Guess what are those elongated things? Lemons. In Mizoram and the rest of the North East, lemons are the size of small mangoes. While the region is known mainly for meat-eating, to the extent that vegetarians draw concerned looks upon saying they are heading to the North East, the seven sisters also boast of a rich variety of vegetables and fruits.

For instance, there is a red coloured fruit the size of a tomato – I forgot its name. It was incredibly sour, with an empty space inside, between the seed and the flesh. Or take Hatghora, a sour drink made from this citrus-like fruit which was almost always sold – tellingly, given that Mizoram had prohibition till a couple of months ago – in McDowell whisky's plastic bottles.

Contrary to popular perception, Mizo cuisine is quite rich in vegetables. It's also very healthy. Mizos mainly boil their food. Very little oil is used. One of the more prominent vegetable preparations, Bai, is boiled vegetables. Minus the gravies and spices, one can actually taste the vegetables.

One day, I tasted dog meat. That too had been boiled and stewed in strongly flavoured leaves.