by It is rightly said that when you visit Meghalaya, the literal translation of which means the Abode of Clouds, you will be lost in the beauty of the spellbinding cliffs and the steamy jungles. Shillong, the capital city of Meghalaya and also the central cultural hub of the state, will entice you with its old hill town charm and bustling cafes and restaurants. The evening and nightlife of this town is equally charming with its array of shops on both sides of the streets, providing a haven for the avid shoppers as well as live music venues attracting tourists to experience the live concerts performed by the local as well as international musicians. And how can the discussion on tourism be complete without the mention of food? Now, one of the easy ways to experience the food culture of Shillong is by availing of the services of food delivery in Shillong and getting the food directly delivered to the doorstep of your hotel.
But before we dive more into the food culture of Shillong, let us explore its culture.
The culture of Shillong
Shillong, the native place of Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia communities, has a lot to offer to tourists. First are the festivals, which are a substantial part of the tribes of Shillong and comprise an important part of their cultural identity. Some popular festivals you can witness here are the Autumn festival, Nongkrem dance, Shad Suk Mynsiem, Behdiengklam festival, and so on. You might be surprised that Shillong has a matrilineal society structure, where the mother is the head of the household, and the mother’s surname is passed on to the next generation. A popular ritual – Khlieh lev – is performed for economic prosperity and good trade.
Shopping in Shillong
When you are in Shillong, you can buy traditional bamboo handicrafts, cane artefacts, bamboo hats, and other pieces of woodcarvings. Other items to buy here are handmade woollen shawls, Tibetan shawls, moorahs, and woven textile items. Don’t forget to bring home the local fruits, vegetables, bamboo shoot pickles, forest honey, and black mushroom.
Now that you are acquainted with Shillong’s traditions and culture let’s start with the food journey.
Experience Shillong cuisine in your hotel room with easy food delivery in Shillong
The wide variety of food available in Shillong without spending a fortune is enticing, given that you will never run out of options while opting for food delivery in Shillong. There are a lot of food options available for both vegetarians as well as non-vegetarians. It starts with simple street food options of aloo muri and chana and exotic fruits and also covers all local snacks and full-course authentic traditional meals.
Starting with the appetizers
Momo lovers are in for a delight when they are in Shillong, as you will find different variety of momos available here. Shillong-style momos are here to delight your taste buds. You can also try Shillong aloo-muri, a street-style snack made with spicy potatoes. Another must-have dish is Pu-Doh, made with fermented soya beans and sauteed with local herbs. Putharo, another steamed rice cake, is a popular appetizer that can be eaten as a breakfast or snack option.
Moving on to the main course
You will find plenty of Indo-Chinese dishes here. If you are a fan of pork, you will be delighted when Dohkhleih, a pork meal, is served to you. It is a favourite of the locals and is made using pork, onion, and local spices. Another food that is a haven for pork lovers is chilly pork. Shillong smoked meat, also known as Pu Sla, has a delicious aroma to make your mouth water. You should order Jadoh while in Shillong, a rice cuisine prepared in pork stock or sometimes cooked in fish or other meat stock. This dish can be ordered with Doh Sniang Neiiong (which comprises pork pieces cooked with grounded sesame seeds) or Phan Skeidh (which is a vegetable of fried potatoes with meat). If you are a fan of dry curries, you can order Dohjem, a dry curry cooked with onion and sesame seeds with added flavours of black pepper. Along with that, Tungtap, which is a dried fish chutney, can also be ordered. You can enjoy this cuisine with online food delivery. Delivery of food in Shillong is now easy, thanks to Swiggy.
Dessert time in Shillong
When in Shillong, you must place an order for Pukhlein, one of the popular desserts available here and made using fermented rice. Pu Saw is another cake-like traditional food of Shillong, which is a sweet red-rice cake baked in a traditional oven that goes perfectly with tea. Tpu Sara is a local corn cake which is so soft that once you start eating it, we can guarantee that you will not be able to stop yourself!
In Shillong and the rest of Meghalaya, people enjoy seasonal cuisine. Every culinary connoisseur’s taste buds will be delighted by Shillong’s delectable and unusual delicacies. Your taste buds will thank you for these delicious dishes. The number of options people get in Shillong to taste the sweet and tangy dishes is mind-boggling since the town has some of India’s best and most unique foods. Hence, if you also want to order such food, especially at odd hours like midnight due to certain cravings, there is a solution in the form of food delivery services in Shillong. We hope you will eat your way around the most lucrative delicacies of Shillong just as quickly by ordering food online at any time. In that context, Swiggy might be the best online delivery service you can use to order food here.
