What to Eat in Guwahati Today?

How an Assamese meal runs

A traditional meal starts bitter or alkaline and ends sour. Rice sits in the middle of the plate, and small bowls go around it: first khar, then dal and bhaji, then a meat or fish curry, and finally a tenga (sour) dish. Pickles, a green chutney and a slice of lime come on the side. Chillies are served separately, often the fierce bhut jolokia, so you control the heat yourself.

Khar

Khar is the dish that defines the state, so much that Assamese people jokingly call themselves khar-khuwa, the khar eaters. It is cooked with an alkaline liquid filtered from the ash of dried banana peel, usually with raw papaya or pulses. The taste is earthy and slightly soapy the first time. Eat it at the start of the meal, as locals do.

Masor tenga

This light fish curry gets its sourness from tomato, lemon or thekera, a dried sour fruit. It is thin, bright and meant to be mixed into lots of rice. Rohu and other river fish are the usual choice. It is the dish most people remember from Guwahati.

Aloo pitika and the pitika family

Pitika means mashed. Aloo pitika is potato mashed with raw mustard oil, onion, green chilli and coriander, and it turns up on almost every plate. You may also see pitikas of roasted aubergine, fish or dried fish.

Pitha and sweets

Pitha are rice-flour cakes made for Bihu. Til pitha is rolled around sesame and jaggery; ghila pitha is fried and round; narikol pitha has coconut. They are sold year-round in sweet shops, but January's Magh Bihu is when homes make them fresh.

Where to try it

Paradise in Silpukhuri and Khorikaa on GS Road serve full thalis at lunch. Gam's Delicacy on Zoo Road is good for masor tenga and pitika. The Where to Eat page lists what each kitchen is known for.