Eromba (Manipuri fermented fish and vegetable mash)

Method

1. 1

   Step 1

   Peel and chunk the potato (opens in a new tab); trim and cut the beans. Boil them in the water with a pinch of salt over medium-high heat for 12–15 minutes until the potato is completely soft. Drain, keeping a few spoonfuls of the cooking water.

   • 15 min
   • medium-high heat
   • Saucepan (opens in a new tab)
   • Chopping board (opens in a new tab)
   • Chef's knife (opens in a new tab)

   

2. 2

   Step 2

   Meanwhile, roast the ngari (opens in a new tab) in a dry frying pan over medium heat (or wrapped in foil or banana leaf over a flame) for 1–2 minutes per side until fragrant and lightly charred at the edges. Roast the dried chillies for about 1 minute until crisp and spotted black.

   • 3 min
   • medium heat
   • Frying pan / skillet (opens in a new tab)

   Food safety: Roasting ngari and chillies is strongly smoky and pungent; open the windows.

3. 3

   Step 3

   Pound the roasted chillies and ngari (opens in a new tab) in a mortar to a coarse paste.

   • 3 min
   • Mortar and pestle (opens in a new tab)

   

4. 4

   Step 4

   Add the hot vegetables and mash everything together, adding a spoonful or two of the cooking water if needed, to a rough, moist mash. Taste and add salt only if needed.

   • 3 min
   • Mortar and pestle (opens in a new tab)

   

5. 5

   Step 5

   Fold in the spring onion (opens in a new tab) and coriander and serve warm or at room temperature.

   • 1 min