Mizo Chawhmeh Thali | Mizoram Cuisine

After completing meghalaya its time for Mizoram .Mizo chawmeh  Literally means Mizoram cuisine . Like for other seven sister states in north east here too the food varies from tribal communities .Mizo cuisine too concentrates more on non veg recipes than veg NBut I have tried to substitute and make it veg for some recipes. I had to hunt for this state a lot as it was hard to find recipe for this state even. Most of the recipes I found had diffrent web language and had a difficult time converting them to english so I went on with the recipes I found which ever where in english.

In Mizoram people do like to include plenty of vegetables but they also add a meat to each and every dish and make it Non veg.The food in Mizo is quite similar to other north eastern states , Generally mild and some of ingredients used are punget in flavor.The staple is rice here, and they don’t forget to include fish in their meal.Zero oil or very less oil is used in most of the recipes here.Most popular dishes from this state are Misa mach Poora Panch Phoron taarkari, Dal with egg,Grilled shrimps. A meal in mizo will contains the following dishes for sure Vawksa ( smoked pork),Samtawk, Bai ( soup), Hmarcha Rawt ( Chilli chutney),Any kind of Chhum ( Salad) Like beans chow chow cluster beans,Behiiang. They Don’t have any popular sweet which is popular only in this state but they make Koat pitha which is popular in other northeastern states too. Chhangban leh Kurtai is another Mizo speciallity which is nothing but a steamed bread had with Mizo gur or jaggery. This ia a tea time bread which is very popular in this state, this is made with rice flour and are cover in leaf and then they are steamed.  

Like for other NE states in Mizo too people love bamboo shoots  and make use of them is preparing duck meat. Chhum han is a very popular and most enjoyed salad which is made with veggies Chhum / salad is also made with other veggies too. Arsa Buhchiar is a specila rice they make with chicken and the very traditionl rice they made is sawchiar Which I have given a veggie twist but originally the rice is made with either chicken or pork.In beverage they enjoy the very popular drink “ZU”, Lunrusca Grape wine and also Tea which is usually black.They have their own herbs which is available locally there but can’t be found in other parts of India. The main ingredients used in this state for flavouring  are ginger , garlic, onion and chillies. As in most part of the north and south states where they serve sweets after the meal  here in mizoram sweets are not given so much importants and they instead have fruits after a meal.

Lumps of jaggery and black tea is served after meal.  So lets Move on  to the 5 th North east state. 

They make sawchiar with meat / chicken But here I tweaked the recipe and used panner instead. they also use 2 tsp of rice beer added to sawchiar .

Recipe Source : Adaptd from Here


Ingredients 

Basmati Rice – 1 cup
Paneer – 1/2 cup ( Cubed)
Cardamom – 2 Nos
Bay leaves – 1 No
Raja chillies – 2 No or Green chillies – 2 No
Lettuce – 1 cup ( Shredded)
Spinach – 1/2 Cup 
Black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Oil – 5 tbsp

Method

• In a pan heat oil and fry the paneer pieces till slight brown from both sides.
• Now In a sauce pan heat 2 Cup water  add salt, cardamom,bay leaves,
• Chillies and boil them.
• Then add lettuce and spinach , blanch them and add all the other ingredients.
• Cover and cook them in simmer till the rice is done.

Mizo Bai

Ingredients 

Lettuce – 1/2 cup ( shredded)
French Beans – 6 Nos ( chopped)
Carrot – 1/2 Cup ( chopped)
Green chillies – 2 Nos
Baking soda – 1/4 tsp
Water as needed
Cooked Rice – 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method

•  In a sauce pan Boil water , add all veggies and boil them till they turn tender.
• Add Salt,cooked rice, soda and Boil they till the soup thickens a Bit.
• Serve them Hot.

Hmarcha rawt

Recipe Source : Here
Ingredients 

Green chillies / dry red chillies – 4 Nos
Ginger paste – 1/4 tsp
Onion – 2 tbsp ( Chopped )
Salt to taste

Method 

• If using green chillies roast the chillies in griddle till they turn brown from all sides but if you use Dry red chillies soak them in water for 10-15 mins.
• Blend the chillies in a blender or just smash them in a mortal and pastel.
• Then add onion. salt and ginger and mix them well.
• Note : this is too hot so use it a side for Mildly spiced meal.

Mizo Chow

Ingredients 

Noodles/Chow – I used one small sachet maggi  Noodles excluding the taste maker..
Onion- 1/4 cup ( finely chopped)
Green chillies – 2 Nos
Pepper pd as needed
Carrot – 1 small ( half cooked)
French beans – 1/4 cup ( chopped and half cooked)
Oil – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Water as needed

Method

• Heat a sauce pan boil the water and cook the noodles separately.
• Drain the water from them and keep it aside.
• In a pan heat oil add chopped Onions and green chillies .
• Saute them till the onion turn translucent.
• Add the half cooked veggies and saute.
• Add salt and pepper as needed.
• Serve them Hot. 

Dal 

Ingredients


Moong dal – 1/4 cup
Toor dal- 1/4 cup
Masoor dal-1/4 cup
Turmeric pd – 1/4 tsp
Onion – 1/4 cup ( chopped)
Tomato – 1 No ( chopped)
Garlic crushed – 2 Pods
Green chillies – 2 -3 Nos
Mustard oil – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method

• Pressure cook the three dals for 3 whistles, add turmeric while cooking.
• Heat oil in a pan add onion. green chillies and saute them till they are translucent.
• Add tomatoes and saute them till they comepletly mushy.
• Add the pressure cooked dal and water as needed to make it thin.
• Serve them hot with rice.

Chawtani

Ingredients

Cabbage – 1 cup ( Chopped)
Green chillies – 2-3 No
Ginger paste – 1/4 tsp
Onion – 1/4 cup ( chopped)
Tomato – 2 tbsp ( chopped)
Mustard oil – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method 

Mix all the ingredients and enjoy..

Iskut Chhum

Ingredients 


Iskut/ Chow chow – 1 No
Salt to taste

Method 

• Peel and slice the chow chow.
• Boil water in a vessel and cook the Chow chow slices with some salt.
• Cook them till they are tender.
• Serve them like a salad to accompany a meal.

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