
Manipuri primarily cook vegetables with fish being their complimentary food besides the vegetables. Usage of less oil has been in vogue since the olden times and one visiting the Manipur rural areas are sure to experience this taste of oil-less food.
Ngri is a type of fermented fish which carries a very strong smell and is loved immensely by the locals. This item is used in a lot of dishes prepared here.

The staple food of Manipur consists of rice, a lot of leafy vegetables and fish. They love vegetables so much that one can see vegetables growing in their own houses. The cuisines also tend to be very seasonal since the people here grow the food in their own households itself. The taste of the Manipuri cuisine is very much different from the rest of the Indian mainland cuisines owing to the extravagant use of local herbs and other aromatic spices in its preparation.
Herbs of Manipur
Herbs and spices form a very important part of Manipuri cuisine. Since they primary have their food boiled, thus it is only these herbs and aroma giving spices that do the wonder of giving the food it required essence. The herbs are grown by the people in their own households. They do believe in growing their own vegetables and herbs and having food from their own garden. Some of the inevitable herbs used in Manipuri cuisines are as follows:
- Awaa phadigom (Mexican coriander)
- Mayang-ton (Lemon Basil)
- Toning-khok (Chameleon plant)
- Mukthrubi
- Phakpai (Vietnamese coriander)
- Chantruk (Wavy Bittercress)
- Khanghuman
- Nungshi hidak (Mint)
- Maroi napaakpi (Hooker chives)
- Maroi naakuppi (Chinese chives)
- Takhel-manao
- Lomakha-mapan
- Leipung-khankha
- Yaipan
- Kang-hu mapaan
Cuisines of Manipur
The Manipuris make their food mainly steamed and boiled rather than frying it. The Manipuri platter mainly consists of rice, vegetables, salad, a curry of fish and meat. The food definitely is tasty, but the aroma is more than heavenly. The people here are lovers of both vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes.Mentioned below are some of the cuisines made in Manipur:
Chamthong or Kangshoi
This is a boiled dish prepared with seasonal vegetables cut along with onions, maroi, cloves, ginger, garlic and salt. These vegetables are boiled and then topped with Ngari and served hot. Soupy in nature, this dish is served with rice.
Eromba
Eromba is a very popular dish, not only in Manipur but also in the other nearby states. The dish is prepared by boiling a lot vegetables along with dried fish. The smell it emits once the dish is ready is terrific. The dish once readied is garnished with coriander leaves and Maroi.
Kang-ngou or kaang-hou
This is however a fried dish which is prepared by using various local herbs and spices.A-nganba
Another of its traditional boiled dishes, A-nganba is a dish where the used vegetables are bit different from the regular items. The vegetables used here are French beans, pumpkin, carrots, peas, etc amongst others.Morok Metpa
A very tasty and delicious chutney made with green and dried chilllis and then the coarse paste is boiled with Ngari and then mashed with salt.Sana thongba
A vegetarian dish prepared by the use of paneer in its ethnic Manipuri style.Singju
Singju is a very delicious type of local salad where there is no vegetable one will not find. It consists of onions, cabbage leaves, ginger, coriander, lotus stems, sinju pan and many other seasonal vegetables which is finely mixed with Ngari.Mangal ooti
A type of local popular Manipuri dish wherein the main components are yellow peas and ushoi.Paknam
It is a type of fish cake.Nga-thongba
Another fish curry prepared with the usage of local herbs and spices.Restaurants in Manipur
Being a tourist spot, Imphal the capital of Manipur receives a lot of tourist all round the year. With the increase tourists one tends to explore its rich cultural heritage as well. Thus, with the passage of time a lot of restaurants and food joints have come up in Manipur thus giving the visitors a chance to taste the local ethnic food and relish it.Also Read: Food of Imphal | Five Best Restaurants in Manipur

Some of the restaurants in Manipur where one can taste its ethnicity are as follows:
Blue Chilli
Address:
Kwakeithel Thokchom Leikai,
Imphal,
Manipur
Phone No.: 098561 47207
Naoba's Chakhumang
Address:
Rims Road,
Next to Axis Bank ATM,
RIMS Road, Thangmeiband,
Imphal,
Lamphel,
Manipur 795004
Phone No.: 0385 241 4827
Fire Bowl Restaurant
Address:
Nongmeibung Road,
Angom Colony,
Imphal,
Manipur 795005
Classic Café
Address:
Inside The Classic Hotel,
North A.O.C,
Imphal 795001,
India
Phone No.: 3852443969
Life Cafe
Address:
Rengkai Road,
Churachandpur,
India
Phone No.: +91 8413-937285
Flavour
Address:
Thangmeiband Road
Opposite Dm College,
Imphal,
India
Happy Belly
Address:
Thangmeiband
DM College Road
Near Abc Godown,
Imphal 795004
Phone No.: +91 98 56 482493
Cafe Rita
Address:
The Classic Hotel,
Imphal,
India
Michelle's Sweet Temptation
Address:
Moirangkhom,
Yaiskul Main Road,
Imphal 795001
Phone No.: +91 9436021708
People's Popular Canteen Number 4
Address:
Behind Polo Ground,
BT Road,
Imphal 795001
Fresh Point
Address:
Chandel,
Imphal 795135
Phone No.: 08860559927
Uptown Cafe
Address:
Keishampat Aheibam Leirak
Opp: Cada Office,
Imphal 795001
Phone No.: 09774684811
Thoibi Hotel Restaurant
Address:
B.T. Park,
Imphal
Cine View Restaurant
Address:
Churachandpur,
Imphal
RTC Route39
Address:
Mantripukhri,
Imphal 795002
Phone No.: +91 82 57 034522
Elrey Restaurant
Address:
Churachandpur,
Imphal
Sauliim Restaurant
Address:
National Highway 150 B
Churachandpur,
Imphal
Takuppi Thokchom Restaurant
Address:
Ngaikhong,
Imphal
Laughing Buddha
Address:
Sagolband Moirang Leirak,
Imphal
Nikheel Café
Address:
North AOC,
Imphal,
Manipur 795001
A to Z
Address:
Kwakeithel,
Imphal,
Manipur 795001
Rita Café
Address:
Classic Café,
North A.O.C,
Imphal, Manipur 795001
Phone No.: +91-385-2443967
Sumo's Hotel
Address:
Chingamakha,
Singjamei,
Imphal,
Manipur