Beyond Momos: Meghalaya’s Chefs Are Reclaiming the State’s Culinary Identity
Meghalaya, often called the Abode of the Clouds, boasts breathtaking landscapes of rolling hills, living root bridges, and cascading waterfalls. Yet, its culinary heritage has long been overshadowed by stereotypes. For many across India, Northeast Indian food begins and ends with momos and thukpa. A new wave of passionate chefs in Shillong is changing this narrative. They are proudly reclaiming and reinterpreting the state’s indigenous Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia cuisines. These innovators draw on fermented bamboo shoots, smoked meats, foraged forest produce, wild herbs, and ancient cooking techniques to create contemporary dining experiences that honor tradition while appealing to modern palates.
This movement is not just about food; it represents cultural reclamation. For generations, Meghalaya’s communities relied on the region’s abundant biodiversity. They foraged seasonal wild herbs, edible ferns, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, roots, and medicinal plants. Preservation methods like smoking, fermentation, and alkaline cooking emerged from necessity in the rugged terrain. Today, chefs are elevating these practices, transforming them into dishes that tell stories of resilience, ecology, and identity.
Ahmedaki Laloo and A’Origins: From Homesickness to Innovation
One of the leading figures in this revival is Chef Ahmedaki Laloo, founder of A’Origins in Shillong. During her culinary training at Manipal University, Laloo deeply missed the flavors of home. She would request her mother send packages of pickles, fermented bamboo shoots, fish chutneys, and condiments. Like many Northeasterners studying or working elsewhere in India, she faced misconceptions. Peers sometimes mocked the pungent aromas of her traditional ingredients.
A turning point came when she observed classmates proudly flaunting their regional cuisines — ghee-laden curries, fragrant spices, and family recipes. Laloo realized there was no reason her heritage could not be celebrated similarly. After gaining experience in restaurants across the country, she returned to Shillong in the winter of 2020 amid the pandemic. She founded A’Origins as a culinary enterprise dedicated to bringing Meghalaya’s cuisine to a wider audience.
A’Origins emphasizes zero-waste cooking and narrative-driven menus that journey through Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo food traditions. Dishes feature local stars like smoked pork, diengiong mushrooms, and foraged forest produce. Laloo has taken her creations to pop-ups, including Zhouyu Hosts in Chennai, where she showcased the depth and versatility of these ingredients. Her approach blends ancestral knowledge with modern techniques, creating accessible yet authentic experiences. She views it as a responsibility to do justice to what ancestors passed down.
Rynsan: Building a Platform for Local Stories
Another standout is Rynsan, co-founded by musician and entrepreneur Hammarsing Kharhmar and his wife Riyaki Jana. “Rynsan” means “platform” in Khasi, reflecting its role as a stage for food and music to narrate the region’s unique story. The restaurant sources the freshest produce directly from rural organic farms and urban gardens. Menus celebrate the confluence of influences from the Indian subcontinent, Yunnan, and Southeast Asia, all filtered through Meghalaya’s hills.
Hammarsing highlights a noticeable shift in tourism over the last five to ten years. Visitors no longer come solely for the scenery and clean air; they actively seek authentic local cuisine. This interest is “filtering down,” inspiring more establishments to incorporate indigenous elements. Rynsan makes traditional flavors contemporary and approachable, proving that Shillong’s food culture extends far beyond momos.
Lady Aiko and the Broader Dining Evolution
Chef Reuben Sooting, founder of Lady Aiko — India’s first integrated hotpot and Korean barbecue restaurant — also champions this cause. He notes that a decade ago, Shillong’s dining scene offered limited local influence despite its vibrant cafe culture. Government focus on tourism has been pivotal, boosting footfalls and encouraging culinary experimentation.
Sooting believes Meghalaya’s chefs are doing for their cuisine what global figures like Virgilio Martínez did for Peruvian food or Massimo Bottura for Italian — elevating classics to new heights while staying rooted in heritage.
Exploring Meghalaya’s Traditional Treasures
Meghalaya’s cuisine is as diverse as its tribes and ecosystems. It is characterized by minimal spices, allowing natural flavors to shine, with fermentation and smoking providing complexity.
Khasi Cuisine often revolves around pork and rice. Signature Jadoh — rice cooked with pork — pairs beautifully with Dohkhleh (a refreshing pork salad with onions, chillies, and salt) and Tungrymbai (fermented soybeans cooked with black sesame seeds). Other delights include Ktung Bain Nei-Iong (dry fish with black sesame), Phan and Tungtap (fermented dry fish chutney enjoyed with boiled potatoes), and Jingbam Dihsha snacks made from rice powder, jaggery, or pork. Ja Tyndong involves cooking rice, fish, meat, or vegetables inside fresh bamboo tubes over fire, imparting a subtle earthy aroma.
Garo Cuisine features bold preparations like Nakham Bitchi (dry fish gravy), Do’o Kappa (chicken with natural potash and herbs), and Wak Pura (pork tenderized with potash from burnt plant ashes). Banana flower chutney (Me.kin/Sobok Chatni) adds nutritional balance.
Jaintia Dishes include Putharo (steamed rice flatbread) with Dohjem (pork curry with black sesame) and smoked fish (Kharang) in curries, chutneys, or salads. Doh Sniang Nei-Iong brings nutty sesame flavors to pork.
Indigenous techniques enhance these ingredients. Smoking preserves meats and fish, adding rustic depth. Fermentation creates pungent staples like tungrymbai and pickled bamboo shoots. Alkaline potash tenderizes meats and greens, while stone cooking and bamboo methods connect diners directly to the land. Wild foraged items — such as sohphie berries, sohiong cherries, and sohshang — add tart, sweet, or tangy notes to chutneys, pickles, and desserts. Lakadong turmeric, with its high curcumin content, lends vibrant color and medicinal benefits.
Overcoming Misconceptions and Embracing Change
For years, mainland perceptions flattened the Northeast’s diverse food traditions into a monolithic category — spicy, meat-heavy, or exotic. Chefs like Laloo, Sooting, and the Rynsan team are dismantling these views. They highlight that Meghalaya’s food is produce-forward, balanced, and deeply tied to sustainability and seasonality.
Food writer Damini Ralleigh notes the importance of this shift. It allows communities to reclaim their narratives rather than being represented through an outsider’s lens. Cultural borders are porous, and recognizing nuances across tribes enriches understanding.
Increased tourism, supported by government initiatives, has created opportunities. More visitors want immersive experiences, driving demand for authentic yet refined local menus. Smaller cafes are incorporating indigenous elements into mixed offerings, making flavors accessible without diluting essence.
A Culinary Renaissance
This renaissance extends beyond Shillong. Chefs collaborate on workshops, foraging trips, and pop-ups, blending traditions with influences like Latin American or Asian techniques for broader appeal. The result is greater curiosity and appreciation.
For locals and travelers alike, this means exciting new ways to experience Meghalaya. Whether at a fine-dining spot showcasing elevated Jadoh or a casual meal with smoked meats and foraged greens, diners connect with the state’s history, ecology, and people.
As these chefs continue their work, Meghalaya’s culinary identity is no longer confined to stereotypes. It emerges vibrant, proud, and flavorful — inviting everyone to move beyond momos and discover the true tastes of the hills. With its focus on sustainability, heritage, and innovation, this movement positions the state as a rising star on India’s culinary map.
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