Assamese language in the past. There are also significant Assamese-speaking communities in Australia, Dubai, the United Kingdom, Canada, Nepal and the United States. Assamese is the official language of Assam, and one of the 23 official languages recognised by the Republic of India. The Assam Secretariat functions in Assamese. The Assamese phonemic inventory consists of eight vowels, ten diphthongs, and twenty-three consonants (including two semivowels). Consonant clusters in Assamese include thirty three pure consonant letters in the Assamese alphabet. Each letter represents a single sound with an inherent vowel, the short vowel . The first twenty-five consonants letters are called "sparxa barna"
Assamese cuisine pounded in a mortar to make a coarse paste and served with rice. Fish eggs and innards are also cooked and consumed. The Assamese meat and fish dishes are characterized by low amount of spices and oil, higher quantity of ginger, noroxinghow paat (curry leaves), Khorisa (fermented bamboo shoot) and lemon juice, and differ completely in taste from the dishes of neighbouring Bengal. Local Chicken, Venison, Squab, Mutton, Duck and Pork is very popular among the indigenous ethnic tribal Assamese communities like Sonowals, Bodo, Rabha, etc. Upper caste Assamese Hindus, such as Assamese Brahmins(including Ganaks) and Kayasthas of Assam, Kalitas