Muitru

Bitter gourd preparation — small, knobby local bitter gourd (muitru) thinly sliced, salted and pressed to remove excess moisture, then dry-fried in a little oil with shallots, green chilli, garlic, and a small amount of berma until the slices caramelise slightly and the bitterness mellows to a pleasantly bitter-savoury note. The Tripuri appreciation for bitter gourd runs deeper than in most Indian regional cuisines; the bitterness is considered medicinal and desirable rather than something to be mitigated. The berma amplifies the bitter gourd's inherent umami quality. Some families stuff the bitter gourd pieces with berma and shallots before frying. Eaten as a side with rice; particularly valued as a digestive preparation after heavy meat meals. The combination of fermented fish and bitter vegetable is a specifically Northeast Indian flavour preference with no mainland parallel.