Ethnic fermented foods and beverages of Mizoram

Abstract

A description of Mizoram state and its agricultural status, dietary habits and different ethnic fermented products are briefly discussed in this chapter. Traditional preparation methods of different fermented foods like bekang-um (fermented soybean), sa-um (fermented pork fat), chhi-um (fermented sesame seeds), ai-um (fermented crabs with crushed sesame seeds), aite-um (fermented whole crab), tam-um (fermented mustard leaves) and tuai-um (fermented bamboo shoots) and ethnic fermented alcoholic drinks such as zupui (main alcoholic beverage), zufâng (sweet rice beer), tin-zu (strong undistilled rice beer) and rakzu (strong distilled rice beer) are discussed in details with flowchart. The role of women and poorer section of the population on socio-economic importance of the fermented products for income generation has also been mentioned. The ethnical importance of traditional alcoholic drinks during religious rituals and festivals of Mizo before embracing Christianity has been discussed. The nutritional contents, microorganisms involved and other biochemical parameters of some of the traditionally fermented food products are highlighted and compared to similar fermented foods and beverages of other regions.