Visit this restaurant in Fort to relish the flavours of Naga cuisine

A week ago 2015 Naga Chef winner Salangyanger Jamir chef Niyati Rao and her team from Fortrsquos Ekaa were in Nagaland Guided by chef Jamir for five days they ate their way through marketplaces foraged down hidden trails and explored ingredients that uplift Naga cuisine Now theyrsquore back in the city hungover from exquisite flavours and ready with a collaborative menuWe meet both chefs at Raorsquos dining space off DN Road Chef Jamir shares ldquoEvery tribe cooks its own variation of a dish Axone tastes different when prepared by the Ao tribe which I belong to than when itrsquos prepared by the Sema or Angami tribe So I tried to ensure the team got a holistic picture of the food and the different ways in which ingredients are cookedrdquoNaga lassoon and AnishiSeveral key flavours dominate the triprsquos itinerary including Sichuan peppercorn mountain pepper and bamboo shoot extract These elements find their way into the Exploration of Nagaland menu along with other produce brought back like the Naga lassoon displayed at the restaurant in bunches Rao pierces a bulb to let out a fragrant aroma without the harsh hit of garlicWe try her personal stash of yongchak a bitter bean with earthy pungent flavours and an intense edamame taste pickled by chef Salang It will be used in the dish titled after chef Salangrsquos village mdash Mokochung This dish will also contain Anishi with its smokey tea aroma made from fermented yam taro leaves which are turned into a paste formed into patties and smoked over a fire till driedYongchak and AxoneNext the famous Axone mdash fermented soybean mdash is brought out A whiff like that of dried bombil wafts across the table The explosion of aromas is strongly similar to chocolate and hints of coffee We imagine eating it with purple rice and fish mint a herb that tastes like its name in a dish called SemaThe vegetarian dishes are suitable for vegans while the nonvegetarian dishes use smoked pork desi chicken cured duck and smoked and fermented dried fish We taste the opening dish The Naga Mom inspired by chef Jamirrsquos motherrsquos recipe of clear chicken stock soup It comes with a mini dough ball thatrsquos slightly sweetened and topped with green mung and Naga king chili crumble The crumble has a pleasant kick of heat and earthy mustard and ginger tones Everything we taste is clean on the palateHead mixologist Jishnu AJ joins us with a vodkabased cocktail made from inhouse zutho or rice beer a traditional fermented drink Itrsquos got Mizoram balm that lends its eucalyptuslike flavour to the drinkrsquos mildly sweet and sour yeastlike taste Other drinks include Naga staples like spice wood wild apple wine and timbur pepperNiyati Rao and Salangyanger Jamir PicsSameer MarkandeThe Khonoma dish is inspired by a meal prepared by lsquoApeno Auntyrsquo as Rao calls her in Khonoma village ldquoInspired by her dish we have a hearty barley stew with yam shredded chicken dried lemon balm leaves dried mustard leaves and fresh fermented bamboo shoots topped with Auchisang leavesrdquo As we leave chef Raorsquos words ring in our ears ldquoNagaland deserves our innate focus for its cuisine Food diminishes boundariesrdquoOn June 2 and 3 630 pmAt Ekaa 1st Floor Kitab Mahal Azad Maidan FortLog on to insiderinCost Rs 4600 onwardsCook the Naga waygtgt Flavours from bamboo shoot extract forms the base of Naga cuisine Made from fermented shoots it has a pungentsweet taste Its sweetness increases with fermentationgtgt Food is usually prepared by stewing Preparations begin with cooking in water to retain flavours and nutrition of ingredientsgtgt Smoking and fermenting techniques are extensively used in its cuisine