From chili chowmein to hot spicy momos, we have adored northeastern food for a long time on our favorite food junction now. But they have a lot more mouth-savoring delicacies hidden in the platter of Naga cuisine.
Yes, you heard it right. Naga food is the least explored food but the food that will blow your hunger & cravings for wanting more. Oh, we forgot to tell you, if you are a die-hard non-veg lover, Naga cuisine is a win-win for you.
Hold your empty tummy even tighter because Naga food is calling you. Let us take your empty tummies to the exotic and unique Naga cuisine, one of the savoring northeastern cuisines which still remains least explored.
Known for its authentic and raw taste, Naga cuisine uses cooking methods that are different from the rest of the country and one of the reasons which make Naga cuisine stand out from other states of India.
A traditional Naga meal consists of rice, Naga curry, and boiled vegetables. Pork meat is the most popular in Naga cuisine.
Of all the delicacies of Naga cuisine, Naga Spicy Curry is famous among travelers and tourists.
1. Naga Curry – The Delicacy of Nagaland
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Naga food has grabbed our attention with its authentic taste. Not just the taste, but the food is soulful and healthy. Naga curry is the popular food from Naga cuisine, without which your meal is incomplete.
Naga curry is made with fewer spices, limited ingredients, and less to zero oil.
It is served with steamed rice, boiled veggies, and hot spicy sauce or chutney.
It uses ingredients like fermented soybeans, and bamboo shoots.
It uses the most favorite naga spice-Raja Mircha.
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2. What Makes Naga Curry Mouth-Savoring?
The minimal yet rich spices are the secret to Naga cuisine, with those limited ingredients that make the healthiest naga food.
Let’s dive deeper into these hot Naga spices:
2.1. Bhut Jolokia
Bhut Jolokia or Raja Mircha (King Chili) is the hottest chili in the whole world. Hot. Too hot, isn’t it? Now you know why Nagaland is “Naga“, for its hottest chilies. This is the first loved spice in Naga cuisine & is used in making the hot and spicy chutneys and Naga sauce.
2.2. Naga Morich
Naga Morich is the hottest pepper, a sister spice to Bhut Jolokia. Why? Because it extremely hot just like the hot raja Mircha which can either blow your brain with its heat or leave you in tears. It has a unique flavor and is the second most loved spice in naga cuisine.
2.3. Ginger
The ginger used in Naga cuisine is not the common ginger. It is different ginger from the ones used in cooking. Different, again.
This is the Naga ginger, with flavored aroma and another secret spice of Naga cuisine, in the form of ginger paste at times . This spice is used to bring out mouth-watering meat delicacies for you.
3. Exotic Ingredients Used in Naga Curry
3.1. Bamboo Shoots
Bamboo Shoots are an important ingredient in northeastern cuisine, so it comes as no surprise to be used in Naga cuisine. It is healthy and boosts your immunity and many other health problems. This is why the Naga food is considered the healthiest of all foods.
3.2. Pork
Pork is a Naga’s best friend. They are great non-veg lovers and for them, the meals are incomplete without meat curry. Pork is the most popular meat in Naga cuisine.
3.3. Fermented Soybeans
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Soybean or fermented soybean? Well, it is fermented soybean. Naga’s love to eat fermented ingredients, which is one of their methods to healthy eating.
Fermented Soybeans are rich in nutrients and easy to digest. Moreover, they are healthier than normal or unfermented soybeans.
Don’t you think that Naga Cuisine is way healthier than what most us have eaten? And we thought only about momos & chowmeins. How silly of us that we didn’t know about the other healthy and authentic naga delicacies!
Let’s fill our cravings without waiting for a minute with the healthiest and most authentic naga curry.
4. Dive Into the Delicious Naga Curry Recipes
Here are some of the amazing Naga curry recipes you can try at your home:
4.1. Naga Pork Curry
Naga Pork Curry is a very famous Naga Curry because of its amazing aroma and delicious flavor made with simple ingredients & cooking techniques.
This is the first most dish to try out in Naga cuisine for non-veg and pork lovers. Pork is an integral part of naga food and makes the best of dishes.
4.1.1. Ingredients:
-500 gm pork
-25 gm ginger
-25 gm garlic
-2 onions
-2 tsp salt
-10 red chili or 2 king chilies
½ tsp chili powder
-50 gm bamboo shoots
4.1.2. How To Cook:
- Grind garlic & ginger together to make a paste.
- Cut the pork into medium pieces. Wash and dry them properly. Put the pork in a pressure cooker on medium flame. Keep stirring for 3 minutes.
- Then, add salt and stir the pork again.
- Add chopped onions and stir again.
- Add ginger-garlic paste, chopped bamboo shoots, chopped red chilies or king chilies, and stir for 5 minutes.
- Cover the pressure cooker & cook it for 3 minutes.
- (Note: Do not close the lid of pressure cooker)
- Add red chili powder and stir for 5 minutes again.
- Add 1 cup water and close the lid of the pressure cooker.
- Let it whistle 6 times and then turn off the flame.
Naga Pork Curry – Watch Video
4.2. Naga Chicken Curry
Naga chicken curry is the second most famous naga curry and used chicken thigh as the main dish attraction. Here is the recipe to the spicy chicken curry recipe.
4.2.1. Ingredients:
-500 gm chicken thigh with bone
-2 tomatoes
-5 green chillies
-10 cloves garlic
-2 tsp red chilli powder/kashmiri chilli powder
-salt
4.2.2. How To Cook:
- Roast green chilies and tomatoes in a pan & then crush them.
- Wash chicken thoroughly.
- Add green chili, tomato paste & chicken in a pan on medium flame and mix it well.
- Add one cup of water and cover the lid and cook until water dries up.
- Add red chili powder and stir. Then, add garlic paste and mix properly and cook for the next 1 minute.
Naga Chicken Curry – Watch Video
4.3. Naga Style Stew
Naga Style Stew is vegetarian Naga curry. Potato is the main ingredient in this dish. Along with veggies, non-veg like meat can also be added.
With no spices and oil, this is naga curry is great if you are a vegetarian and want to try Naga cuisine.
4.3.1. Ingredients:
-3 peeled & cubed potatoes
-2 tomatoes
-6 to 7 green chilies
-2 cups sliced cabbage and spinach
-salt
4.3.2. How To Cook:
- In a pot, add potatoes, tomatoes, green chilies, salt & water.
- Boil until the potatoes are cooked. Then mash all the ingredients.
- Put the mashed ingredients back in the pot and add cabbage & spinach.
- Adjust the consistency of gravy and cook for 5-10 minutes. Turn off the flame.
4.4. Naga Lamb Curry
Naga Lamb Curry is the non-veg curry that uses lamb bones as the main ingredient. Naga Jolokia chili is the main chili spice used in this naga curry. This naga curry is contrary to others with fewer spices and less oil.
4.4.1. Ingredients:
-500 gm lam cubed bones
-1 cup tomato paste
-1 onion
-3 cloves of garlic
-2 tsp coriander seeds
-2 tsp cumin seeds
-2 cardamom pods
-1 tsp turmeric
-1/2 tsp garam masala
-salt
-1 Naga Jolokia chili or 2 green chilies
-2 tbsp vegetable oil
4.4.2. How to Cook:
- Take coriander seeds, cardamom seeds & seeds from cardamom pods and grind them.
- Take the pan and heat oil on medium flame.
- Add sliced onions into the pan and fry them for a few minutes.
- Add crushed garlic into the pan and mix it well.
- Add lamb pieces into the pan.
- Add garam masala & turmeric and mix well and turn to low flame.
- Use finely chopped naga chilies or green chilies and add them into the mixture.
- Add tomatoes, pepper, and salt. Mix it well.
- Add water and cover the lid. cook until the water dries up and lamb is completely cooked.
4.5. Naga Hinkejvu Colocasia Curry
Boiled vegetables are an integral part of Naga cuisine. Meals are usually served with side vegetables which include cabbage, melon, mustard & other green vegetables.
Mustard leaves are an important ingredient in this Naga Curry. This is another vegetable curry from Nagaland cuisine and uses no spices & no oil.
4.5.1. Ingredients:
-3 cups colocasia root (arbi)
-3 cups of water
-1.5 cup cabbage leaves
-1.5 cup mustard leaves
-½ cup hinkejvu (green beans)
-salt
4.5.2. How To Cook:
- Wash and peel colocasia and put it in a pan. Add water and boil on medium flame.
- Add cabbage leaves, mustard leaves, and green beans.
- Add salt and mix the ingredients well together.
- Cook until the water thickens.
5. Places You Can Try Naga Curry
5.1. Nagaland’s Kitchen, Delhi
Nagaland’s Kitchen in Green Park, Delhi is famous for Naga & Thai food. You can find all the naga delicacies in at this place from pork ribs to smokes dried fish and delicious hot naga sauces and chutneys as well.
5.2. Nagaland House Kitchen, Kolkata
Nagaland House Kitchen in Salt Lake, Kolkata is a canteen where you can find the delicious Naga food. Though there are not many joints in Kolkata which serve Naga food, you should definitely stop into this canteen to calm your taste buds.
5.3. Zingron, Bangalore
Zingron in Koramangala, Bangalore is an ultimate food destination for you if you love to explore Naga cuisine and even more, the best if you are a die-hard non-veg lover. Find the savoring naga curry here from pork naga curry to spicy chicken naga curry and hot naga chutneys.
5.4. Meiphung, Goa
Meiphung in Baga, Goa is the first Naga restaurant set to take you the northeastern taste and culture of Nagaland. End your cravings for the delicious pork to dried fish and beef salad here.
5.5. Naga Kitchen,Guwahati
Naga Kitchen in Guwahati is your go-to destination for Naga food. Craving to try out Naga cuisine? Then dive into this place and taste the exotic delicacies from Bamboo shoots to Naga fried rice.
5.6. Thotrin Café, Mumbai
This café in Mumbai serves you the delicious Naga food. The café is run by a Naga family, another reason for you to hop into the café to get the authentic, homely taste of Naga cuisine right from the valleys of Nagaland.
Read more about places in India you can find Naga Food
Wow, so much about the naga cuisine. We are sure, after reading about these mouth-watering unique naga curry recipes, you cannot wait to try these recipes out! Then, what are you waiting for? Just keep your phone aside and run into the kitchen and make your weekends special with these quick and yummy naga curries and tell us about it!
Last Updated on by Himani Rawat
