Nakham Chutney

Nakham Chutney

Nakham Chutney

Dried fish pounded with dried red chilli, ginger, and salt in a stone mortar into a coarse, intensely pungent paste — the essential Khasi table relish, eaten in small amounts alongside jadoh and rice to add a concentrated hit of fermented fish flavour and heat. Every Khasi household keeps a version of this on the table.

Cuisines

Meghalayan

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 15 min Cook: 10 min Total: 25 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

Dried Fish 50 grams Dried Fish , karuvadu
Tomato 2 medium Tomato , chopped
Onion 1 medium Onion , thinly sliced
Garlic 3 cloves Garlic , finely chopped
Green Chili 2 pieces Green Chili , slit
mustard oil 1 teaspoon Mustard oil
salt — Salt , to taste
Cilantro 1 bunch Cilantro , chopped

Instructions

  1. 1 Rinse the nakham thoroughly under running water to remove any excess salt and impurities.
  2. 2 Soak the nakham in warm water for about 10 minutes to soften it.
  3. 3 Drain the water and pat the nakham dry with a paper towel.
  4. 4 Roast the nakham over an open flame or in a dry pan until it becomes aromatic and slightly crispy. Set aside to cool.
  5. 5 Chop the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and green chilies into small pieces.
  6. 6 In a mortar and pestle, pound the roasted nakham into a coarse powder.
  7. 7 Add the chopped tomatoes, onion, garlic, and green chilies to the mortar and continue to pound until you get a rough paste.
  8. 8 Add mustard oil and salt to taste, and mix well.
  9. 9 Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves before serving.

Tips

For a smokier flavor, roast the nakham over an open flame.