Cherrapunji travel guide

Jadoh

The iconic Khasi one-pot meal of Meghalaya—pork belly cooked with red rice, black sesame seeds, ginger and local herbs; the rice absorbs all the flavors during the long cooking; served at Shillong's morning markets in banana leaf bowls from 7am until sold out

Doh khlieh

Meghalayas minimal Khasi pork salad—fresh pork poached and shredded, mixed with raw onions, green chili, ginger and a splash of lime; no oil, no cooking; an immediate fresh preparation that shows the Khasi preference for clean-tasting food over heavy cooking

Tungrymbai

The Khasi fermented soybean of Meghalaya—the specific local black soybean variety is fermented in banana leaves until pungent and sticky; forms the flavor base of Khasi cuisine alongside black sesame; available in Shillong's Police Bazaar from community market sellers

Pork dishes

Northeast India's dominant protein—across Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, pork is the cultural centerpiece of cuisine; smoked pork, pork with bamboo shoot, pork with axone (fermented soybean) and pork blood curry are regional specialties

Black sesame

Northeast India's culinary backbone—black sesame seeds used in Khasi, Naga and Manipuri cooking as both flavoring and thickener; ground into pastes for dohneiiong, sprinkled over eromba, crushed into chutneys; the flavor is richer and nuttier than white sesame