The afternoon namaz at Kalina Masjid has just got over when we enter the tiny lane that leads to the mosque. A benign rainfall is hardly posing a threat as we make our way to our destination, past the throng of people who have completed their prayers. We are headed to Northeast Groceries. It's about 50 metres from the masjid, and is the newest entrant selling indigenous ingredients in a neighbourhood that has a healthy population of people from the region. But we've been told that unlike its competitors, this one isn't any other grocery store. The air-conditioned space is instead dedicated to all sorts of unusual produce from the Seven Sisters. And that's just what we find out on entering through the sliding door after locating the shop with minimal effort.

The place is smaller than we expected, though. A roughly 50-sq ft area is lined with shelves on two sides, while a couple of fridges housing packed veggies occupy the far end with a cold storage container right next to them. Meme Muivah, who runs the store along with her siblings, is sitting at a compact counter in the near corner. Her helper is kneeling close to her, peeling bamboo shoots when we enter. These will later be fermented and packed for sale. Fermented bamboo shoots, in fact, are one of the most essential ingredients in Northeastern cuisine. They render a certain pungency to dishes typical to the region. And it's an encouraging sign that Muivah makes it from scratch.