By Chitra Ahanthem
IMPHAL, April 25: A stroll around the local Manipuri indigenous food stalls at the current Chinjak Festival 2012 (now in its 3rd edition) is all it takes to realize that there are many components to Manipuri cuisine. The labor of love that is involved in every step of making food appealing to the visual senses, aromatic to smell and interesting in texture while eating is what stays with one after sampling food and interacting with the people who have put up their cooking skills on offer.
Take the Kumbi Hentaak available at the Kumbi Development Committee stall for instance: they are well packed in small earthen pots (for Rs 50 each) sealed with plastic. Nongmaithem Imocha who runs the stall says that the hentak has been made from Ngaakha (a small indigenous fish).
“We catch the fish during early monsoon and then dry it. We then start the process of pounding the fish to be made into Hentak in September, which is the time that makes it delectable to taste.”
Asked what sets the Kumbi hentak from other hentak found in the state and Imocha says, “We use Hongu while pounding the fish. We also mix in type of Yendem amuba (a variety of allocasia indica) that is leafy and bigger. While the hentak that you find elsewhere or those made at home is lumpy, the one we have here is compact.”
Also available at the same stall is laphu singju that looks and tastes different from the ones normally found and eaten.
“We pound the banana stem and then take off the moisture by putting it in a cloth and wringing it. The next process is to dry off the pounded banana stem for 3 days, making sure that it is shifted thoroughly to ensure that it doesn’t get too dry,” says Nongmaithem Shantibala slowly dispelling the myth that singju is about chopping in vegetables and mixing in the garnish and flavor!
The laphu singju that emerges from the pounding and the drying is different from the usual chewable texture, replaced instead by a near melt in the mouth finish and powdery feel that leaves an interesting taste aided by a garnish of local herbs and greens.
The ‘star’ attraction for the Chinzak festival this year is definitely ‘Tonthoi’s Mathel’. That’s the stall run by this year’s National Award winner for Best Supporting Actress, Leishangthem Tonthoingambi who has brought in Phormon Phola as the huge dessert draw in the festival.
The usual fare of Phola made of curd, fresh milk, flattened rice, sugar and bananas mixed together certainly gets its own star status, aided by the addition of pounded peanut, a hint of honey and grated coconuts.
Tonthoingambi’s mother Leishangthem Leibaklei adds in a handful of singju when the phola is served: “Phola was served for every religious rites when we were growing up. It was customary for some Singju to be served right after Phola.”
While the Chinzak food festival draws people to the international food variety on display; it is the local stalls that throws in the real punch. Organized by the Innovative Youth Society in association with the department of Tourism, the festival has not only brought world cuisines to Manipur but has also given a platform to showcase local food and flavor.