Fermented Bamboo Shoot &

Vegetable Curry

: A Bold North-Eastern Delicacy

Fermented bamboo shoot and vegetable curry is a tangy favourite from North-East India that’s a must-try for anyone who likes experimenting with veggie-forward mains. It uses bamboo shoots, a star ingredient of North-Eastern cuisine, along with easily available vegetables to create an intensely flavourful curry that pairs well with steamed rice. However, you can also pair it with soft chapatis. From everyday cooking to traditional tales and lush green hills, the bamboo shoot is omnipresent in North-East India. The fermented bamboo shoot, which makes a frequent appearance in many tribal dishes, has a unique, sour, and earthy taste. It’s known by different names—soibum in Manipur, khorisa in Assam, mesu in Sikkim—across the North-East, depending on the region. The fermented bamboo shoot and vegetable curry has many variations. For example, in Manipur, the version often includes fish, while the Assamese version includes chicken. The recipe listed here, however, focuses on the bamboo shoots and vegetables, allowing the natural flavour to shine and intermingle into a complex and layered curry. It can serve as a pleasant change from the regular mains, especially if you’re new to North-Eastern cuisines. And if you’re familiar with the dish, it’s a simple recipe to follow, allowing you to recreate a classic at home.