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.