Photo Credit : Houmei Puthon Thangal
The love of food is a universal language and is deeply tied to tradition and heritage. Traditional foods are the representation of a community heritage that is passed down through generations. It plays an important role in our culture, heritage and everyday lives from ordinary days to special occasions and holidays.
The Thangal tribe of Manipur, India has a cultural delicacy called Mputhei tam that has fascinated since time immemorial and is still a beloved dish.
Mputhei tam
Mputhei refers to mung beans which is also known as Naga dal
Tam refers to chutney
Mputhei tam is a spicy traditional dish dearest to the heart of the people of Thangal. Not cherished just for it’s taste but for its deep connection to tradition and personal memories. It is often prepared for celebration,farewell and gatherings.
Ingredients and preparation
The primary ingredients which people use nowadays are Mputhei (Naga dal) ,beef skin and chilly paste (fermented fish, dried chilly, garlic and ginger). The recipe is also flexible enough to accomodate personal choices of ingredients. Beef innards, shredded chicken and river fish can be optional ingredients to the recipe according to personal preference. Some people prefer dried pea to Naga dal.
To give better taste to the dish, roast the Naga dal or the dried pea in a medium flame until they turn golden brown and produce burnt aroma, then add water and bring to a boil. Strain the water and keep them dry.
Also chop the Cooked beef skin or any other meat and mix all the ingredients with the chilly paste. The dish can be seasoned with herbs to enhance the taste.
Occasions
a) Nla Tam
Before sending off a girl for marriage, the women of the village gathers in her house with variety of this dish and other snacks to bid farewell accompanied by advices from mothers and sing farewell folk songs.
It still bring tears to my eyes and nostalgia when I remember the day of my Nlatam, when the mothers and my friends sent me off with speeches, blessings and folk songs accompanied by delicious varieties of this dish and snacks.
b) Gatherings
This is a must have in gatherings such as Christmas and New year’s Eve, social night gatherings and any friends meet up or for regular lunch and dinner.
c) Farewell and Visits
This dish is essential when a married woman visits her parents’ house for the first time after marriage and when she goes back to her husband’s home. It is considered as a gift that is symbolic of a love relationship. The love of the village is shared and extended to the husband’s family.
d) Harvest
It is a long-standing tradition for the Thangals to serve this dish, where the owner of the paddy field prepares the dish for those who come to help during the harvest.
Testimonials
“Mputhei and thaa tigi (beef skin) tam was one of the first Thangal dish I had as a new bride and loved it the first time I tasted and it still continues to be my favourite chutney of the Thangal.” – M.Elizabeth Thangal (A Rengma Maiden Married to a Thangal)
“The unique taste and flavour of Mputhei and Tha tigitam brings back memories. This tam always connect me with my tribe (Thangal) although I am away from them. Fabulous mputhei tam will always be my all time favorites.” – Dr.K.Pongdeila Gangmeipui (A Thangal Lady Married to a Rongmei)
Some of the cultural products and practices express symbolic meanings which endows them with a cultural value or significance distinct from whatever commercial value they may possess. Mputhei tam/Nla tam is one way of exploration of culture through food. What we consume, how we acquire it, who prepares it and who’s at the table and who eats first is a form of communication to show a rich cultural base. It can strengthen the bonds between individuals and communities at large. So it is believed to be something that shapes us, our identities and our cultures.
Mputhei tam holds a deep connection in Thangal people’s live and is a bridge between generations carrying the flavours and techniques. It is not just a dish but a connection that brings people together and holds cherished moments.
I never imagined that our tastiest traditonal chutney “mputhei tam”would be transformed into such a beautifully crafted write-up. Really glad to see how flavours and its significance have been captured clearly in words.Good work!
Thank you..
Beautifully put nostalgia at its best. Whilst it is plausible to mention the traditional aspect and how it’s woven into the fabric of culture and emotion of the Thangal people. It is also crucial that the names of the ingredients are mentioned correctly. For example, Mputhei(Thangal dialect) – Chakhawai(Meiteilon), Naga dal(known primarily in Nagaland), rice bean /rice-bean – vigna umbellata should be its correct name and not mung bean, although they all fall under Fabaceae family. This is important for future reference.
In my opinion, using Tangkong-Hedychium(in the Zingiberaceae family) as an aromatic among the ingredients is what sets us apart and makes it uniquely Us- the Thangal people. Because Naga dal chutney( Tam as we call it) with myriad choices of meat and fish is a staple dish among all Naga people.
Ngangthei – zathoxylum, for example, is also called Sichuan pepper because it is commonly used in the Szechuan/Sichuan province in China, and their dishes are well known for giving out a numbing sensation in one’s palate due to its generous use.
Thanks Kareila. Proud of you. It was a good read.
Wow, such deep look through. Thank you
Thank you Kejia. Means a alot to me.
Would love to try this delicacy.The beans along with the chillies and the shredded beef just wow.
The more it has a grassroot level connection with our Thangal Naga tribe the more it shows the vibrant and how rich our culture is.
A knowledgeable article.
Thank you for showing us the rich culture of the Thangal Naga.
We’ve tried and it’s really good
Bro,that sounds exciting. Expect a treat this Christmas.
Thank you for the feedback