Eromba (Manipuri Mashed Vegetables with Chilli)

Every Manipuri meal has eromba on the side. Vegetables like potato, beans and pumpkin are boiled and mashed with smoky roasted chillies and ngari (fermented fish). Our version gives a fish sauce or vegetarian option for those who cannot find ngari.

Video by POONAM’S KITCHEN on YouTube. Our recipe below is our own home-style version, written in our own words – quantities and steps may differ from the video.

• Serves 4
• Prep 15 min
• Cook 20 min
• gluten-free · dairy-free · Spicy
• Famous in Manipur

Ingredients

• 2 potatoes
• 100 g green beans or yardlong beans
• 150 g pumpkin or eggplant
• 3–6 dried red chillies (or 1 habanero for a lot of heat)
• 1 tbsp ngari (fermented fish) – or 1 tsp fish sauce, or skip for vegetarian
• 3 spring onions, chopped
• a handful of fresh coriander
• ½ tsp salt

Method

1. Boil the vegetables in salted water until very soft and drain, keeping a little water.
2. Roast the chillies (and the ngari wrapped in foil, if using) in a dry pan until smoky.
3. Pound the chillies and ngari with salt in a mortar to a paste.
4. Add the vegetables and mash everything together, adding a spoon of cooking water if needed.
5. Mix in spring onions and coriander and serve with rice.

Tip: Start with fewer chillies – Manipuri eromba is famously hot.

Shop the ingredients

Everything you need for this recipe is in stock at Farmah’s – order online or pick it up at Annenstraße 41, Graz.