Pike Pilla - Arunachal Pradesh cuisine of Apatani tribe.

Pikey pilla

Pikey Pilla is a traditional dish of apatani tribe and also it is a accompaniment of food in Arunachal Pradesh. Pilla is prepared from organic ashes of plant which are sun dried and made into a liquid form ( called pilla / khar). This unique system of food speciality is known only to the Apatani tribe. Pikey is cooked in various kinds following series of methods. There are Sankho Pikey (of smoked meat), Sankho Ayo Pikey (of dried hides), Samper Pikey (of phoebe cooperiana), Enge Akho Pikey (colacassia stem), Byapu Pikey (of bamboo shoot) and Hiku Pikey, that is Pikey cooked from fermented bamboo. Thus, the main ingredients for preparation of Pikey delicacy are Pila (distillate liquid of ash), Yo-Aso or Hulyi Yo (becon dried for years), Tero (chilli), Alo (salt) and ofcourse Yasi, that is water. Secondary ingredients includes Sajo or Salyo (fruits of michelia champaca), smoked meat, dried hides of beef, native fruits, bamboo shoots and fermented bamboo shoots. The dish a staple in every Apatani household, thus is a unique traditional cuisine of the tribe.

                        Chillis

                        (Tero) 

                   Fermented bamboo shoot

                               (  Hiku ) 

                    Fermented pork meat

                              (  Hulyi  ) 

                                  (Pilla/Khar) 

             

Ingredients :

- Fermented bamboo shoots. 

- Fermented pork meat (Hulyi). 

- Dry chillis/ green chillis

- Pilla ( 

- soy beanbean ( Nutrela) 

Direction :

• Take 2 bamboo shoot (Hiriñ) , pieces into   thin layer and wash it properly. 

•soak the soya bean (nutrela)  for 3 min in warm water. 

• Add 5 cups of water and let it boil with high flame. 

• Add bamboo shoot, soya bean, and let it cook for 5 min with high flame. 

• Add 2 piece of fermented pork (Hulyi), cook for 5 min. 

• Add dry chillis ( you can use green chillis  as well). 

• Add salt to taste. 

• Add soya bean ( nutrela). 

• Add lastly the main ingredient (2 cups of pilla).  

Mix it well and let it cook for 3min in low flame until the bamboo colour turn into red.

It's ready to serve.... Enjoy