitchens where the flavours and cooking traditions are still closest to their roots. This is why travellers need to explore the food culture of the region to have a well-planned itinerary with access to locals and to the region's food.
Plan Your Northeast India Food Trip With Yes Tourism
The team at Yes Tourism has been working for years on building up connections on the ground across Northeast India. Whether you are looking at Meghalaya tour packages that cover Shillong, Cherrapunji and Dawki or a wider multi-state route that covers Assam, Arunachal, and Nagaland, the itineraries are based on authentic experiences, including food.
Yes Tourism's regional expertise ensures you are not just ticking off waterfalls and viewpoints. You are eating the right food, at the right places, with the cultural context that makes it mean something.
Ready to plan your trip?
Browse through the tour options for Northeast India, and you will know what it is like to spend a week in the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the most famous food of North East India?
There is no single answer, but smoked pork with bamboo shoot, Masor Tenga from Assam, and Jadoh from Meghalaya are a few of the most widely recognised dishes from the region. Each state has at least two or three dishes that local people associate with their food identities.
Q2. Is North East Indian food spicy?
It varies by state. Nagaland and Manipur use bhut jolokia (king chilli), which is extremely hot. Assamese cuisine is milder and more tangy. Meghalayan food falls somewhere in between. Most dishes may be modified for spice levels while eating out at restaurants.
Q3. Is North East Indian food vegetarian-friendly?
A number of dishes are vegetarian or can be prepared without meat. However, fermented fish (ngari) and smoked meat are common ingredients in many preparations. If you are a strict vegetarian or vegan, make sure you communicate this well to your hosts or restaurant. Local markets typically have more than enough fresh produce-based options.
Q4. What rice varieties are eaten in North East India?
Sticky or glutinous rice is very popular throughout Assam, Manipur, and Meghalaya. Joha rice (a fragrant short-grain variety from Assam) is especially prized. Black rice and red rice are also not uncommon. Rice in the Northeast is not an adjunct to a meal; it is the main dish.
Q5. Can I find authentic North East Indian food outside the region?
A few restaurants in Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai are serving Northeastern cuisine, but the authenticity is hit or miss. Ingredients such as fermented bamboo shoot, ngari, and akhuni are either replaced or toned down for mainstream palates. The actual versions of these dishes can only be found in the region itself.
Q6. What should I avoid eating in North East India if I have dietary restrictions?
Fermented fish and fermented soybean (akhuni or tungrymbai) are common ingredients widely used in cooking, and are sometimes not listed as a main ingredient. When you have allergies or have strong aversions, you should ask specifically before ordering. Smoked and dried meats are common as well, and not always identified in descriptions of dishes.
Q7. What is the best time to visit North East India for food festivals?
The most well-known food and culture festival in the region is the Hornbill Festival held in Nagaland in December. Bihu of Assam (April). The traditional pithas and food are prepared for the harvest season. The Ziro Festival in Arunachal Pradesh (September) also has a great local food component, in addition to the music.