Chagem Pomba

Perfect for home-stay holiday and doze off after

Main Dish

Vegetarian

Veg Meal

Kanglei

Curry

Chagem Pomba

Monday, February 14, 2022 By : KH MATHOU

5.0 2 Reviews Add Review

Perfect for home-stay holiday and doze off after

21 Ingredients
45 Mins
4 People

Chagempomba, prepared with rice and vegetables, is one of the popular and a typical dish of the Northeast state of Manipur, India. Chagem pomba dish generally made with fermented soya, mustard leaves, roasted or smoked fish, broken rice, and other herbs. The name "Chagem" comes from the dish's main ingredient, broken rice. Chagem pomba is also known as an artform, as it has many different ingredients that contribute to the dish's satisfying taste. The aromatic and rich blend of ingredients in the dish is what makes it a very unique and popular amongst the local people. Chagempomba is a dish that the manipuris enjoy eating but it is a dish of acquired taste. Anybody who doesn't have much knowledge or acquaintance with the manipuri cuisine may be repulsed by just the sight or the smell of this particular dish BUT once one acquires the taste, it will surely be a dish that cannot be forgotten easily.
However, preparation took a lot of attention, timing of putting the ingredients, and temperature. Above that it require a number of vegetables which may be include like hawaijar, various seasonal fruits, fish, various spices, etc.
As coming to the health sector, it is a little heavier meal which hardly avoid eating at dinner but it is always a favorite dish for Manipuri and all time favorite for all sections of people. It requires time and attention and as to say it prepared specially during the weekend to enjoy the meal with all family member.

Chagem Pomba

Preparation Time
15 minutes

Cook Time
30 minutes

Total Time
45 minutes

Servings
4 servings

Ingredients
21 ingredients

Directions
6 steps

Ingredients

Primary

	a small bunch finely chopped - Fresh Mustard
	a handful - Pea sprouts (hawai maton)
	1/2 cup of chopped - Water mimosa (esing ekai thabi)
	1 pod - Tree Bean (Yongchak) Scrapped and cut into 1 cm long pieces
	1 small handful, finely chopped - Sweet Potato leaves
	1/2 cup - Rice
	2 pieces of thumb size (crushed) - Ginger (sing)
	5 tbsp - Oil
	1 and 1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
	1 and 1/2 cup - Fermented Soyabean
	4-5 pieces (crushed coarsely) - Red chillies
	2-3 pieces (shredded) - Bay leaves
	1/2 cup of chopped - Chinese Chives
	1 mid size (thinly sliced) - Onion
	1 tbsp - Coriander Seed powder
	1 small bunch - Coriander leaves
	1 handful - Tekta leaves
	1 tbsp (crushed) - Cumin seeds
	1/2 cup - Smoked Prawns (Khajing Ayaiba)
	1/2 cup - Smoked Fish (Nga Ayaiba)
	2-3 bunches (chopped) - Fennel (Pakhon)

Directions

1
In a bowl, put all the chopped vegetables and mix thoroughly with Mustard oil of 1 tbsp, Rice, Chillies and Sweet Potato leaves.
2
Add water mimosa , tree bean, 5 or 6 cups water, salt, turmeric powder, red chilies, ginger and let it whistle 2 times. Alternatively, the ingredients can be cooked in an open big pot till it reaches gravy like consistency.
3
Release the pressure immediately and stir well till it becomes soggy. Add smoked prawns, smoked fish and simmer for 5 mins. or till it attains gravy like consistency.
4
Put the Fermented Soyabean (hawaijar), Fennel (pakhon), Tekta leaves mix well and simmer, cook it for 2 minutes.
5
Heat another pan with 4 tbsp of mustard oil, add bay leaves, sliced onion, chinese chives, coriander seed powder, cumin seeds, stir and wait till the color become golden brown.
6
Transfer it to the pressure cooker and mix altogether with the vegetables, close the lid and cook for a minute. Add the coriander leaves. Stop the heat and serve.