Celebrate Me-Dam-Me-Phi Festival with these Pork Dishes

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Me-Dam-Me-Phi is a popular festival celebrated by the Ahom tribe of Assam as well as Ao Tribe of Nagaland, India. It is observed on January 31st every year and is considered to be one of the most important festivals of the Ahom tribe. The festival is held to honor and pay homage to the departed ancestors of the tribe and is celebrated with great zeal and fervor.

The festival features traditional dances, songs, and feasts. A large feast is prepared, and the community gathers to share food and celebrate the festival together. The traditional dances, known as ‘Ngada’, are performed by the young men and women of the tribe, and are accompanied by the sound of drums and other musical instruments.

Me-Dam-Me-Phi is not only a time for celebration but also a time for reflection and renewal. It is a time for the Ahom people to come together to honor their ancestors and to reaffirm their cultural identity and traditions. The festival is a celebration of life, and it serves as an important reminder of the rich cultural heritage of the Ahom tribe.

No festival is complete without a grand feast, and Me-Dam-Me-Phi is celebrated especially with delicious Pork Dishes and locally brewed alcoholic beverage.

Here is a recipe for ethnic style Assamese Pork Dish “Smoked Pork” (Khorika):

Ingredients:

  • 1 kg Pork belly
  • 2 tbsp Ginger paste
  • 2 tbsp Garlic paste
  • 2 tbsp Turmeric powder
  • 2 tbsp Coriander powder
  • 2 tbsp Cumin powder
  • 2 tbsp Red chili powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp Mustard oil
  • Banana leaves or aluminum foil
  • Charcoal for smoking

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, mix together the ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, salt, and mustard oil.
  2. Add the pork belly to the bowl and mix well to ensure that the marinade covers the pork evenly.
  3. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  4. Wrap the marinated pork in banana leaves or aluminum foil.
  5. Place the wrapped pork on a wire rack over a baking tray and smoke for 30 minutes using hot charcoal.
  6. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  7. Bake the smoked pork for 30-40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 70°C.
  8. Serve hot with steamed rice. Enjoy!

For a feast as great as this one dish is certainly not adequate, so, here’s another Assamese Pork Dish recipe “Pork with Fermented Soybean” (Pork Axone):

Ingredients:

  • 1 kg Pork, cut into small pieces
  • 1 cup Fermented soybean (Axone)
  • 2 medium Onions, sliced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 2 medium Tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 tbsp Ginger paste
  • 2 tbsp Turmeric powder
  • 2 tbsp Coriander powder
  • 2 tbsp Cumin powder
  • 2 tbsp Red chili powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp Mustard oil
  • Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions:

  1. In a large pan, heat the mustard oil over medium heat.
  2. Add the sliced onions and minced garlic and cook until the onions are translucent.
  3. Add the chopped tomatoes, ginger paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes are soft.
  4. Add the fermented soybean (Axone) to the pan and mix well.
  5. Add the pork pieces to the pan and mix well with the sauce.
  6. Cover the pan and cook for 30 minutes or until the pork is tender.
  7. Serve hot with steamed rice. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Enjoy!

Just in case, let’s just add another Assamese Pork dish for the curry lovers. Here’s a recipe for Assamese “Pork Curry”(Pork Xaak aru Tenga):

Ingredients:

  • 1 kg Pork, cut into small pieces
  • 2 medium Onions, sliced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 2 medium Tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 tbsp Ginger paste
  • 2 tbsp Turmeric powder
  • 2 tbsp Coriander powder
  • 2 tbsp Cumin powder
  • 2 tbsp Red chili powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp Mustard oil
  • 1 cup Water
  • Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions:

  1. In a large pan, heat the mustard oil over medium heat.
  2. Add the sliced onions and minced garlic and cook until the onions are translucent.
  3. Add the chopped tomatoes, ginger paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes are soft.
  4. Add the pork pieces to the pan and mix well with the sauce.
  5. Add 1 cup of water to the pan and mix well.
  6. Cover the pan and cook for 30 minutes or until the pork is tender.
  7. Serve hot with steamed rice. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Enjoy!

That definitely takes care of the main course in Pork style, but we need a good Assamese beverage that goes with this celebration. So, here’s a recipe for the traditional Assamese alcoholic beverage called “Apong”:

Ingredients:

  • 2 kg Rice
  • 3 cups Water
  • 1 cup Jaggery
  • 1 tsp Yeast
  • Banana leaves or airtight containers

Instructions:

  1. Wash and soak the rice in water for 4 hours.
  2. Drain the water and grind the rice to a fine paste.
  3. In a large pot, heat the water and jaggery over low heat. Stir until the jaggery dissolves.
  4. Add the rice paste to the pot and mix well.
  5. Cool the mixture to room temperature.
  6. Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture and mix well.
  7. Cover the pot with a cloth and let it ferment for 24 hours in a warm place.
  8. Pour the fermented mixture into banana leaves or airtight containers and let it ferment for another 24 hours.
  9. Apong is now ready to be served. Enjoy!

Always keep in mind that Apong is a strong alcoholic beverage and should be consumed in moderation so that the celebration stays fun for you as well as those around you.

Hopefully, you now have plenty of ideas to work with to celebrate this year’s Me-Dam-Me-Phi Festival.