FOODIES’ DELIGHT: A traditional spread

Have you ever wondered what does a guest enjoy most about Assamese hospitality? In fact, it is not only the traditional Assamese food but the warmth with which it is served.

On Thursday evening, minister of power, industry and commerce Pradyut Bordoloi, who is also chairman of the media and publicity committee of the 33rd National Games, played a perfect host by throwing a gala party at a city club where the guests were served traditional Assamese food.

A lot of effort was made to make the evening a memorable one.

The guests, all dressed in party suits, were accorded a warm welcome by three pretty ladies dressed in different traditional attire, including mekhela chador.

Each guest was given a menu card with detailed explanation of the traditional Singpho and Tai Phakey and Assamese cuisine.

The invitees included chief minister Tarun Gogoi, senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, AICC leader in-charge of Assam Digvijay Singh, president of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee Bhubaneshwar Kalita, president of Asam Sahitya Academy Kanak Sen Deka and many other dignitaries.

Flashbulbs were not allowed to let the VIPs take time off from their hectic schedule and enjoy the evening.

While the chief minister sported a bandhgala, Jagdish Tytler and Digvijay Singh came in their favourite kurta-pyjama.

Host Bordoloi looked dashing in a perfectly tailored suit.

The dinner was hosted on the premises of the picturesque club atop a hill and the guests got a taste of Assamese hospitality.

A group of Singpho and Tai Phakey people was brought from Margherita and they presented their traditional food. .

Their menu included nga-san-makhyi-simai, a fish soup with bamboo shoot, pungkhong-sat and khau-ho which is a very tasty sticky rice bundled in herbal leaves and steamed, wu-san-sapung (steamed flavoured chicken), wa-san-ping (roast pork), pa-sa (fish soup), and pa-som (pickled fish).

Dressed in traditional attire, the Singpho and Tai Phakey men and women served the food.

The menu also included traditional Assamese cuisine like rohor dail, bengena pora, aloo bilahir xona, rongolao pitika, jeera jaluk diya aloo, kaskol narikolor bor, til kukura and lai xakor pork, besides several varieties of pickles.

Xoror malpua was the Assamese dessert. There was also provision for Continental food.

This included butter rice, grilled fish, crumb fried chicken, lasagne, and a variety of salads and orange soufflé as dessert.

The entire spread was an Epicurean’s delight, which left the guests licking their fingers.

Next followed a medley of songs in Assamese, Hindi and English, belted out by a group of musicians and singers.

The list included Rajib on guitar, Prantik (percussion), vocalist Ritu and Bikash and Pom Pom. The thatched sit-outs were rainproof to protect the guests from unexpected showers.

“The success of the evening must of course be attributed to Pradyut Bordoloi, who, despite his terribly busy schedule, left no stone unturned to make the evening a memorable one for the guests,” said Sunita Deka, one of the guests invited to the party.

“The evening is unique as it is completely focussed on Assamese food and hospitality. Moreover, since the guest list also included several dignitaries from outside the state, the fond memories of Assam will linger in their minds when they go back,” Deka said.

The event managers were Party Fiesta, a trio of enterprising women, Anuradha Saikia, Meghali Das and Kulkul Rahman.