Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Tharoi Thongba ( Freshwater Snails Curry)

Tharoi Thongba
Tharoi (Fresh Water snails) Thongba is one of the delicacy Meitei's love to have, my dad doesn't eat Tharoi  but mom, sister and me love it. Having Tharoi Thongba at home was always frowned upon by dad as he thinks its not a very clean think to eat. I have had tharoi thongba many times but had never cooked it myself, its a long process and requires alot of hardwork. I decided to try cooking it as aunty "A" has been telling me for the past 3 yrs to have tharoi thongba, I called my mom n my very good fren "AN"  Manipur Food expert (acc. to me)to ask the recipe. 

Armed with the recipe and with full confidence I bought 1 kg of Tharoi and few other ingredients available from Lakechoumuhani Market.(Agartala)

Ingredients:
  • 1 Kg Tharoi (Freshwater snails)
  • 2-3 Potato's.
  • Lok-lei (Optional)
  • Meikthrubi Manna ( A special kind of ingredient used in Manipur for Tharoi Thongba) 
  • 2 Bay leaves.
  • Dry Red chillies powder.
  • 2 Onion.
  • 5-6 Garlic cloves.
  • Turmeric powder
  • Sa- Maroi.(Also known as Awa-Phadigom)
  • Jeera
  • 2 tbsp refined oil.
  • Salt to taste.
Method:
(For Tharoi)
  • Buy Tharoi atleast 1 day in advance ( I bought 2 days before). Cut the face and back of the Tharoi.  In a big vessel filled with water add all the cut tharoi. Keep it overnite. Remember to add  8-10 grains of rice, this will help in getting all the small baby snails out.
  • Next day wash the tharoi atleast 10 times before boiling it. Tharoi is covered with some kind of algae making it slippery and slimy so washing/cleaning is very imp.
  • Pressure cook the clean tharoi (3 whistle or cook for atleast 20-25 mins if not using a pressure cooker). Once done drain all the water and keep it aside.
For the Curry:
  • In a separate pressure cooker boil the potato's, Loklei and chillies. Once done mix all the ingredients with nagri, prepare an eromba and keep it aside.
Tharoi-Thongba steps:
  • Heat a Kadhai and add the boiled Tharoi fry it without any oil. This will dry the excess water, fry for atleast 10 mins and keep it aside.
  • In a separate Kadhai add 2 tbsp of vegetable/refined oil and fry the Mikthrubi manna, Bay leaves, Thinly sliced onion, Garlic and Jeera for few mins.
  • Add turmeric powder and fry for 2-3 mins, add the Eromba and fry for few mins. Stir and mix it well.
  • Add the Tharoi , Sa- maroi and also add 2-3 cup of hot water in the kadhai.
  • Add salt and cook till the gravy is thick.(10-15 mins)
  • Serve hot with Rice and Chamfut (Boiled Vegetables).
Cooking Time: 60 mins
Serves: 5

3 comments:

kasturi said...

Hi, glad to find Tharoi reciepe since its the only one i found on Net. I would like to know what is Meikthrubi Manna in english or any pic i can see so that i know what to look for when i go to buy it in the US markets.

Jaggi

travel food and living said...

Hi Jaggi,
I have no idea the english/botanical name of Meithrubi Manna but I can post a pic. Pls check my blog tomm. for the pic.
cheers

Unknown said...

hi jaggi

that's called sichuan pepper leaves

regards
raj

About my blog

Search This Blog