Sougri Kangsoi

Name: Sougri Kangsoi
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Manipuri
Ingredients: 20-25 leaves - Roselle leaves; As required - Dry fish (Nga Ayaiba); 2-3 pieces - Ngari (Manipuri fermented fish); 1 piece - Spring Onion; As you like - Salt; 4-5 pieces - Chili; 1/2 cup chopped - Winter Leek

Sougri Kangsoi, a light Manipuri stew made with sour roselle leaves and onions. A refreshing summer dish, simple, tangy, and easy to digest.

Image: Mathou Kh

Main Dish

Vegetarian

Veg Meal

Meetei

Curry

Manipuri

Quick & Easy

Fresh

Sougri Kangsoi

Sunday, February 13, 2022 5:05:38 PM GMT By : Mathou Khangembam

5.0 2 Reviews Add Review

Sougri Kangsoi, a light Manipuri stew made with sour roselle leaves and onions. A refreshing summer dish, simple, tangy, and easy to digest.

7 Ingredients
15 Mins
4 People

Sougri Kangsoi is a classic Manipuri dish prepared with the tender, sour leaves of the Sougri plant. Known in other regions as Roselle, Deccan hemp, or Kenaf, Sougri belongs to the Malvaceae family and has long been valued in Meitei cuisine for its refreshing tang and lightness.
In Manipuri cooking, the leaves are the primary edible part of the plant. However, in the case of the Silhot Sougri variety (Roselle), the sepals are also consumed, adding another layer of flavor. Both the leaves and sepals carry a natural sourness, which makes Sougri Kangsoi distinct among traditional stews.
A Summer FavoriteThe sour taste of Sougri, combined with its easy availability during the warmer months, makes it a quintessential summer vegetable. Sougri Kangsoi is light, easy to digest, and cooling—perfect for balancing the body during hot weather. Its gentle tang pairs beautifully with rice, offering a refreshing contrast to richer curries and fried dishes.
Simplicity and FlavorSougri Kangsoi is prepared in the style of Kangsoi, a traditional Manipuri stew that highlights boiling vegetables with almost no heavy spices. The focus is on freshness and lightness. In this dish, spring onions or regular onions and sliced green chillies are essential, lending sweetness and aroma to balance the sourness of the Sougri leaves. Potatoes may be added optionally for body. The result is a clean, tangy broth where the sour leaves remain the star, supported by the gentle flavor of onions and the occasional soft bite of potato.
Unlike heavily spiced curries, Kangsoi dishes are known for their clean, subtle flavors. Sougri Kangsoi embodies this philosophy perfectly—it is wholesome, light, and deeply satisfying without being overwhelming.
Cultural SignificanceSougri Kangsoi is more than just a seasonal dish; it reflects the resourcefulness and balance of Manipuri cuisine. By using locally available greens and highlighting their natural taste, the dish connects food with the rhythms of nature. It is a reminder that Manipuri cooking values freshness, simplicity, and harmony with the environment.

Sougri Kangsoi

Preparation Time
5 minutes

Cook Time
10 minutes

Total Time
15 minutes

Servings
4 servings

Ingredients
7 ingredients

Directions
3 steps

Ingredients

Primary

	20-25 leaves - Roselle leaves
	1 piece - Spring Onion
	As you like - Salt
	4-5 pieces - Chili
	1/2 cup chopped - Winter Leek
	As required - Dry fish (Nga Ayaiba)
	2-3 pieces - Ngari (Manipuri fermented fish)

Directions

1 Prepare the ingredients
Slice the onion in pieces, chop the ginger, cut the chili in half (raw is more preferred) and chop some Winter leek.
2 Let's cook Roselle leaves
Boil 1 liter of water and add sliced onion, ngari, chilli, chopped ginger. Add some dry fish if you want.
3
After 2-3 minutes, add that Roselle leaves and chopped Winter leek and add salt as required. Turn the heat off. Don't let it boil for more than a minute.