Assamese food is mainly
based on rice and fish. For dessert, or for those with a sweet
tooth, there is a wide range in "pithas" (cakes). Rice is the staple
diet in Assam and is eaten in various forms throughout the day. The
Assamese eat a huge variety of rice-based breakfast cereals with
milk, yoghurt or thick creamakhoi (puffed rice), chira (chura),
muri, komal chaul (a specially processed rice which doesn’t require
cooking but just an hour’s soak in cold water) and hurum to name but
a few. Normally jaggery or sugar is added but for those who prefer
savoury items, salt can be added. Also there are the various kinds
of pitha that are prepared from rice powder.
Authentic Assamese cuisine is bland and yet very delicious. Very
little oil is used and practically no spices.
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