Fermented Foods of Nagaland

Figure 2b. Different stages of Axone/Akhuni preparation.

Figure 1b: Steps involves in Zutho preparation. a. Polished

(a) The boiled soyabean seeds,

rice, b. Unhulled germinated rice grains, c. mixed powder of

(b) The paste is wraped in leaves,

a & b under fermentation, d. Zutho ready to serve.

(c) The semi-fermented product, (d) The matured Axone .

for the fermentation to complete. Most people go for

by the Ao Naga tribe. Its preparation involves the

longer fermentation to reduce the strong smell of the

packing of the Colocassia leaves in gunny bags or

fermented product. In this, the fermented soybean is

wrapped in banana leaves for about 3-4 days till it

made into a paste and wrapped in banana leaves or

becomes yellow. It is then, pounded into pastes which

Phrynium pubinerve leaves and kept for another 3-4

are made into cakes. These cakes are then wrapped in

days near the fire place (Fig. 2a, b).

banana leaves and kept under the ash near the fire

Soybean seeds boiled (3-4 hr in pot or 1 hr in pressure

place or exposed to the sunlight till it is completely

cooker)

dried and becomes hard (Fig. 3a, b).

Hungrii : ‘ Hungrii’ is a fermented product made

Excess water drained off and packed in bamboo basket

lined with leaves of Ficus spp. at bottom as well as

from the leaves of Brassica species. It is prepared

covered at top

popularly by the ‘ Rengma’ Naga tribe. Fresh mustard

leaves are taken and sun dried. A pit is dug out and

Keep near the fire place for 3-4 days

banana leaves are laid at the bottom of the pit. The

dried mustard leaves are then wrapped in the banana

Made into a paste, wrap and keep near the fire place

Fresh leaves ( Colocassia sp . leaves) packed in gunny bags

again for about 3-4 days

or banana leaves for 3-4 days.

Axone

Cakes made out of the paste of the leaves

Figure 2a: Flow chart for preparation of Axone

Sun dried or kept over fire place till completely dry.

Vegetable based fermented foods

Anishi.

(i) Anishi : ‘ Anishi’ is a fermented cake made from

leaves of Colocassia species. It is exclusively prepared

Figure 3a: Flow chart for preparation of Anishi

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