Assamese Cuisine

Jyoti Das is a living encyclopedia of Traditional cuisine’s of Assam and the Northeast region.She has successfully generated a buzz on the region’s kitchen culture on the digital domain. She has encapsulated her knowledge on the ethnic cuisines in a series of cookery books which manifests her distinguished talents and passion. Since more than 2 decades she has been on a mission to document the regions rich cuisine culture. Her deep study on Assamese Food and her first hand experience in cooking enables her to launch an interactive website www.assamesecuisine.com to keeping the trend into the modern world and putting the flavours of Assam on the internet.

Jyoti Das has also brilliantly incorporated age old indigenous recipes to modern contemporary ones without losing the essence of traditional Assamese cuisine . Her cook book published in 2008 by Rupa and Co is the first Assamese comprehensive cookbook. She has 14 cookbooks to her credit and two more are on the verge of completion. Her cook book are informative with fictions. She has to her credit the first website on Assamese cuisine named assamesecuisine.com. which was the winner of eNortheast award summit in 2014 in culture and heritage category. The title Rondhonshree was designated to her by Dr. Birendranath Dutta on 7th Jan 2015 at Press Club, Guwahati. Her sincere and dedicated work has been widely appreciated and loved. She is invited to seminar and workshops where she immensely enjoy to share Assamese cuisine with its culture and heritage.

Her culinary skills and efforts in popularizing regional fare in the global arena have earned her a place in the eminent personalities of North East regions. She not only loves and enjoys cooking but also loves to experiment. The kitchen is her workshop where she experiments many concoctions. She has traveled to different pockets of the Northeast to discover about their age old secrets and practices. In the process she got the opportunity to experience different dishes and pick up the fine nuances of these lesser known places. Her knowledge of cuisine stems from her profound understanding of its culture and tradition.

Authenticity and Ethnicity was difficult to find in books, especially from this region of the North-Eastern India. Travellers from across the globe would trot across this amazing land in search of Assamese cuisine rich with numerous herbs and ingredients which are full of medicinal values. Assamese cuisine, loved by many and served by numerous indigenous tribes settled in its peaks and valleys is a joy to savour. Today cities and towns by the mighty Brahmaputra and its tributaries where you may walk around savouring our cuisine will tell you vivid stories about the heritage of the region. Documenting such family traditions and creations with folklore of Assamese, brings forth to your table from this wonderful land nutritious, wholesome, healthy and tasty cuisine with stories to relish.

The Assamese food essentially is light and devoid of unnecessary spices. It has clean flavours and has a calming effect on the body. Dishes like aadar jol, tilor aanja, bean bhaji in paanch phoran, bilahir tenga, khar – they all have their own distinct chaste flavour. We have specific dishes for every season and ingredients to go with them. Even for a person feeling unwell, there is a remedy hidden in the recipe. Green vegetables like Modhuxuleng, Masundari, Bhedailota, Khutura etc. work like magic when one is down with stomach ailments. With the advent of other cultures, the food has become eclectic with some interesting twists and add-ons,adds Jyoti Das.

In his forward famous actor Victor Banerjee has written that the book ‘The Essence of North East’ book to be unique and best of its kind and one that will be difficult to match for years to come and guaranteed, will become every gastronome’s ready-reckoner ‘Bible of North East India’s Ethnic Cuisines’ also Homen Borgohain an Assamese writer and journalist appreciated the same as an Epic Book of the region.

1. “Ambrosia” from Assamese Kitchen: It is the first Assamese complete cook book written in English.The book presents an array of delectable dishes that reflects the multicolored hues of Assamese culture.
2. Aita Ma Aru Mur Akholor pora “Mithar juti”- Is a book on sweet dish where there are age old recipes to modern contemporary one. It reflects her journey in the kitchen as a granddaughter, daughter, wife and mother with fictions.
3. Aita Ma Aru Mur Akholor pora “Manxor juti”- Is a book on meat, where there are age old recipes to modern contemporary one. It reflects her journey in the kitchen as a granddaughter, daughter, wife and mother. Fictions make it enjoyable to readers also.
4. Aita Ma Aru Mur Akholor pora “Kharor juti”- It is a book on Khar (Alkali) where there are age old recipes to modern contemporary one. It reflects her journey on Khar as a granddaughter, daughter, wife and mother with fictions and essential information’s.
5. Aita Ma Aru Mur Akholor pora “Pithar juti”- Is a book on Pitha, where there are traditional pithas, snacks, sweet dishes with fusion . It reflects her journey on Pitha as a granddaughter, daughter, wife and mother with fictions.
6. Aita Ma Aru Mur Akholor pora “Acharor juti”- Is a book on pickle where there are age old recipes to modern and contemporary one. It reflects her journey on pickle as a granddaughter, daughter, wife and mother with very important tips.
7.-“Party recipe” is a book on local, Indian and Internation recipes. Where one can learn and enjoy serving course meals of various cultures with its unique tastes.
8. “Tiffin”-A soluation for tiffin problems . It is a cook book with fiction which can guide one how to pack interesting tiffin for children and grown ups.
9. “Apunar Akholot Chin Desiya Byanjon”- It’s a cookbook on Chinese Cooking. The recipes are easy to prepare and and very mush enjoyable. It can be guide of full course Chinese layouts even to amateur persons. The best part is, other than Chinese recipes sweet dishes are also included.
10. “Manxor Bibidh Byanjon” – It is a cook book on various meat dishes. It is a successful cooking guide for meat lovers with necessary information’s.
11. “Amar thalu Byanjan”- It is a complete cook book on ethnic Assamese cuisine, culture and heritage. The book also includes pickle and sarbot. The fictions makes the book enjoyable to readers too.
12. Aita , Ma aru Mur akholar Pora “Barota Mahor Terota Bynjan” – It’s a book on authentic Assamese cuisine with fiction, culture and heritage. It highlights what is habitually eaten each month .
13. Essence of Northeast-This book brings together some of the traditional recipes of the region published by NBT India.
14. Diabetic aru Aahar-A Book on recipes for Diabetes Patients and published by Lawyer’s Book Stall of Panbazar Guwahati.
15. Aamar Aahar under publication by Anwesha.
16. Under publication