From CK Nayak
NEW DELHI, May 19: The 76th ongoing annual Cannes Film Festival in France is not just films, fashions and controversies, but has some unique cuisines from far off Meghalaya — tungrymbai (fermented soybean) and putharo (pancake).
Though fashion, films and controversies have grabbed headlines, food had its moment of glory in the festival too.
Thursday night’s dinner was hosted by Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Dr L Murugan, who had led the Indian delegation to Cannes.
The menu, titled ‘The Journey Menu’, honoured the International Year of Millets and celebrated the culinary diversity of India. The dinner was prepared by one of India’s foremost chefs, Prateek Sadhu, in collaboration with Godawan single malt.
The menu was categorised into dishes featuring different regions of India-prawn ishtew, vattayapam and white asparagus pepper fry represented south; smoked lamb, putharo and tungrymbai (from Meghalaya) represented the Northeast; Maharashtra’s koshimbir salad and Malvani style fish was inspired by the west; and the palate cleanser with ber (jujube) salt, aam papad, achar granita and strawberry achaar was a hat tip to India’s flavour-packed street-food. North India entered the menu in the dessert section with kalakand ice-cream and Kashmiri badam mithai. Sadhu traces his origin to Kashmir and it wasn’t a surprise to find ‘kahwa’ on the table.
Tungrymbai or tung rymbái or “tungtoh” is a fermented soybean food traditionally prepared by the Khasi and Jaintia peoples of Meghalaya. The soybeans are washed then boiled and the beans are then transferred to a bamboo basket lined with fresh slamet (Phrynium pubinerve) leaves. The leaves are then wrapped over the beans and hot charcoal is placed on top before more leaves are wrapped over once again.
The entire basket is then placed inside a jute bag to ferment for three to four days by a fireplace. When the fermentation is complete, the beans are taken out and crushed in a mortar and pestle (thlong and synrei in Khasi).
Tungrymbai is usually prepared by crushing the fermented beans until it almost becomes a paste and fried in mustard oil with onion-ginger-garlic paste, black sesame seed paste, aromatics and pork.
Putharo is a simple steamed rice cake served for breakfast or as a snack. Traditionally, putharo is served with doh-nei-iong (pork with black sesame seeds) or doh-jem (again pork with softer intestines) or tungrymbai but they taste good as such, when served warm.
President of Meghalaya Film Makers Association Commander Shangpliang is the lone state government representative who attended Cannes Film Festival 2023. Dr Murugan also had inaugurated the India Pavilion Film Festival.
The Indian pavilion showcases India’s rich culture, heritage, and its thriving creative economy to the global audience. The event witnessed the presence of Indian Ambassador to France, Jawed Ashraf and prominent figures from the Indian film industry including last Oscar winners.