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Andaman & Nicobar Cuisine

Calamari Rings

Same Tastes As Ever

Most of the population in Nicobar still resides deep in the jungles belonging to different tribes and following their olden day customs. These tribes are still dependent on the food they gather from these forests. Most of the time they are in search of food. There diet ranges from anything to everything. Their food contains of wild pig, honey, turtles, fishes, different roots and tubers.

In the recent past, one of the oldest tribes, The Great Andamanese, have seen a change in their eating habits. This can be attributed to their close contact with the tourists and outsiders. Tea, rice and flour have become regular ingredients in their diet. They are believed to be expert cooks and continuously experiment with their dishes.

Unlike the Andamanese, other tribes like Jarawas and Sentinelis are not quite comfortable with new foods or new methods of cooking. They still carry on the olden day methods of cooking without experimenting with new sources. The most prominent example of this is that of spotted deer. These animals were introduced into Andaman and Nicobar during 1920s. Their number since then, has seen drastic changes. Even though it is known for great meat, Jarawas still don't hunt it.

The availability of food and the difficulty of catching it decides the value of the food. That is why fruits and vegetables, roots and nuts are considered the lowest in the food chain. One of the most prized food items is the turtle egg.

So if you are one of those people who are game for any kind of food, you probably will have something new to eat and relish. However, even if you are not quite comfortable with experimenting with food; there are lot of tried and tested dishes like fish and turtles with an added flavor of Andaman and Nicobar cooking, that will let you have great cullinary moments.