How these two sisters are introducing Mumbaikars to Khasi food one pop-up at a time

Pumpkin with black sesame (left) and smoked pork curry (right).

Simple and seasonal, is what Dakiwanri Warjri AKA Daki, one half of Symbai, a Khasi food pop-up, tells us when we ask her to describe the dishes that she and her sister Daphimanroi AKA Daphi usually prepare for their culinary trips in India. "The point of Symbai is to introduce people to traditional Khasi cuisine and some of its quintessential dishes which are simple yet very flavourful," Daki tells us over a call.

The sisters have planned a five-course spread in a limited-seating dining experience with the platform, Mumbai Foodie that will take patrons on a culinary journey to the lofty Khasi hills of Meghalaya, replete with soups, salads, curries and seasonal fruit pickles indigenous to the region. "One of the things that have been a favourite on the menu and people actually look forward to having is the smoked pork. The Khasi people eat it a lot which is why it is on the menu as well. Another one would be chicken cooked in black sesame, a very traditional preparation. There are many sub-tribes within the Khasi area. Bhoi is one such region in the hills where they cook a lot with fermented fish. Drawing inspiration from the region, we have fermented soy, chestnut curry and ash gourd cooked in black sesame for vegetarians as well. The fruit pickles are also coated in a spice mix rather than just brine to pack a punch," Daki explains. They also have an interesting take on dessert. "We're not a dessert-eating community but the honey from the hills served with purple yam makes for a great combination. Unlike regular honey, it has a citrusy note to it which makes it even more interesting," Daki reveals to us.

From what started as a fun pop-up for friends in Puducherry in 2022, Symbai has come a long way with the flavours of Khasi food permeating different corners of the country. "We have had pop-ups in Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Puducherry; this is our sixth edition in Mumbai. We wanted to showcase Khasi cuisine to people because there is very little knowledge about it in general. Khasi food is actually one of the simplest and most nutritional meals you can have. It was on our friends' suggestion that we thought of building a brand around Khasi food. With time, we realised that people actually enjoyed the cuisine. Given that we didn't even have a name when we started, we received a lot of traction for our pop-up," Daki tells us.

Dakiwanri (left) and Daphimanroi prepare a dish during a pop-up

When we ask her for the meaning of Symbai, she says, "It means seed. It's like we are planting a seed of Khasi cuisine in people's minds. Also, a seed is the beginning of food, so it made sense. It is quite metaphorical actually. But more than that, I think I liked the word a lot, which is why it got stuck with us," she laughs before signing off.

Log on to: @symbai_pop on Instagram

Note: Seats for the pop-up were sold out at the time of going to press.

Ja stem (Rice cooked with turmeric)

Daki and Daphi have listed out a simple Khasi dish for patrons to try at home.

Ingredients

>> 250 gm rice
>> 3 tbsp lard
>> 2 big, grated red onion
>> 1 crushed garlic, clove
>> 1 thumb ginger (grated)
>> 1/2 tsp Lakadong turmeric
>> 1/2 tsp wild pepper
>> Water (double the quantity of rice)
>> Salt to taste

Metthod
Wash the rice and keep it aside. Heat the lard in a pan. Add onions, garlic and turmeric once hot. Fry until slightly brown. Add half cup of water and bring to a boil. Add in the ginger and pepper and let it simmer for five to six minutes. Add water and salt and bring the mix to a boil again. Add in the rice and bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.

Need to know

>> Khasi cuisine is not very heavy on spices; the cooking is simple, and it leans on seasonal fare.
>> Several ingredients in Khasi cuisine are picked locally, and foraged to this day.