Six Must-Try

Northeast Indian Chutney

Recipes: Akhuni Chutney, Bamboo Shoot Chutney, And More

Quick Summary

The Northeast of India is a treasure trove of fermented foods and chutneys that can double as a dipping sauce. The Northeast Indian Chutney can be a fiery side, made from the likes of Bhut Jolokia peppers, or the popular Dalle pepper chutney, bamboo shoot chutney and more. It’s like that mysterious aunt with a magic cape that has been hiding centuries of local tricks up her sleeve; it’s only recently that the secrets have started to be revealed.

Deep Dive

Spicy Indian chutney might just conjure up images of Schezwan chutney or a spicy mint and coriander dip. While these are mainstream chutneys that are loved with just about everything, spicy samosas, chaats, momos and just about every carb-rich food, there are more chutneys in India. 

Shift the focus a bit towards the lush Northeast India, and you will find delicious chutneys from local ingredients like the churpi cheese made from yak milk, fermented fish, bamboo shoots, hot chilli peppers, and so much more. Head to speciality markets, or if you’re visiting the northeast in the future, and make a list of the ingredients so you can make your own unique chutneys and Indian dipping sauces for your next snackathon. 

Akhuni Chutney

This fermented Naga chutney recipe also goes by the name of axone chutney. It is made from fermented soybeans that are prized for their unique pungent smell and savoury, umami-rich depth of flavour. The chutney is smoky, spicy, and slightly tangy, and reflects the wood-fire smokiness of Northeast Indian cuisine. It is often paired with simple meals like rice and boiled vegetables.

Ingredients

• Fermented soybean paste (akhuni or axone)
• Tomatoes
• Chillies (fresh or dried, often king chilli)
• Ginger
• Salt

Method

• The tomatoes and chillies are roasted first, until soft and slightly charred. Then the tomatoes are peeled and mashed with the chillies and salt. Then, ginger is added and is continued to be mashed until a coarse paste forms. At last, the fermented soybean paste (akhuni) is mixed in. Everything is mixed well, usually using a mortar and pestle and served with meals. 

Churpa Chamin 

From the Monpa tribe of Arunachal comes the churpa chamin chutney, which is a spicy Indian chutney that is made with churpa or yak cheese. It is known for its fiery heat, thanks to the chillies used and has a rich, savoury depth. Yak churpa itself is a fermented, protein-rich cheese made from yak milk, widely used in high-altitude regions.

Ingredients

• Churpa (fermented/hardened yak cheese)
• Chilies
• Garlic
• Salt

Method

• Soften or roast the churpa slightly to make it easy to pound into a chutney. Then pound the chillies, garlic, and salt into a coarse paste. Add the churpa and continue pounding until mixed into the classic Northeast Indian chutney from Arunachal.

Hmarcha Rawt

Hmarcha rawt is a traditional Mizo chutney made almost entirely from chillies, especially the local bird’s eye chillies known for their heat. The name literally refers to ‘chilli mash’, and it is a common household side dish in Mizoram, eaten with rice and boiled vegetables.

Ingredients

• Green chilies
• Ginger
• Onion
• Salt

Method

• Roast the chillies until slightly charred. Then pound or grind into a coarse paste. Add ginger, onion, and salt. Mix well to form a chunky chutney. 

Bamboo Shoot Chutney 

This traditional Northeast Indian chutney is made from fresh or fermented bamboo shoots. Across regions like Nagaland, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh, bamboo shoots are treated as a core ingredient rather than a garnish, and in chutneys they are often paired with chillies, salt, and sometimes fermented fish or local oils.

Ingredients

• Bamboo shoots
• Chili powder or fresh chilies
• Salt

Method

• First, clean fresh bamboo shoots under running water. Slice them into small pieces. Add the bamboo shoots into a deep pan and add salt, and cover with water. Boil for 10 minutes until the bamboo shoots soften. Once the bamboo shoots are cooked, take a pan, heat oil and fry the boiled bamboo shoots in it. Add the chilli powder and cook for 5 minutes for your chunky bamboo shoot chutney to be ready. 

Dalle Khursani Chutney

From the Sikkim and Darjeeling areas of the Northeast Himalayan region in India and also Nepal comes the fiery dalle khursani chutney. It is made with red hot chilli peppers named dalle khursani. These are cherry-sized chilli peppers, known for their scorching heat levels that are close to the Naga Bhut Jolokia pepper. 

Ingredients

• Dalle peppers
• Mustard oil
• Garlic
• Salt
• Soy sauce
• Vinegar

Method

• Freshly picked peppers are sun-dried first during peak sun hours of the day. Then a pot of mustard oil is heated to which garlic is added. It is fried for some time until the mustard oil starts foaming. Then the Dalle peppers are added and cooked in the oil. Then salt is added and stirred. Then some soya sauce is added and cooked until the peppers are soft and the oil has reduced. The solid peppers and garlic are scooped out and pureed with vinegar for a scorching hot and sour spicy Indian chutney.

Morok Metpa 

This one’s a traditional Manipuri side dish made by pounding roasted or boiled chillies into a coarse paste, often mixed with fermented fish (ngari), garlic, onion, and fresh herbs. This spicy Northeast Indian chutney is a staple accompaniment in everyday meals. In most households, Morok Metpa is eaten freshly made with rice, eromba or chak-hangba, which are leafy greens.

Ingredients

• Dry red chillies
• Green chillies
• Onion (finely sliced)
• Coriander leaves
• Fermented fish (ngari) or dried fish
• Salt 

Method

• Boil the chillies until they are pliant. Set aside. Then, roasted the fermented fish over naked fire or in a pan. De-seed the red chillies and then mash them with the fresh green chillies. Pound the chillies in a mortar with the pestle, adding sliced onions gradually and pounding them down too. Add roasted fish, coriander leaves, and salt. Continue pounding until everything turns into a coarse paste

Northeast Indian Chutney: Fire And Fermentation

Northeast India’s chutneys are more than just condiments for the locals, who treat them as essential side dishes in many of their tribal cultures. From fermented soybeans to yak cheese and bamboo shoots, every spoonful carries the local wisdom and ingredients of the region that is shaped by centuries of lived food wisdom.