Flavours that make you pause, take another bite and wonder why you haven’t encountered them before; Meghalaya’s cuisine is full of such surprises. At Feast, Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel, the pop-up Meghalaya Unveiled offered us a chance to discover the state’s earthy, smoky and deeply comforting food, curated by Chef Nambie Marak. She was the 1st runners-up on MasterChef India Season 8 and she will be representing India in the upcoming MasterChef Asia.
For Chef Nambie, however, the showcase was about more than placing a regional cuisine on a buffet. It was about bringing an underrepresented culinary tradition into the spotlight. “I am basically representing the cuisine of Meghalaya. It’s an underrated cuisine. It’s something that people have not heard of. My main aim of coming into the culinary field is to bring forward the underrated, unseen cuisine of the Northeast of India. India is so diverse and, for far too long, the Northeast of India has not been shining. I think it’s high time that the Northeast of India shines,” she says.
One of the most intriguing dishes from the menu was Chicken Kapa, a relatively dry preparation that uses an unique traditional ingredient. Chef Nambie explains that it is made using lye, an alkalising agent obtained from the burnt ashes of bamboo. “It’s an ancient knowledge that has been passed on and we still practise it today. It helps soften the meat and vegetables, and it has a unique taste to it,” she says.
For Chef Nambie, the food is inseparable from the memories, flavours and ingredients of home. Ginger, for instance, is
an ingredient she grew up with. A simple Ginger-and-Honey drink served as part of the experience brings together ginger sourced from Meghalaya and honey, allowing the pungency of the root to take centre stage. There is also homemade Bamboo Shoot Pickle that she brought all the way from home, adding another distinctly personal touch to the spread and not to forget Perilla Salad.
Then comes the Black Sesame Chicken, a dish that highlights one of Meghalaya’s most beloved ingredients. Black sesame makes several appearances across the menu, lending the preparations a nutty depth and unmistakable character. There is also Pumpkin and Fish Curry, traditionally prepared with river fish such as rohu, although Chef Nambie used basa for accessibility. The fish is cooked with pumpkin into a gentle, comforting preparation that is a far cry from the heavily spiced fish curries more commonly encountered across India. The same comfort can be experienced while savouring Chicken and Potato Curry.
The vegetarian offerings are equally intriguing. Moringa Dal brings the familiar comfort of lentils together with young moringa, while Banana Flower and Potato Curry adds another layer of texture and flavour. Both dishes demonstrate how everyday ingredients are transformed through simple, home-style cooking.
Among the most memorable bites is what Chef Nambie calls her ‘Momo Gujiya’ — a savoury, gujiya-like preparation filled with coconut, chillies and onions. Interestingly, the dish is not originally her own creation. She first tasted it at a close friend’s wedding and loved it so much that she carried it into her pop-ups. It is precisely this connection to food memories and traditions that gives the menu its character.
The spread also features Chicken Jadoh, a striking green rice preparation. Its unusual colour comes from the combination of turmeric and black sesame, an example of how traditional ingredients can create unexpected results without relying on artificial add ons. For dessert, we were in for a treat as well with a chewy Black Rice Malpoa and indulgent Black Sesame Ice Cream.
For those curious about the food of the Northeast, Meghalaya Unveiled offers a great insight. The festival is on until September 13, for both lunch and dinner buffets.