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Indian · regional cuisine

Meghalayan (Khasi, Jaintia and Garo)

Khasi and Jaintia pork-and-rice cooking (jadoh, dohneiiong with black sesame, doh khlieh) and Garo dried-fish and bamboo-shoot dishes from the wettest hills in India.

Flavour character: Savoury, earthy and peppery: black sesame, turmeric, ginger, onion and local chillies; pork fat for richness.

1 recipes

History

Meghalaya's three main communities, Khasi, Jaintia and Garo, kept distinct food traditions. Pork and rice are central for the Khasi and Jaintia, with black sesame, turmeric, ginger and onion as key flavours and fermented soybean (tungrymbai) as a seasoning. The Jaintia Hills are known for Lakadong turmeric, prized for its high curcumin content. Garo cooking uses dried fish, bamboo shoot and an ash-filtered alkali.

Well documented

Geography and influences

High plateau hills between Assam and Bangladesh with very heavy monsoon rain (Cherrapunji and Mawsynram).

  • Khasi, Jaintia and Garo hill traditions
  • Neighbouring Assam and Sylhet
  • Christian missions

Regional variations

Khasi Hills
Jadoh, dohneiiong, doh khlieh, tungrymbai.
Jaintia Hills
Close to Khasi; Lakadong turmeric.
Garo Hills
Dried fish, bamboo shoot and alkali (kalchi), rice beer.

Festive and seasonal food

  • Shad Suk Mynsiem (Khasi spring dance, April): pork and jadoh
  • Behdienkhlam (Jaintia, July)
  • Wangala (Garo harvest, autumn): rice beer and new-harvest food

Signature dishes

Not on the site yet: Jadoh, Doh khlieh (pork salad), Tungrymbai, Pumaloi, Nakham bitchi (Garo dried-fish soup), Wak with bamboo shoot (Garo)

Meghalayan (Khasi, Jaintia and Garo) recipes