Celebrations and festivities in India are incomplete without the delicacies and mouth watering dishes and Bihu is no exception to this. Assamese people prepare many food items both in Uruka night and on first of Magh. On Uruka night, dishes like Masor Tenga, Omita Khar, Chicken dishes and mutton dishes with a number of other items are prepared for the feast to be held overnight. Find here the recipes for some special dishes and sweets prepared on the occasion of Bihu:


Masor Tenga


Ingredients:

  • Fish (Rohu):500 gm (pieces).
  • Tomato: 3 medium ( chopped)
  • Onion: One medium (chopped).
  • Salt& turmeric: According to taste.
  • Pachphoran: One tsp.
  • Red Chili: 1-3.
  • Oil for frying.
  • Coriander leaves for garnishing.
  • Optional : One Tbsp of Lemon juice or One large piece of Ouw Tenga (elephant apple)


Bihu Recipes















Procedure:

  1. Pat dry fish pieces and marinate with salt and turmeric powder set aside for 20-30 minutes.
  2. Fry till golden brown and keep aside.
  3. Heat one tbsp oil in a kadai (wok).
  4. Add the pachphoran and red chillies and let splutter.
  5. Now add chopped onion and saute for 1-2 minutes.
  6. When onion turns golden brown add chopped Tomato. Sprinkle salt over and cook while the lid on.
  7. If Tomato gets tender you can add optional lemon juice/or a piece of elephant apple( which is known as Ouw Tenga in Assam).
  8. After cooking another 5 minutes (if you have added elephant apple) now you can add fried fish pieces. Cook for a few minutes till fish is well mixed with the sour curry of tomato and lemon juice.
  9. Now serve hot garnishing with a few sprigs of coriander leaves.
  10. Now your very own Assamese Masor Tenga is ready to be relished with steamed/ boiled rice

Omita Khar

Ingredients:
  • 1 medium sized unripe papaya, halved vertically, sliced, the seeds scooped, and cut into small and thin pieces
  • 2 green chillies, the stalks removed and slit halfway from the bottom
  • 3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp paas puron
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 whole red chilli, halved
  • 2 tblsp 1 tblsp mustard oil ( can be found in Indian grocery stores)

Recipes for Bihu














Procedure:
  1. Heat the 2 tblsp of mustard oil in a pan and add the paas puron, bay leaf and red chilli halves.
  2. When the seeds splutter, add the papaya, green chillies, salt and soda.
  3. Stir well, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for about10-12 minutes or till the papaya slices soften and lose their shape. Keep stirring in between.
  4. Raise the heat and stir so that the excess water, if any, evaporates.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1 tblsp of mustard oil.
  6. Serve hot with some plain rice and dal.

Notes:
  • The raw papaya should also be quite tender.
  • Rinse the papaya several times in plenty of clean water after slicing.
  • Mustard oil is an absolute must in this dish. Khar is not”khar” without mustard oil.
  • Khar is usually not eaten with sour dishes.
  • Like any other recipe there may be slightly individual variations of this recipe; this is how my ma made it and what I’ve grown up eating.

Bhapot Diya Ilish Maas

Ingredients:

  • Iilis Maas (Hilsa Fish)
  • 6 or 7pieces of Iilis Maas, washed and pat dried.
  • 3tsps level yellow mustard seed, ground to a smooth paste with little water.
  • 1/2 Onion, ground to a smooth paste.
  • 5 or 6 pods of Garlic, ground to a smooth paste.
  • 3 or 4 Green Chilly, slit length wise.
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder.
  • 2tsp level salt.
  • 3 to 4 tblsps Mustard Oil. Usually for this recipe, mustard oil is added without prior heating, it exudes a strong oily aroma, which is very appetizing and much loved by the Assamese. Oil can be heated and cooled before adding, in case you find the smell of raw oil too strong.

Recipes on Bihu















Procedure:
  1. Mix all the ingredients well till it turns very smooth, leaving aside Iilis Maas.
  2. Smear the pieces of Iilis well with the batter of all the mixed ingredients.
  3. Steam the Iilis in a steamer.
  4. Cover and steam for 20 to 25 minutes. You can also steam in a pressure cooker.
  5. Bhapot Diya Iilis is ready to be served with a steaming hot plate of Joha rice ( a small grained rice with a  lingering aroma, a favorite of the Assamese).

Tekeli Pitha

Ingredients:

  • Rice flour (make the powder with fresh rice by milling) 250 gm
  • Onion 1
  • Green chillies 2
  • Coriander leaves (cleaned and chopped finely) 1 bunch
  • Salt to taste
  • Egg 

How to Prepare Bihu Recipes











Procedure:

  1. Mix salt in the rice flour.
  2. Add a little water and mix with finger tips to form fine breadcrumbs.
  3. Sieve it. Chop onion, coriander leaves and chillies.
  4. Add to the powder.
  5. Fill water in a small-mouthed brass vessel till half full and let the water boil.
  6. When the water boils, place a thin muslin cloth at the mouth of the vessel. 
  7. Dip it in the middle and fill it with the prepared rice powder.
  8. Lightly fold the cloth over the powder.
  9. When it starts steaming remove it from the vessel.
  10. Unfold the cloth and make a slight dent in the powder with a tablespoon.
  11. Break the egg into it, fold the cloth and place on the vessel.
  12. Place over flame till steam-cooked.
  13. Unfold the cloth and turn over the prepared pitha on a dish.
  14. Serve hot with pure ghee.

Forthcoming Festivals