Walk through any market in Kohima, Shillong or Imphal and your nose will find the fermented section before your eyes do. Up here, fermentation is not a trend or a wellness hashtag. It is an old, practical science: a way to preserve food through long rains and cold winters, and to pack enormous flavour into simple meals.
The fermented family tree
Axone (akhuni) · Nagaland
Fermented soybean, usually wrapped in leaves and left to do its thing. Used in chutneys and with pork, it is famously pungent. There is even a whole Bollywood film named after it about cooking it in a Delhi flat without upsetting the neighbours.
Tungrymbai · Meghalaya
The Khasi cousin: fermented soybean cooked with pork, black sesame and spices into a thick, savoury side dish. Smoky, nutty and perfect with rice.
Hawaijar · Manipur
Manipur’s fermented soybean, sticky and stringy, eaten in chutneys and stews. Distant relatives include Japanese natto.
Ngari · Manipur
Fermented fish, the backbone of eromba and countless Manipuri dishes. A little goes a long, long way.
Fermented bamboo shoot · across the region
Sour, sharp and essential. You will find it in Naga pork curries, Mizo bai, Assamese and Arunachali dishes and pickles everywhere.
Gundruk and kinema · Sikkim
Gundruk is fermented and dried leafy greens. Kinema is, you guessed it, fermented soybean again. Clearly the hills agree on soybeans.
Why it matters
Fermentation turns cheap, seasonal ingredients into food that lasts, with deep umami flavour. Researchers have long been interested in the region’s traditional fermented foods for their microbial diversity. For families, it is simpler: this is what home tastes like.
If it smells strong, it is probably very, very good.
How to try it without panicking
- Start with tungrymbai or a bamboo shoot pickle. They are friendlier entry points.
- Eat it with plain rice. That is how it is meant to be eaten.
- Buy from markets, ask the seller how they use it, and listen. You will get a recipe and probably a life story.
Have a family recipe you would like to share, with credit? Email us at contact@lifeinnortheast.com.
Quick answers
What is axone?
Axone, also called akhuni, is fermented soybean from Nagaland, usually wrapped in leaves while it ferments. It is famously pungent and used in chutneys and pork dishes.
What is tungrymbai?
Tungrymbai is a Khasi dish from Meghalaya of fermented soybean cooked with pork, black sesame and spices, eaten with rice.
Why does Northeast India eat so much fermented food?
Fermentation is a traditional way to preserve seasonal ingredients through long monsoons and cold winters, and it packs strong savoury flavour into simple meals.