Assamese cuisine The 'poitabhat' preparation is sometimes made alcoholic according to preference. Side dishes called "pitika - পিটিকা" (mashes) is a signature characteristic of this cuisine. The most popular is "aloo pitika - আলু পিটিকা" (mashed potatoes) garnished with raw onions, mustard oil, green chillies and sometimes boiled eggs. "Khorisa tenga" is mashed fermented bamboo shoot, sometimes pickled in mustard oil and spices. "Kharoli" is fermented mashed mustard ("Brassica campestris" var. toria) seed to which a "khar" has been added, and "kahudi" to which an acidic agent (lemon juice, dried mangosteen) has been added. "Pitika"s are also made from roasted or steamed
Indian cuisine such as bottle-gourd and eggplant are usually added to "dal". Pickles are an essential part of the local cuisine; popular among those are mango-based pickles such as "avakaya" and "maagaya", "gongura" (a pickle made from Kenaf leaves), "usirikaya" (gooseberry or "amla")," nimmakaya "(lime), and tomato pickle. Dahi (yogurt) is a common addition to meals, as a way of tempering spiciness. Breakfast items include "dosa, pesarattu" (mung bean "dosa"), "vada", and "idli". The staple food of Arunachal Pradesh is rice, along with fish, meat, and leaf vegetables. Many varieties of rice are used. Lettuce is the most common vegetable, usually prepared