Local lobster marinated in a paste of coconut milk, lime juice, and garlic, then grilled over open flames — a tropical delicacy served on many beaches. 1)
A rich fish curry infused with aromatic pandan leaves and coconut — a nod to Southeast Asian flavors, rarely found in mainland Indian cuisine. 2)
A spicy, dry-fried dish made from locally caught octopus, sautéed with onions, garlic, and chili — loved in tribal and coastal communities. 3)
Among the indigenous Nicobarese tribes, dugong (sea cow) meat was traditionally consumed, usually roasted over fire. (Note: now protected, this is more a historical curiosity.) 4)
Indigenous recipes involve marinating wild boar meat in fermented juices and spices, then slow-roasting it underground or over hot coals. 5)
Delicately spiced red snapper curry with hints of tamarind, garlic, and turmeric — showing the influence of Burmese cuisine brought by settlers. 6)
A home-style curry combining South Indian spices and fresh island-grown coconut, cooked slowly for depth and creaminess. 7)
Stir-fried with onion, garlic, and chili paste, this dish uses locally foraged shellfish, cooked just until tender and served with rice. 8)
A humble and hearty vegetarian dish of taro leaves, simmered in coconut milk and spices. Sometimes cooked with tiny shrimp for added umami. 9)
Cooked with freshly grated coconut, pandan leaves, and coconut milk, this mildly sweet rice is often served with spicy curries or fried fish. 10)
Using the inner stalk of the banana plant, this dish is both fiber-rich and flavorful, often cooked with lentils or fish bones. 11)
A pungent, traditional fermented fish paste mixed with wild herbs and chilies — eaten with boiled yams or rice. Strong, bold, and utterly local. 12)
Breadfruit, grown across the islands, is diced and cooked in a turmeric-coconut gravy with mustard seeds and curry leaves. A rare island vegetable dish. 13)
Whole crab cooked in a spicy tomato and coconut masala, served messily with fingers and loved across beachside dhabas and homes. 14)
A simple dessert of sago pearls, palm jaggery syrup, and coconut cream — lightly chilled, with both South Indian and Southeast Asian echoes. 15)