Sohphlang — a wild Khasi forest tuber — eaten raw and thinly sliced with lemon, salt and green chilli as a fresh crunchy snack and palate cleanser.
Ingredients
300g sohphlang (Flemingia vestita — the wild Khasi forest root; it looks like small white-brown elongated tubers; available at Khasi markets in Meghalaya and sometimes at specialty Northeast Indian food sellers; substitute with water chestnuts or jicama for a similar crunchy experience)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1 to 2 fresh green chillies — very finely sliced
2 tbsp fresh coriander
Method
Wash sohphlang tubers thoroughly under cold water.
Peel the thin outer skin — it peels away easily like a thin coating.
Slice the peeled sohphlang into thin rounds or matchsticks about 3 mm thick.
The flesh is white, very crunchy and mildly sweet-starchy, similar to water chestnuts.
Place in a bowl. Add lemon juice, salt, very finely sliced fresh green chillies and fresh coriander.
Toss gently.
Taste — the sohphlang should be crunchy, mildly sweet, refreshing, tangy from lemon and spicy from chilli.
Serve immediately as a fresh snack or alongside a meal as a palate cleanser.