Guwahati: Farha Naaz, a MasterChef India Season 8 contestant hailing from Guwahati, Assam, was recently chosen to spearhead a project to develop community-based tourism through culinary artistry in the Dirang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

Facilitated by WWF India (World Wide Fund for Nature-India), Farha Naaz embarked on a week-long journey to the Chug village, a community-conserved area, alongside seven women from the Monpa tribe to revive the essence of Monpa cuisine. The seven women were selected as a part of community-based tourism, a program under community conserved areas by the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) India that aims to help communities learn, grow, and showcase their rich heritage and preserve the forest and the tribe.

The Monpa tribe, predominantly found in the Tawang and West Kameng regions of Arunachal Pradesh, boasts a rich cultural heritage. However, their culinary traditions often remain untapped. Naaz, in collaboration with the selected Monpa women, delved into the depths of Monpa cuisine, shedding light on its intricacies and uniqueness.

Speaking exclusively to Business North East, Naaz shared insights into her experience with the Monpa women, reflected on her journey in MasterChef Season 8, and shed light on her fusion food brand, Mamazaki.

"People are not familiar with Monpa cuisine beyond momos and thukpas," Naaz shared with this platform. "There is a need to broaden culinary horizons and preserve indigenous gastronomic legacies." During her stint with the Monpa tribe, Naaz said, she unearthed a treasure trove of local ingredients, including a special tree oil utilized in ceremonial dishes such as corn cakes and local rajma beans, red rice, and yak butter. "There is an abundant use of foraged ingredients from the forest,"  she said, "This underscores the symbiotic relationship between the Monpa community and their natural surroundings."

Naaz's experience culminated in the curation of ten exquisite dishes. These dishes, infused with Monpa ingredients, will soon grace the tables of restaurants in the region, providing a glimpse into Monpa's culinary heritage.

From crafting millet momos with buckwheat and millet to concocting innovative desserts like bhatsa marku (a tibetan sweet dish) with fermented yak cheese (chura), Naaz said she is set to intertwine seamlessly with Monpa culinary traditions. Her creations, including grilled eggplant with walnut chamin (chutney), yak paneer, and foraged ingredients, showcase a harmonious blend of local flavors and contemporary finesse.

"Chug village in the Dirang district of Arunachal Pradesh is immensely blessed with juicy oranges with a balanced taste,"  Naaz told BNE. "I have curated three recipes with oranges: the first one is a marmalade, which is like a jam and can be stored for a longer period and consumed with pancakes, an orange salad, and buckwheat pancakes with a zest of oranges. We have tried to name the dishes according to Monpa traditions."

Mamazaki, Naaz's brainchild, has a strong foothold in Guwahati's culinary landscape and has garnered a profit margin of 50–60% and generated revenue upwards of Rs 40 lakh in the past eighteen months. Naaz's enterprise specializes in fusion cuisine. Her entrepreneurial journey commenced with a pop-up kitchen in August 2021. Offering menu consultancy and catering services, she, a self-made individual with a B.Tech in agriculture, embarked on her Mamazaki venture, infusing commonly used ingredients with a regional flair.

The word "Zaki" draws inspiration from Japan's Ghibli movie studio, while "Mama" comes from her mother, who served as a profound source of inspiration throughout her journey.

With platters starting at Rs 250, Mamazaki offers customizable options, including South Indian and Thai platters. Despite being bootstrapped initially with an investment of Rs 2 lakh, the venture has received funding from the North East Entrepreneurship Development Program (NEEDP).

Mango prawn noodles, a reimagined Bihu Jalpan, and Kalimpong noodles stand out as signature dishes, embodying Mamazaki's innovation and culinary excellence.

"Ranked among the top 22 contestants nationwide, I underwent two rounds of auditions in Guwahati, followed by two rounds in Kolkata. The final audition took place in  Mumbai," Naaz shared, recalling her MasterChef experience.

"The judges' favorite was the outenga (elephant apple) fish with black sesame seeds. Additionally, I showcased my best-selling dish, Kazi Nemu (citrus lemon) with chicken, in the Kolkata auditions, and presented my redefiend bihu jalpan as a fine dining experience," Naaz said. Celebrated Chef Vikas Khanna had high praise for one of her dishes in Masterchef India season 8—mashed fish—during the competition.

Observing a shift towards online food orders, Naaz mentioned that while people still dine in restaurants, they increasingly prefer enjoying food in the comfort of their homes. "At the same time, the younger generation is more adventurous with their food choices, contributing to the growth of the food and beverage sector in Guwahati."

Looking ahead, Mamazaki is aiming to expand its footprint with the launch of its own outlet, promising a curated culinary experience that celebrates Northeastern cuisine alongside global flavors. "As India focuses on its northeastern region, there is immense potential to showcase our diverse culinary heritage to the global market, leveraging the abundance of unique ingredients in the region,"  she added.

Naaz shared that, what she is doing, making, and the person she has turned into, is all because of Mamazaki.

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