WASUNG (Vegetables cooked in Bamboo Hollow)

Description: This is a dish of the localites of Tripura.

Serves: 4-5 people

Ingredients:

•      Bamboo shoot - 500 gms
•      Button mushrooms -1cup
•      Bitter gourds - 3 medium
•      Green peas - 1cup
•     French beans - Few
•     Green chillies (chopped) - 3 nos.
•     Onion (chopped) - 1 large
•     Ginger (chopped) - 1 tsp
•     Garlic (crushed) - 1 tsp
•     Salt - 1 tsp
•     Bamboo hollow - 1 (big enough to hold the ingredients)
•     Banana leaf - 1(8-10 inch)

Procedure:

• Chop the vegetables.
• Mix all ingredients, blend well and place in the bamboo hollow.
• Seal mouth Of the bamboo hollow with 2 layers of foil/ layers of banana leaf.

• Place bamboo over a charcoal fire and cook for about 30 minutes. Turn bamboo from time to time to cook evenly.

• When it is done, open seal, drain out liquid into a bowl and keep it aside.
• Mash vegetables (inside the bamboo hollow itself) to a paste with a wooden spoon. Pour reserved liquid into bamboo again, mix well and empty contents into a bowl. Serve this with steamed rice.

Source : Ashish Chopra ( Culinary Historian, Travel Writer, Author, Columnist, Passionate Gourmet, Television Host)