Khar

AssameseAssameseIntermediateIntermediateStewStew
Assamese Khar served in a dish
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Khar
Recipe: Experience Assam’s Ancient Raw Papaya Stew

45 mins
Cooking Time
Intermediate
Difficulty
9
Ingredients
Vegan
Diet
One of the most recognisable dishes from Assam, khar embodies the unique cuisine of the state. The traditional method of making khar involves filtering alkaline water through the ashes of a banana stem. This process imparts the dish's signature taste and purifying qualities. Raw papaya is the traditional ingredient because of how well it absorbs the alkaline broth, which gives the meal a mild bitterness and earthy overtones. Assamese people think that khar can help with digestion, cleanse the body, and get the stomach ready for bigger meals; therefore, it is more than simply food to them. Serving khar as a palate cleanser at the start of a meal is a common practice in traditional Assamese cuisine. Forget about overpowering spices; its singularity rests on its bare essentials: alkaline water, mustard oil, and the inherent papaya taste. Learn to cook khar for a filling and homely North Eastern meal.

Ingredients

UNITSIngredients
2 cups Raw papaya
1 cup Alkaline water (khar)
1 tbspMustard oil
1 smallOnion (sliced)
2 clovesGarlic
2 (slit)Green chillies
to tasteSalt
2 cupsWater
for garnishCoriander leaves

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Directions

Description - Step 1

Step 1: Prepare the alkaline water

The traditional method for making khar involves burning sun-dried banana stems or peels to ash. After it has cooled, prepare the alkaline water by filtering one cup of water through the ash. This liquid is what makes khar special; it imparts the dish's distinctively rustic taste. To make it more suitable for modern kitchens, substitute the alkaline effect with ½ teaspoon of baking soda in 1 cup of water. 

Step 1
Step 1: Prepare the alkaline water
10 Minutes
Step 2
Step 2: Prep the papaya
5 Minutes
Step 3
Step 3: Sauté aromatics
5 Minutes
Step 4
Step 4: Cook the papaya
5 Minutes

FAQs

Yes, Assamese Khar is noticeably alkaline because it uses water that has been filtered via plant ash.