Hentak is a thick
fermented
Fermentation is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes. In biochemistry, it is narrowly defined as the extraction of energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen. In food p ...
paste in
Manipuri cuisine
Manipuri cuisine refers to the cuisine of Manipur, a state of northeastern India. Daily meals are based on rice, with a few side dishes of vegetables, fish and meat. A meal would usually have a vegetable stew called or , flavored with dried or ...
made with sun-dried fish powder and the
petioles of
aroid
The Araceae are a family (biology), family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix (botany), spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a s ...
plants. The small
Indian flying barb fish are sun dried on
bamboo
Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, ...
trays and crushed to powder. The aroid petioles are cut into pieces and left in the sun for one day, then in equal parts with the fish powder the mixture is sealed in an earthen pot and fermented for around one week.
''Hentak'' is a standard ingredient in Manipuri households, where it is consumed as a condiment with boiled rice or
curry
A curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine. In southern India, leaves from the curry tree may be included.
There are many varieties of curry. The choice of spices for each dish in trad ...
.
[ Some preparations may include other plant ingredients like '' Colocasia esculenta''. The standard ingredient of aroid petioles enhances flavor and also serves the purpose of aiding the fermentation process. In Manipur, ''hentak'' is a homemade preparation that is not produced for commercial markets. It is custom to serve this to expecting mothers and patients in convalescent.
Another fish paste from ]Northeast India
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, ...
is tungtap.
See also
*Fermented fish
Fermented fish is a traditional preservation of fish. Before refrigeration, canning and other modern preservation techniques became available, fermenting was an important preservation method. Fish rapidly spoils, or goes rotten, unless some method ...
*Garum
Garum is a fermented fish sauce that was used as a condiment in the cuisines of Phoenicia, ancient Greece, Rome, Carthage and later Byzantium. Liquamen is a similar preparation, and at times they were synonymous. Although garum enjoyed its gre ...
* Bagoong
*Terasi
Shrimp paste or prawn sauce is a fermented condiment commonly used in Southeast Asian and Southern Chinese cuisines. It is primarily made from finely crushed shrimp or krill mixed with salt, and then fermented for several weeks. They are eithe ...
References
Manipuri cuisine
Fermented foods
Fermented fish
Fish sauces
{{Condiment-stub