Leaf-wrapped rice
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Sticky rice wrapped in large leaves and boiled or steamed into firm parcels that keep for a day's journey or work in the fields.
Region: Arunachal PradeshOccasion: Packed lunch; festivals and ritualsTime: 1 hour + soakingServes: 6Vegan
Ingredients
- 3 cups sticky rice, soaked 3–4 hours
- 12 large leaves (such as banana or other local leaves), washed and softened over a flame
- Thin strips of cane or string to tie
- Water for boiling
Method
- Drain the soaked rice.
- Place a handful of rice in the centre of a leaf, fold it into a tight packet and tie it.
- Put the packets in a large pot of boiling water, or in a steamer.
- Cook for 40–45 minutes until the rice is soft and sticky and has set into a cake.
- Cool slightly, unwrap and eat with meat, fish or chutney.
History
Rice packed in leaves is a common traditional food among the farming communities of Arunachal Pradesh and their neighbours across north-east India.
Significance
These parcels are the traditional packed meal for days in the jhum fields or the forest, and are also prepared for festival offerings and feasts.