Ningro ko Tarkari

Fiddlehead fern curry — fresh ningro (the tightly coiled new growth of the wild Himalayan fern, harvested in spring) stir-fried with onion, ginger, green chilli, and turmeric in oil, then simmered briefly with a small amount of water until tender. The ningro has a grassy, slightly bitter, asparagus-like flavour that is highly seasonal; Sikkimese households forage for it along forest edges and stream banks from March to May. Sometimes cooked with dried fish for additional depth. One of the most beloved spring preparations in Sikkim, anticipating the same seasonal excitement that fiddlehead ferns generate in Northeast Indian, Japanese, and North American forest cuisines.