Must-try lunch in Dawki
Tungrymbai
Dawki, Meghalaya
A pungent Khasi dish of fermented soybean paste cooked with pork, black sesame and spices — an intense, umami-rich delicacy.
Taste
Pungent, earthy
Spice level
Medium
Best time to eat
Lunch
Price range
₹100–250
Food type & tags
Best paired with
Chaas or lassi
The dish
What is Tungrymbai?
Expect it to be pungent, earthy, with a medium kick.
The story
Why is Tungrymbai famous in Dawki?
Tungrymbai, built on fermented soybean, is a beloved Khasi dish of deep, pungent flavour.
When to go
Best time to eat it
Tungrymbai is best enjoyed at lunch, ideally with chaas (spiced buttermilk) or a sweet lassi. Many spots make fresh batches through the day, so it’s easy to fit into your plan.
Where to eat
Best places to try Tungrymbai
Trusted Dawki spots — hours and directions.
Representative photo
Representative photoPerfect pairing
What to eat with Tungrymbai
Tungrymbai pairs best with chaas (spiced buttermilk) or a sweet lassi. It’s a non-vegetarian lunch, so keep the rest of the plate light and let the dish be the star.
Make a morning of it
Pair it with a photo spot
Eat well, then shoot nearby in Dawki.
Shnongpdeng
Early morning, when mist lifts off the river and the camps are still quiet; late afternoon for warm light on the water and the tents.
Fuel up on Tungrymbai, then shoot Shnongpdeng.
See photo spot
Dawki River Valley Viewpoint
Early morning, when mist fills the valley and the plains are a soft blue haze; late afternoon for warm, low light on the hills.
Fuel up on Tungrymbai, then shoot Dawki River Valley Viewpoint.
See photo spot
Dawki Suspension Bridge
Late morning, when the light reaches the water under the bridge and the boats below cast clear shadows; late afternoon for warm light on the towers.
Fuel up on Tungrymbai, then shoot Dawki Suspension Bridge.
See photo spotWant something else?
Search Dawki food by craving
Tungrymbai in Dawki
Tungrymbai belongs to the lunch plate in Dawki: pungent, earthy, a non-vegetarian dish, and part of how the city eats.
A pungent Khasi dish of fermented soybean paste cooked with pork, black sesame and spices — an intense, umami-rich delicacy
🍛 What it is
A pungent Khasi dish of fermented soybean paste cooked with pork, black sesame and spices — an intense, umami-rich delicacy - that is the whole idea of it, and everything else on this page follows from there.
It sits in the city's food life as a midday meal - eaten at lunch, served the way the locality serves it, and priced the way the locality prices it.
Locally it is filed under: khasi, fermented - which is the vocabulary to use when asking for it.
📜 Where it comes from
Tungrymbai, built on fermented soybean, is a beloved Khasi dish of deep, pungent flavour.
Dishes like this travel badly and reproduce badly - the version in Dawki is the reference version, made for the local palate at local prices.
👅 The taste, honestly
The register of it is pungent, earthy - that is the honest one-line tasting note, and it holds from the first bite to the last.
The heat is a proper medium - present, honest, manageable.
The shape of the eating: it leads the plate. Plan the rest of the meal around that.
🕐 When to eat it
The local answer to when is simple: lunch. Follow it and you get the dish at its best; ignore it and you may not get it at all.
Eat it when the room is full - not for atmosphere, but because a full room is what keeps the pans hot and the batches moving.
🥣 Ordering it well
In India, order at the busiest counter you can find - queue length is the review system, and the place with the line is the place with the turnover.
Spice is adjustable at the point of order in most places - say what you can handle when you order, not after.
💰 What it costs
The local range is ₹100–250 in Dawki - within it you are paying the local price; far above it, you are paying for something else.
Think of it as a budget-friendly item - kind to every wallet, and no less authentic for it.
Carry small notes - the smallest transactions run smoothest with the smallest denominations.
🤝 Eating it like a local
Eat it the local way: with the hand if you are comfortable, with the table if you are not, and in the company the dish was designed for - more is the normal number.
And the pairing instinct: keep the rest of the order simple and let one dish carry the meal.
Questions
Tungrymbai — FAQ
What is Tungrymbai?
A pungent Khasi dish of fermented soybean paste cooked with pork, black sesame and spices — an intense, umami-rich delicacy.
Is Tungrymbai veg or non-veg?
Tungrymbai is non-vegetarian. Spice level: medium.
Where can I try the best Tungrymbai in Dawki?
Try Umngot View Restaurant. See the "Best places to try it" section above for hours and directions.
What should I eat with Tungrymbai?
Pair it with chaas (spiced buttermilk) or a sweet lassi.
When is the best time to eat Tungrymbai?
Tungrymbai is usually eaten at lunch.