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Here is an age-old proven recipe on how to make "smoked pork with anishi" in a traditional Ao-Naga style.
Anishi: Anishi is one of the most popular ingredients used by the Ao-Nagas.
It is made out of yam leaves. The leaves are kept in a basket for a few days until the leaves turn yellow. These leaves are then pounded till they form a thick paste. Wrap it in banana leaves and kept warm in the low fire till cooked. After it is cooked, remove it and make the yam paste into small cakes and dry it in the sun or fireplace until it becomes dark and hard. It can be used in powdered form as well.
Ingredients for smoked pork with anishi (4 to 5 servings):
- Smoked pork -500 g
- Anishi- 2 tbsp/ 2 cakes
- Potatoes- 1 no (optional)
- Tomato ( medium)- 2 no’s
- Red dry chillies- as desired
- Naga pepper( mejinga- heated and grounded)/ naga tulsi (naba)- as desired
- Salt to taste
Method:
Wash the smoked pork in hot water and cut them into cubes. Add the desired amount of water in a pot then add pork, anishi, potatoes, tomato, dry red chillies and salt to taste. Cook till tender.
Once the dish is ready, mash anishi (cake), potatoes, tomato and chillies.
Garnish it with naga pepper (mejinga) and cook for about 2 minutes or so and take off the flame. Serve hot.
Few Tips
*Anishi can be cooked with smoked fish, eel and beef in the same manner.
* Before adding the anishi cake, warm it slightly and pound it to make it softer.
Sungtiben
Took up hotel management course at IIMR, Guwahati Institute.
Worked at the Oberoi Grand, Kolkata for two years,
Worked at CIHSR hospital for 2 years and
is presently teaching at Dimapur Government College for Tourism and Hospitality Management Course