Pan Borak

Pan Borak

Pan Borak

Tripuri steamed fish or meat in banana leaf — fresh river fish (small catfish, rohu, or snakehead) or chicken pieces seasoned with shallots, green chilli, ginger, turmeric, salt, and a small amount of berma, wrapped tightly in overlapping banana leaves, tied with strips of bamboo, and placed on or buried in the embers of a wood fire for fifteen to twenty minutes until the banana leaf exterior chars and the interior steams in its own moisture. The banana leaf seals the moisture inside and imparts its own faintly grassy, aromatic quality to the flesh; the berma seasons from within. The pan borak is the simplest and most ancient Tripuri cooking method; no vessel, no oil, just fire and leaf. The fish cooked inside the charred leaf is moist, clean-flavoured, and carries a subtle leaf-smoke quality.

Cuisines

Mizo Arunachali Tripuri

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 20 min Cook: 40 min Total: 60 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

1 cup sticky rice
200 grams pork belly
1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon black pepper powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 cup water
— salt to taste
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 green chilies, slit

Instructions

  1. 1 Wash the sticky rice thoroughly and soak it in water for at least 30 minutes.
  2. 2 Cut the pork belly into small bite-sized pieces.
  3. 3 Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and add the chopped ginger and garlic. Sauté until fragrant.
  4. 4 Add the pork belly pieces to the pan and stir-fry until they start to brown.
  5. 5 Add soy sauce, fish sauce, and black pepper powder to the pork and mix well.
  6. 6 Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pan with the pork. Stir to combine.
  7. 7 Pour in the water and add salt to taste. Stir well.
  8. 8 Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook on low heat for about 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the water is absorbed.
  9. 9 Add the slit green chilies on top, cover, and let it sit for another 5 minutes off the heat.
  10. 10 Fluff the rice gently with a fork before serving.

Tips

For an authentic touch, use sticky rice specific to the region, and adjust the chili according to your spice preference.