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Eromba (Iromba) is a beloved dish commonly prepared by the Manipuris for lunch or dinner. This local favorite is also enjoyed by people from other regions of Northeast India. Typically, it consists of boiled vegetables that are mashed together with ngari (fermented fish) and chilies. Commonly used vegetables in various eromba recipes include yongchak (tree beans), soibum (bamboo shoots), yendem (buckwheat), belandri (lady’s finger), lafu (banana stem), and paan (colocasia/arbi).
This is a straightforward dish that you can easily prepare with ingredients you likely have in your kitchen!
Ingredients for (Paan/Colocasia/Arbi) Eromba:
- 250gm of Paan/colocasia/arbi (washed and peeled)
- 10-12 Dried red chillies/1-2 king chillies (whichever is preferred)
- 5-6 Ngari/fermented fish
- 2-3 smoked fish (optional)
- Salt to taste.
- Garnish : Fresh 1/2 u-morok/ghost pepper (thinly sliced) and Spring onions/corrainder (chopped)
Method of Making Eromba:
- In a pressure cooker, combine 4-5 cups of water with the arbi and chilies, and bring it to a boil. Allow it to whistle for about 4-5 times. Once done, let it cool and drain the water.
- Next, lightly roast the ngari (fermented fish) over low to medium heat. De-bone the smoked fish and boil or steam it until it becomes tender.
- In a bowl, mash the chilies, ngari, and smoked fish together, grinding them until they are finely blended. Then, incorporate the arbi into the mixture and mash everything together.
- Add 1 cup of water and mix well. Finally, garnish with chopped spring onion and u-morok (ghost pepper).
- And there you have it! Your eromba is ready to be served. Enjoy it with a bowl of hot, steaming rice!
