In recognition of the indigenous spring festival that our Khasi Unitarian sisters and brothers in India celebrate, the Khasi Hills Partnership is sharing a traditional recipe from our school contact as well as a brief video clip from this year’s Shad Suk Mysiem Festival. This can give a feel for how the Northeast India region is quite different than the India most think of.

Here is a good link for the first minute of the video:

Yellow rice “Jadoh nei iong”
Traditional Dish for Sud Shak Mysiem Spring Festival
From Barri Mukhim, Our Khasi Hills School Contact

1 kg basmati rice (2.2 pounds), rinsed
½ kg chicken (without bones) (optional) cut into small pieces
2 onions, cut
6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (or use a garlic press)
½ tsp turmeric
5 tsp black sesame, ground to a fine paste
large finger of ginger, shredded
additional hot water

Preparation:

1. In a pot or rice cooker, boil about 1.4 liters of water (6 1/3 cups)
2. While boiling, add very small pieces of chicken, the cut onion, garlic, and sesame paste. Boil for 10 minutes, and add turmeric and salt to taste.
3. Add rinsed rice. (Be sure hot water is available if it’s needed while cooking the rice.) Stir 2-3 times to mix ingredients.
4. When it is almost finished cooking, and there’s just a little bit of water left, add the ground ginger. Stir.
5. Leave it in the pot for a while so the rice absorbs some of the steam.