Book excerpt: Discover the flavours of the North-East. If there is one part of this country that is yet to be discovered, at least in terms of its cuisine, it is the North-East. The kitchens of the North-East are the source of an extraordinary range of dishes that blend tradition and innovation in unexpected ways. The basic tribal diet of jungle produce has, over the years, been influenced by various other communities-the Thais, who once ruled over some parts of the territory; the Chinese, because of their proximity; and the Bengali migrants-and it is this unusual combination that makes the food of this region unique in India. With a variety of new recipes from the eight states of the North-East-now including Sikkim-this updated cookbook will help you transform the most ordinary meal into an exotic experience.