Northeast India's food culture is one of the most distinctive in the country — and one of the least explored by the rest of India. That's changing fast, as more people discover what this region has been quietly perfecting for centuries.Here are 10 Northeast Indian spices and pickles worth knowing — and ordering.
1. Axone (Fermented Soybean Pickle) The most iconic and most misunderstood food of Northeast India. Axone — fermented soybean — has a pungent aroma that is confronting at first and completely addictive once you understand it. The flavour is deeply umami, rich, and savoury in a way that transforms whatever it touches.Used as a pickle, a condiment, and a cooking ingredient across Nagaland and Meghalaya. If you eat only one Northeast food in your life, make it this.Best with: Plain rice. Nothing else needed.
2. King Chilli Pickle (Raja Mirchi / Bhut Jolokia)Made from the bhut jolokia — which held the title of world's hottest chilli for several years — king chilli pickle is genuinely, seriously hot. But underneath the heat is a fruity, floral flavour that makes it unlike any other chilli pickle in India.Not for the faint-hearted. Absolutely for anyone who takes their spice seriously.Best with: Rice, meat dishes, anything that needs fire.
3. Bamboo Shoot PickleTender young bamboo shoots, fermented and preserved into a tangy, crunchy pickle. Widely eaten across the Northeast — from Assam to Nagaland to Meghalaya — bamboo shoot pickle is earthy, slightly sour, and deeply satisfying alongside a simple rice meal.One of the more approachable Northeast pickles for first-timers.Best with: Rice, fish curry, grilled meats.
4. Dalle Khursani PickleThe round red chilli of Sikkim and the Northeast hills — dalle khursani — makes for one of the most intensely flavoured chilli pickles you'll find anywhere. The heat is immediate and bright. The flavour is fruity and complex.Popular across the Northeast and increasingly sought after by spice lovers across India.Best with: Momos, rice, noodles.
5. Dry Fish PicklePreserved dry fish, spiced and pickled in the Northeast style. Intensely savoury, slightly smoky, and extraordinary alongside rice. This is a flavour that is central to the food culture of many Northeast communities — particularly in Assam and Meghalaya.For those who love fermented, umami-rich flavours, this is essential.Best with: Hot rice, khichdi, dal.
6. Pork PicklePork is the heart of the food culture of much of the Northeast. Pork pickle takes the rich, smoky tradition of Northeast pork cooking and concentrates it into a ready-to-eat jar. Open it, add it to rice, and you have a meal.One of our most popular products — for good reason.Best with: Rice, roti, or straight from the jar.
7. Fermented Soybeans (Tungrymbai / Axone)As a cooking ingredient rather than a pickle — fermented soybeans are one of the most important flavour foundations in Northeast cooking. Added to curries, stir-fries and stews, they bring a depth and complexity that is impossible to achieve any other way.If you want to cook Northeast food at home properly, this is where you start.Best with: Pork stews, rice dishes, vegetable curries.
8. Sichuan Pepper Used widely in Manipuri cuisine, Sichuan pepper brings a unique quality to food — a numbing, citrusy tingle that makes other flavours pop. It doesn't add heat in the conventional sense. It transforms the way your mouth experiences everything else on the plate.Once you cook with it, you'll wonder how you didn't know about it sooner.Best with: Stir-fries, noodles, meat dishes.
9. Tree Tomato PickleMade from tamarillo — the tree tomato grown in the hills of Meghalaya and Nagaland — this is one of the more unusual and beautiful Northeast pickles. Tangy, slightly sweet, and with a depth that is entirely its own.A great entry point for people exploring Northeast pickles for the first time, and a genuine discovery for anyone who thinks they've tried everything.Best with: Rice, grilled fish, chicken dishes.
10. Dry King ChilliThe dried form of bhut jolokia — one of the hottest chillies in the world. As a cooking spice, it adds intense heat and a distinctive smoky, fruity flavour to whatever it goes into. Use sparingly. Use with intention. The results are extraordinary.A must-have in any kitchen that takes spice seriously.Best with: Curries, stews, marinades. Handle with care.
All ten of these — and much more — are available at thenortheaststore.com. Sourced directly from producers across Northeast India and delivered fresh to your door anywhere in the country.