Cuisines from the Northeastern part of India are very simple and close to natural produce. Uncompleted recipes with freshly harvested ingredients are very common are common in the region.
Vitamin C is an essential ingredient of everyday meals. Its special importance lies in the fact that is necessary for the efficient functioning of the human immune system. Thus making it one of the essentials in the Covid-19 pandemic.
Discover East brings to you a list of Vitamin C rich fruits and vegetables which are commonly available in the Northeastern region.
1. Lemons
These are one of the best sources of Vitamin C. Lucky for us, Assam has more than one variety of lemons. Make a lemonade or squeeze a few drops in your favorite curry, its will work just fine.
Refreshing, hydrating and cleaning you system, lemons do it all.
2. Oranges
Orange is another juicy member of the citrus family that grows abundantly on the hill slopes of Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. The taste can vary from downright sour to very sweet. Loaded with Vitamin C, this fruit is the loved so much that we have a music festival to its name – the Dambuk Orange Festival.
3. Pineapples
Another fruit that is cultivated in plenty across the states of Northeast India is the humble pineapple. A particular breed of pineapples, called the Queen, cultivated in the state of Tripura actually has a GI tag and is one of the most important exports of the region.
4. Chilies
One of the most unexpected sources of Vitamin C are green chilies. And just the humble lemons, more than one variety of chilies grow in this region. So here is a list of these spicy treats and you can chose your favorite one.
5. Indian Gooseberry
Amla or Indian Gooseberry is a tiny tropical fruit which is sour in taste. But do not be fooled by its size as this tiny fruit is loaded with vitamins, antioxidants and other minerals. They also help in digestion.
6. Starfruit
Another common fruit in the plains of Assam, the starfruit is known to have multiple benefits. Apart from being a very food source of Vitamin – C and minerals, it also has a very high water content. Because of its excellent ability of removing toxins from the liver and kidney, it is considered no less than a medicine among few tribes of Arunachal Pradesh.
7. Strawberries
Strawberries is probably one of the most exotic and costly fruits that grow in the region. This one comes totally loaded with Antioxidants and Vitamins. The Strawberries from Meghalaya have quite a high demand given their sweet taste.
8. Thekera
This is one of them must have ingredients in an Assamese Kitchen. Maasor Tenga or sour fish curry can be made with thekera as the souring agent. And not only curry, it can also be used to make a refreshing cooler.
Vitamin C is one of the core contents of this fruit. Slice and dry the fruit, and you can preserve it almost indefinitely.
9. Tomatoes
Loaded with antioxidants, minerals and Vitamins, this juicy item grows a lot in the plains of the region. Curry, chutney, salad or pitika, everything is can be made from tomatoes.
10. Kiwi
This strange looking fruit looks really good from the inside. With its galore of nutrients and no side effects, it has reason to be one of the costliest on this list.
Kiwi is one of the comparatively new crops to be cultivated commercially in the Northeastern region of India. The state of Arunachal Pradesh is moving leaps and bounds in the production of this fruit.
These were some of the common fruits and vegetables of Northeast India which are rich in Vitamin C . And making these local produce extremely helpful to boast the immunity against the Covid – 19 global pandemic.
(Feature image source: Reviv)
