Nagaland Food Recipes

1. Misa Machh Poora (Grilled Shrimps)

Ingredients:

• 3 cup shrimps (shelled and de-veined)
• 1 large onion (cut in small pieces)
• 2 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 10-12 whole peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1-2 tablespoon mustard oil
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Marinate the shelled shrimps with salt and turmeric powder & Keep aside.
2. In a medium-size pan add half cup of water, the coriander and peppercorns and bring the water to the boil.
3. Add the shrimps and cook for 2-3 min. 
4. Then drain the water and add the oil.
5. Turn the shrimps in a shallow flame-proof dish or a greased banana leaf.
6. Spread the shrimps over the surface and wrapped it. 
7. Grill or roast upon open charcoal fire in wrapped banana leaves.
8. Before serving pour the lemon juice on top of the shrimps.
9. Serve hot with steamed rice.

2. Poora Machh (Grilled Sole Fish)

Ingredients:

• 500 gm Sole fish
• 2 tablespoon black mustard seeds (soaked in water and ground)
• 1/2 cup of chopped coriander leaves 
• 6 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2-3 tablespoon mustard oil
• Salt to taste

Note: Poora Mach is to ease the fillets of the fish away from its backbone and leave them attached to the sides.

Preparation:

1. In the inside and outside of the fish as a whole, rub oil, also it apply between the fillets.
2. Mix well all the ingredients and a make a paste of it. 
3. Marinate the fish with spices paste & spoon inside the fish the remaining of it and keep aside for an hour.
4. After that take an aluminum foil and wrap the fish in it. 
5. Cook it on a barbecue (if you cook the fish in an open charcoal fire, do not wrap it with foil or tie the fish with banana leaf and cook it till it is ready to serve. 
6. Served with plain rice.

3. Bamboo Shoot Fry

Ingredients:

• One-foot long Tender bamboo shoot
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 3-4 dried red chilies
• 1 cup of mustard oil
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Scale off the hard exterior of the bamboo shoot, wash and cut into small pieces.
2. Add the baking soda and mix it well.
3. Heat the oil in a pan, sauté the fenugreek seeds and red dry chilies and add salt to taste.
4. Put the bamboo shoot into the pan and cook on a low fire.
5. When the bamboo shoot dries up, add 2-3 tablespoon of water, stir well.
6. Serve hot and crisp bamboo shoot fry.

4. Poora Haah (Roasted Duck)

Ingredients:

• 1 medium size Duck (dressed & washed)
• 1 egg
• 4 slices of bread
• 1 large potato (cut in cubed)
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 3 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 2-4 green chilies (chopped)
• 1 bunch of fresh coriander leaves (ground)
• 2 stalks green spring onions (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• A cup of mustard oil
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Take salt and mix it in lime juice, rub this mixture inside and outside of the washed duck and keep it at least 15 min.
2. Crumble the bread slices and mix to the potato cubes. 
3. Now also mix all the ingredients mentioned above along with half of the cooking oil. 
4. Beat the egg properly and fold it into the mixture. 
5. Take the giblet and add it the this mixture and stir well.
6. Rub the half of oil all over the duck once again and stuff the mixture and truss it properly. 
7. Roast the whole duck on a charcoal fire for till it is done. 
8. Instead of charcoal fire, you can also roast in hot oven (don't forget to baste the duck with a little cooking oil frequently while it is being roasted).
9. Poora Haah is ready to serve. 
10. Serve it hot with boiled rice and roasted potatoes.

5. Fish Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 500 gm Fish (wash & cut in small pieces)
• 2 cups of long grained rice
• 2 large onions (chopped)
• 2-3 tablespoon desiccated coconut
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2-3 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1-inch piece ginger
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/2 cup of cooking oil
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

• Wash the rice and soak it in cold water for at least 1 hour.
• Make a paste with coriander, cumin, turmeric, fenugreek and ginger together.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan and fry the spices mixture for a min.
• Place the fish in the pan, stir it without breaking the pieces.
• Cover the pan and allow the fish to cook in its own steam for 5 min.
• Remove the fish carefully with a fish slice and keep them warm.
• Heat the oil in a pan, fry the onions with the bay leaf till it brown.
• Drain the rice and add to the onions.
• Mix the coconut and lemon juice in the rice and fry lightly for a min.
• Pour a cup of water into the pan and add pre-cooked fish and bring it to boil, pour this water into the rice mixture.
• Add extra warm water, just enough for the rice to simmer and cook it till it is done.
• Turn the rice out on a serving plate and arrange the cooked fish pieces on top.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and Enjoy it.

6. Dal-Egg Curry

Ingredients:

• 100 gm mung dal
• 100 gm lentil
• 100 gm arhar dal
• 2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 4 hard-boiled eggs (pierced with a fork)
• 1/2 cup of onion paste
• 2 -3 green chilies
• 4 cloves garlic (ground)
• 3-4 tablespoon tomato puree
• 1/2 cup of mustard oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Boil the three dals together with salt and turmeric powder and keep aside.
2. Heat the oil in a pan, fry the onions paste and tomato puree.
3. Add the whole eggs into it and fry further till the onion paste turns brown.
4. Add half cup water and cover the pan, allowing it to simmer for 10 min.
5. Pour the eggs with the onion tomato sauce into the cooked dal, stir well.
6. Boil once before serving hot with rice.