Fish Muya

River fish with bamboo shoots — fresh river fish (rohu, catla, or small snakehead) cut into thick steaks and cooked with fresh bamboo shoots in a thin, aromatic broth of shallots, green chilli, ginger, turmeric, and berma. The fish is added after the bamboo shoots have softened so the fillets cook gently in the vegetable broth without breaking apart. The bamboo shoot's natural astringency disappears completely as it soaks the fish and berma stock; it becomes the vehicle for the broth's flavours. The fish flakes in large moist pieces alongside the bamboo strips. No frying, no paste, no heavy spice — everything is assembled in water and simmered. One of the most common daily preparations in Tripuri households during the monsoon when both bamboo shoots and river fish are at their most abundant.