Traditional fermented food products of the Sikkim Himalayas
|
Product
|
Substrate
|
Fermentation
time
|
Texture
and Use
|
Fermented Legume Products
|
Kinema
|
Soybean
|
1-3
d
|
Flavoured,
sticky cooked beans; curry
|
Masauyra
|
Black
gram
|
1-2
d
|
Dry,
ball-like; condiment
|
Fermented Dairy Products
|
Chhurpi (soft)
|
Cow/Yak
milk
|
1
d
|
Soft-mass;
cheese-like, curry/pickle
|
Chhurpi (hard)
|
Cow/Yak
milk
|
2-3
d
|
Hard-mass;
masticator
|
Chhu/Sheden
|
Cow/Yak
milk
|
~7
d
|
Soft-mass;
strong-flavoured, curry
|
Philu
|
Cow/Yak
milk
|
5-7
d
|
Cream;
fried curry with butter
|
Somar
|
Cow/Yak
milk
|
~
1 month
|
Soft
paste, strong flavour; condiment
|
Dahi
|
Cow
milk
|
10-12
h
|
Curd;
savory
|
Gheu
|
Cow/Yak
milk
|
|
Butter
|
Mohi
|
Cow
milk
|
10-12
h
|
Butter-milk
|
Fermented
Vegetable Products
|
Gundruk
|
Leafy
vegetable
|
7-15
d
|
Dried,
sour; soup/ pickle
|
Sinki
|
Radish
tap root
|
25-30
d
|
Dried,
sour; soup/ pickle
|
Khalpi
|
Cucumber
|
5-7
d
|
Sour;
pickle
|
Mesu
|
Bamboo
shoots
|
7-10
d
|
Sour;
pickle
|
Fermented
Cereal Product
|
Selroti
|
Rice-wheat
flour
|
4-10
h
|
Round-shaped,
deep fried; bread
|
Fermented
Meat/Fish Product
s |
Sukako ko masu
|
Beef/yak/pork/mutton
|
15-30
d
|
Smoked
meat; curry
|
Sukako ko maccha
|
River
fish
|
5-7
d
|
Smoked
fish; curry
|
Alcoholic
Beverages |
Marcha
|
Rice,
wild herbs
|
1-2
d
|
Starter
to ferment alcoholic beverages; dry, solid ball/flat
|
Kodo ko jaanr
|
Finger
millet
|
5-7
d
|
Mildly
alcoholic, sweet acidic beverage
|
Bhaati jaanr
|
Rice
|
3-7
d
|
Sweet-sour
alcoholic paste
|
Makai jaanr
|
Maize
|
5-7
d
|
Sweet-sour
alcoholic paste
|
Gahun ko jaanr
|
Wheat
|
5-7
d
|
Sweet-sour
alcoholic paste
|
Raksi
|
Cereal/tuber
|
Distillation
|
Distilled,
alcoholic drink
|