Thank you, pandemic

The Naga thali includes pork, steamed rice, rosep, Naga chutney, boiled vegetables and dal

Long before he got into the food industry, Colaba resident Chuba Jamir had made his interest in the field amply evident to his family. He'd assist his mother and grandma with cutting and chopping, and keep them on their toes with his steady stream of questions. By the time he was seven, he was impressively well-versed with the food of Nagaland, from where he hails. "In Naga culture, food is treated as sacred. Quite early on, I began learning different techniques and flavour combinations. The simplicity of my mother and granny's personalities, reflected in their cooking. It left a lasting impression on me."

(From left) Anishi with smoked pork, pork momos and pork made with dry bamboo shoot

Jamir's fledgling food venture, Naga Chukka, is a tribute to that warm, fuzzy feeling of home-made meals. "It is only when I left Nagaland 10 years ago that I realised how much I missed good food. The cravings kept me connected to my roots." Before the Coronavirus pandemic locked down the world, 32-year-old Jamir had decided to move to Europe. In retrospect, he thanks the misfortune which gave him the chance to discuss his love for his cultural food.

Naga Chukka's menu includes a spread of pork dishes, including smoked pork cooked in anishi or bamboo shoot (Rs 400) along with community favourites like buff Naga style; rosep (pronounced rohseep) a dish of mixed vegetables and bamboo shoot; amosu chicken cooked in rice powder (Rs 350). "Nagaland has 16 tribes, each with its own culinary uniqueness. But the rosep and amrusu are simple and nutritious dishes made with colocasia and bamboo shoot, and common to all groups," he says.

Sichuan pepper, dry bamboo shoot, dried king chillies and Naga basil. Pics/Ashish Raje

Crafting the menu did not come easy given the difficulty in sourcing ingredients and appealing to an audience that's fairly unfamiliar with the cuisine. "To be honest, unlike Delhi and Kolkata, Mumbai ranks low when it comes to availability of North Eastern ingredients; to search for them is like digging for gold," he laughs.

What propelled him to take the plunge was an unexpected opportunity to cater at a Naga friend's wedding in Mumbai. "The friend was getting married to a guy from Mumbai, and she wanted me to cook classic Naga dishes. It took me a few days to source the spices and ingredients from back home, but they turned out well. I realised that if I could manage a whole wedding feast on my own, why not a small business."

The essential spices in his
kitchen cabinet are the dried king chilli and Sichuan pepper, also called michinga seeds. A dash of both can lend enormous flavour and depth to a dish, even if something simple. One of the most popular items on the menu is the buff pickle (Rs 380), and involves a painstaking and tedious process. "The pickle is a bit chewy and garlicky with a sting of spice. It stands out because the ingredients are all organic." So far, he's happy with the response he has received. Jamir says, "I didn't imagine that people from a metropolis would enjoy food from a Northeast state like Nagaland."

Chuba Jamir realised he could pull off a Naga food venture when he successfully catered for guests at his Naga friend's wedding in Mumbai

Taste test
The Nagas take their pork seriously and it's easy to tell. The smoked pork in anishi (dried Colocasia leaves), a signature dish of the Ao tribe, is full of robust flavours and best relished with a hot plate of rice. The rosep is our introduction to the vegetarian side of the region, something this writer overlooked during her visit to the North East in 2019. It is a dry side dish loaded with nutrition and the flavour of fermented bamboo shoot. What's common to most dishes from the seven states is the strong, distinct aroma to them. They don't play to the gallery, and if you're open to the idea of sampling diverse cuisines, we suggest you call Jamir.

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