Assamese Archives - Weekend Waffler

January 13, 2021December 24, 2022

Til Pitha, an Assamese Emotion

If you look up pitha on the internet, the words that come up to describe them are fritters, pancake, pastry, dumpling etc. But Assamese til pithas fall into none of these categories. Til pithas are closer to cookies and the two major ingredients are rice flour and black sesame seeds. Yes, a heavenly treat for folks who are gluten intolerant. With a few exceptions, the majority of Assamese confections and sweets are based on rice flour. You won’t have to miss any of the Assamese sweets and treats if you are gluten free.

August 21, 2020August 21, 2020

Panch Phoron or Five Spice Seasoned Lentils

Author’s Note

At times when I feel run down, don’t know what to cook or what to eat, I turn to my five spice seasoned lentils or “panch phoron dail”. ”Panch phoron” literally means five spices and “dail” is another word for dal. Dal, as we know it, refers to a variety of pulses and legumes, cooked and eaten all over the Indian subcontinent. It is often dressed up or down to suit different occasions. For example, parties and celebrations call for richer versions while an everyday staple dal is eaten in its simplest form, first boiled and then tempered with whole spices. So a bowl of dal can comfort you on a cold wintry night as well soothe you on a blistering hot day.

May 24, 2020August 14, 2020

Maasor Bilaahi Tenga (Fish Stew in Tomato Broth)

There’s bouillabaisse, there’s cioppino and then there is maasor bilaahi tenga. I love bouillabaisse; and cioppino is one of my favorite things to make when I entertain my friends. But maasor bilaahi tenga has my soul and my soul reveals my ethnicity. I believe it is an ethnic trait of every Assamese alive and roaming on this planet ‒ to hold or uphold maasor bilaahi tenga close to one’s heart. Three divergent cultures: French, Italian American, and Assamese; one familiar ground ‒ cooking fish or seafood in a tomato enriched broth. Bouillabaisse is a traditional Provencal fish stew originating from the port city of Marseille, France. Cioppino is also a fish stew originating in San Francisco, California. Masor bilaahi tenga is a gastronomic delight of Assam, a state in the north-eastern part of India. When I say maasor bilaahi tenga, the name literally enumerates all the ingredients in this simple stew. Maas means fish in Assamese, bilaahi means tomatoes, tenga connotes to the tangy flavor that comes from the acidity of the tomatoes.