An idiot’s guide to bitchi

Most tribal communities have their own form of liquor. It’s usually rice based and is referred to as rice beer in most places.

The Garo’s version is called BITCHI. The liquor is made from a combination of sticky and everyday/normal rice that’s left to ferment. The rice is placed in an earthen pot with a bamboo filter in the centre to collect the fermented liquor. This concentrated undiluted liquor is called bitchi or rice wine. After the bitchi is collected, water is added to the remaining contents in the earthen pot which thus gives rice beer or dika (this is what I’ve been told so do correct me if I’m wrong).

Friends who are regular drinkers of bitchi/dika have mentioned that one does not feel the alcohol’s impact when drinking it but the hangovers are pretty bad. So ‘dearies’, kindly drink with caution.

Where to get bitchi? There is no proper store from where one can get this local liquor, but residents of Tura usually go to the outskirts, to nearby villages to get them. And though I’m tempted to mention a few places I think I’ll refrain this time around as I don’t want to be pelted with pebbles from righteous teetotallers … ;-) (with due respect to them).

 

 

Another fun aspect of going bitchi hunting is that you get to meet really nice, warm and humble people from the village and you get to see their somewhat traditional kitchen.

Dambong (the mushroom)

Thatched sheds that look like button mushrooms give this tiny eatery its name Dambong (which in Garo means mushroom). I’d always noticed it while entering Tura as it’s painted blue, which is a stark contrast to the greenery around, but thought nothing much of it even though it was always filled with people. However, I was constantly hearing good stuff of a certain roadside place where the most amazing food was available.

 

 

 So after a trip to one of the many riversides that crisscross the Garo hills I finally landed in ‘the mushroom’. The hype that surrounds the place did live up. The chicken was cooked with loads of green chillies and onions, and it complimented the fluffy and soft paranthas that had just the right amount of oil.

 

Where is its exact location? Anyone entering Tura will spot the place as everything (well....almost) is painted blue. It’s in between Chasingre and Rongkhon on the left if you’re entering Tura. It opens from 6 in the morning to 7 in the evening. I’ve heard that their pork is also really good.

A bit of yesterday

There are certain kinds of food that can trigger fond memories.  For me the soan papri is one. These flaky sweets were one of my childhood favourites. Made from gram flour, ghee, sugar and what not, I’d stuff the entire piece into my mouth and just let it melt. They were usually sold from glass jar by the piece and I loved it when it was all the more crumbly.

 

 

These days of course it’s become a little more corporate with a number of respectable brands selling it, but I’ve always found the packaged ones a little too dense. It's not light and flaky like the ones from the glass jar. Thankfully the glass jar variety is still in existence and it’s sold for just Rs. 5 apiece.

Where to get the melt in your mouth variety: The ones I got were from Ringrey. His shop is just opposite the ladies selling the local vegetables. On the same point of the speed bump in Ringrey before ML restaurant.

 

My jakepma

We all get hungry at work. Some carry lunch boxes and some don’t. Well, I ‘occasionally’ wait for a certain lady to arrive. She doesn’t bring anything fancy but what she does bring are rice treats in all shapes and forms....from pitas, rice cakes and to my most favourite jakep.

 

 

Before you begin to think that pita is only some middle-eastern bread, stop right there. In this part of the world, pita is also a crispy fried treat made of sticky rice (menil). These sweet chewy delights are great anytime of the day with a nice cup of tea.
  

Jakep is also made from sticky rice but unlike the pita it’s not fried but rather toasted and has a sweet sesame paste for a filling.
 

Another great thing about this lady is that all the packaging is eco friendly. Everything is wrapped in banana leaf and secured with a bamboo strip.

 The first time I ate her rice treats I asked for her number as I thought it would be good to have it, in case I wanted to order for certain occasions. When I asked how I should store her name,  she told me to call her Jakepma (mother of jakep) :-)

 

Strawberry trails

On an early Sunday morning sometime back in March, the five of us decided to trek up to the Kantragre Denrima view point (in the outskirts of Tura). Though one can go to the above destination by a vehicle it’s always more fun to trek. And the route that we took was the (supposed) old British highway which is now a less travelled track. Just before one reaches the view point is a spot called Denrima (den.a=to chop), and it had offered a great vantage point to see if enemy troops were approaching, and a number a beheadings had occurred at this point. It is also rumoured that this particular point of the trail is haunted.  

When we reached the viewpoint we decided to push further to the village of Kantragre because we thought the trek had ended just a wee bit too fast (we’d trekked for about an hour and half and it was still quite early in the morning). On finally arriving at the village, about half an hour later, we went hunting for long lost relatives. One was found and after introductions we were showered with the most delicious strawberries. And an ever bigger treat was offered as we were taken to the strawberry farm and freshly plucked strawberries were packed for us for our trek back to Tura. 

Having grown up with synthetic strawberry flavoured goods, I unfortunately preferred it as it was sweet and I usually found the real thing a bit too sour....but the Kantragre strawberries changed all that. It was ‘that’ good. Trust me.

 

 

How to get the strawberries: A comfortable pair of shoes, good company and a little luck in finding relatives who might have a strawberry farm .......heh heh  

Matchu gran kappa (Smoked beef kappa style)

It’s so great that after I started this blog, friends and family have become my willing partners in crime in finding hidden places to get a good meal. Though this does not help my waist line in the long run, I’m more than willing to indulge for now :-).

 

So on a late Wednesday night a dear friend brought about four servings of matchu gran kappa (matchu=beef; gran=smoked; kappa=Garo style of cooking that involves karchi or bicarbonate of soda) up to my place. The matchu (beef) was tender, and had been cooked with a heavy dose of crushed ginger, chillies, onions and soda. A perfect complement to late night gatherings with the knowledge that the next day is a holiday.

 

 

 

Where to get the dish: If you’re in Ringrey, just as you begin to go up the road that leads to Upper Chandmary there is a little shop on your right. That’s where you should go.

Happy chicken feet

In the beginning of this year in the village of Chandigre which is about 30 to 35 kilometres from the town of Tura a rural tourism project was inaugurated whereby the locals of the village manage a small resort. And for Rs.500 per head (so far) I’d say it’s extremely reasonable.

 

Though visitors can bring their own food it’s more convenient if you request the villagers to prepare all the food for you. Besides getting to try out all the local delicacies, local liquor and juice is also available according to season. So far I’ve managed to taste their gooseberry juice earlier this year and just last month it was guava wine.

 

 

 

Their dry fish chutney is to die for and so is their chicken feet. The chicken prepared will never be broilers but country chicken which are healthy and you can’t get anymore organic than that. It’s for this reason they are also called happy chicken.

 

Things to keep in mind before going to Chandigre: It’s currently the most popular place to hangout for the residents of Tura so best if you book a cottage for yourself beforehand to avoid any inconvenience.

Wak bandal (pork stomach)

At the outset I have to apologize as I has idiotically written 'pork intestine' in the earlier version of this post but bandal is actually the stomach. Amongst the Garos the most popular way that it’s cooked is to simply boil it with lots of ginger, chillies, onions and kharchi (a liquid obtained by passing water through plantain ash) or with bicarbonate of soda. Adding the karchi or soda adds a little ‘zing’ to the dish (that’s the best description I could come up with). 

 

My parents have always loved it and I occasionally ate it but I never craved for it. However on a recent trip to the riverside some friends brought some and now I just can’t get enough of it! This particular bandal (stomach) was tender, juicy, hot, bursting with flavour and dripping in oil from the fat of the wak (pig). We ate it with menil (sticky rice) which was steamed to perfection.

 

Where to get this wak bandal: Unfortunately, where this was made remains shrouded in mystery. The person who brought/bought it wants sole access to it. But have no fear I intend to find the place and obtain the recipe!

Only with chunky chaat masala!

India has a mind blowing variety of chaats. And most probably when you think of chaat you might automatically think of the Delhi streets, or places in northern or western India. The Northeast is usually not the first place that comes to mind. But little did you know that this region also has its own delectable variety.  

My last post was about a tea stall in the little town of Rongram. This also takes place in Rongram (it’s funny how the yummiest of food is found in the most unexpected places).  

The most popular snack in and around Tura (which includes Rongram) will have to be the local chaat that’s made from dried yellow peas. Boiled and fried with a little masala and topped with raw onions, shredded cabbage and green chillies. It’s what everybody is having. But with every roadside stall making it, you’ll have to eat your way through to finally arrive at the best one. 

I recently found my favourite in Rongram. This chaat was full of flavour with the gravy being thick, not bland and watery likes the ones you get in Tura. Ten rupees per plate well spent.  

However my discovery of a good plate of chaat didn’t end there. The same evening I found myself in another stall (remember the Nepali stall with the amazing tea). A friend was craving for chaat so he ordered a plate but kept on insisting for a particular brand of chaat masala. ‘Chunky Chaat Masala by MDH’. When his chaat finally arrived he began his makeover of the dish. He added the regular onions, chillies, namkeen and Chunky Chaat Masala.

 

Intrigued, the rest of us tasted his version and all I can say is .....here's to more chunky chaat masala!

 

  

How to get to my favourite chaat place: Travelling to Rongram from Tura this stall is on the left, after the road that goes to Amingokre.