Ningro with chhurpi (fiddlehead fern curry)
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Tender fiddlehead ferns gathered from forest streams, cooked with chhurpi, the soft local cottage cheese, and green chillies.
Region: SikkimOccasion: Monsoon and spring, when ferns are in seasonTime: 30 minServes: 4Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 3 cups ningro (fiddlehead fern) shoots
- 1 cup fresh soft chhurpi (or crumbled paneer)
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 3 green chillies or 1 dalle chilli
- 3 garlic cloves
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp mustard oil
- Salt to taste
Method
- Snap off the tender tips of the ferns, remove the brown fuzz and wash well. Cut into pieces.
- Blanch the ferns in boiling water for 3–4 minutes and drain.
- Heat mustard oil and fry the onion, garlic and chillies until soft.
- Add tomatoes and turmeric and cook until soft.
- Add the ferns and salt and cook for 5 minutes.
- Crumble in the chhurpi, stir gently and cook for 2 minutes. Serve with rice.
History
Ningro (fiddlehead fern) grows wild along streams in Sikkim’s forests and is gathered by villagers in the wet season. Soft chhurpi is made from buttermilk left after churning butter.
Significance
The dish shows Sikkim’s tradition of eating wild greens and making the most of every part of milk. Ningro is sold in local markets in season.