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With the sheer avalanche of content available to us in 2024 it comes as a refreshing reminder to see that social media can still be a platform for more than cat videos and trending TikTok dances. When people harness the power of virality with a purpose, sometimes it can spark curiosity and change far beyond the original intent and Avantika Haflongbar – a chef and social entrepreneur from Assam – has been using her platform to do just that.
Avantika’s series of a daily ‘Thali Challenge’ has been a viral hit, and as she moves into the 160s, each video is racking up views in the hundreds of thousands sometimes even millions. In each video, she showcases what’s on her thali for the day – usually a mix of local greens, meats and traditional Assamese dishes – while explaining tidbits of information and health benefits which are rarely ever known to people beyond the region.
The food of India’s North Eastern states has long gone ignored, with most of the country living in partial or complete unawareness of its wealth of unique flavours. In the last few years, that tide has slowly been turning, and the food of Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya and more are becoming common sights in major cities around the country. What started as a casual series for Avantika to introduce people to more local produce has developed into an informative and in-depth exploration of Assam’s ingredients and the treasure of flavours the North East holds.
We caught up with Avantika to learn more about how the Thali Challenge began and why its so important to her.
What made you want to start this Thali Challenge and what is the concept behind it?
Reflecting on my journey, I realised I had been posting cooking videos for a while but became more organised in March, when I started making proper Thali videos. I wanted to share the food we eat, which I feel is underrated. I used to think that if I posted a lot about meat, I might be looked down upon, as Northeastern cuisine includes a lot of meat. However, after starting the Thali Challenge, I realised many people are unaware of the abundance of vegetables we have in our region. This challenge became a way for me to share the kind of food we rely on. In our culture, we depend on Jhum cultivation (shifting cultivation or slash-and-burn agriculture, which is a traditional farming practice that's been practised in Assam for thousands of years), which is a way of life for most of the Indigenous Dimasa people. They work in their own fields, following a year-long process to harvest their rice and vegetables. Jhum cultivation provides a bounty of 30 to 40 vegetables, and that is the beauty I wanted to share with the world.
What defines a Northeastern or Assamese Thali?
Most Northeastern Thalis use minimal masala. Typically, we rely on simple ingredients like The only masalas we use would be ginger, garlic, sometimes Thai coriander, dhaniya. The focus is on letting nature speak for itself, allowing the flavours of vegetables to complement each other. We avoid overpowering the dishes with spices, which might seem bland to some, but it brings out the natural essence of our ingredients. I get a lot of comments now and then, “why do you keep boiling and eating” but there are multiple ways to eat it. Life is just too short for you to eat such bland food, but for maximum flavor, we use very less spices.
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Are your Thalis built around Assamese ingredients or other regional ingredients from the Northeast?
I live in Haflong the only hill station in Assam, and belong to the Dimasa indigenous community. In my district, there are a total of 13 indigenous communities. Even though we are a part of Assam, the tribal communities share many common food styles and my Thalis reflect the food influences from various indigenous communities in our region. I also incorporate recipes from other Northeastern communities, like the Mizo, as my mother-in-law has taught me. It’s fascinating to see how different regions use similar vegetables in unique ways, and I love sharing these variations in my videos. And it's interesting, even with the amount of vegetables or greens that I use in my region, when I look at the other regions, the Manipur or Nagaland, the way they use it is totally different. So, I try to learn and incorporate that in my videos as well and share it.
Why do you often highlight the health benefits of the ingredients in your videos?
I feel that this realisation has come quite late in my life. I’m 39 now, and it’s only recently that I’ve made such a conscious decision about food. Everyone eats food, and everyone needs food, but this year has transformed how I view it. Since my husband and I began living and working closely with villages, particularly through my Dimasa handloom industry, I’ve started to see food differently. When you visit villages, the food is simple, nothing is wasted, and everything has meaning.
In one of my recent videos, I made a chutney using sinju leaves, which I discovered on the same day during a visit to a village. The villagers were excited and asked me to try it, and I later learned it was Vietnamese coriander, which has significant health benefits, including antibacterial properties. Living in the villages has taught me so much, and it has changed the way I view food.
Given how short our time on earth is, I believe we should understand what food provides us with and nourish our bodies with good food. Even in my small town, I’ve noticed an increase in fast-food restaurants, so through my videos, I try to connect with people. I receive comments from viewers saying that watching me eat makes them want to eat healthier, which I see as a major win. At least they are considering making better choices for their body and soul.
How would you advise people to enjoy a balanced Assamese thali at home?
In most places you have supermarkets that are open all the time. Here we have access to local vegetables grown by farmers, and we only have Saturday markets. Farmers from all around the district come to sell their produce. It’s often not much—they bring vegetables worth around 300 rupees and make a profit of about 100 rupees. I believe there needs to be a consciousness about what we eat. Many people have not seen this aspect of healthy eating, as they are influenced by mukbang videos and similar trends.
In my videos, I try to show foods that actually benefit us in some way. There’s always a choice: you can either go to the supermarket and buy packaged food, or take an interest in knowing where your food comes from. This shift in understanding will come when we change our outlook. Once we start recognising that our food comes from our forests and we begin respecting the forest, the farmers, and the land, I believe that’s when real change will happen. That’s what I’m striving to do.
All images via @roohi_haflongbar/Instagram