Mid-Day Anniversary: Lin Laishram reveals why she started Manipuri cloud kitchen Akhoi

If yoursquore seeking different cuisines you can count on Mumbai to deliver Kashmiri wazwan Bengali homestyle mutton curry Tamil Nadursquos prawn sundal or Korean staple bibimbap mdash name it and yoursquoll get it in the Maximum City But authentic Manipuri food remained largely absent from its culinary map Until model and actor Lin Laishram decided to change thatThrough Akhoi her Versovabased cloud kitchen the Manipurborn actor has built something that goes far beyond serving meals of her home state Every few months she hosts intimate popups in Versova where diners learn about the world she left behind In this byinvite experience they discuss the history of ingredients forgotten recipes farming practices in Manipur and the stories that make up every dish on the menuWas Akhoi born out of homesickness Or from the desire to make Manipuri culture more visible ldquoA mix of bothrdquo Laishram smiled before saying ldquoI missed the food and flavours I grew up with I also realised that despite Mumbai being such a diverse city Manipuri cuisine was largely invisible Akhoi became a way to stay connected to home while also making my culture visible through foodrdquoThe Manipuri style thali consists of rice ooti eromba singju and paneerUnlike other regional Indian foods that most diners recognise instantly Manipuri dishes often required introductions before they could be appreciated ldquoWhen I started Akhoi in early 2025 I spent a lot of time explaining almost every dish because people couldnrsquot understand what they were ordering Our most popular dish Singju needed the most explanation Itrsquos a spicy salad with layers of herbs textures and flavours Once people understand the culture and history behind it they appreciate it in a completely different wayrdquo she beamedThat has become the philosophy behind every Akhoi gathering The meals are meant to acquaint people with a place that many Indians know surprisingly little about Before guests leave they understand why certain herbs grow only in Manipur how fermentation is central to everyday cooking and why recipes evolved the way they did ldquoFood has a deeper meaning connected to culture geography and the history of a community Manipur is incredibly rich in all of that At our popups people come not just to eat but also to listen and engage with the stories behind the ingredients and traditionsrdquoFor someone from the Northeast those conversations are often necessary Despite years of visibility in films sports and fashion stereotypes about the region continue to persist ldquoMany mainland Indians assume that people from the Northeast eat only meat and that our food is bland In reality Manipuri cuisine has a variety of vegetables herbs and fermented ingredients So food has become one of the best ways for me to challenge those misconceptionsrdquoThatrsquos evident in the popups which rarely resemble conventional dining experiences For a few hours ordinary office space gives way to something closer to a cultural gathering ldquoOur chef Nikesh Asem and I create an experience involving smell touch and storytelling so it feels less like a restaurant event and more like inviting people into our worldrdquo she smiledAsked what surprises firsttime guests the most Laishram said ldquoFish mint It has nothing to do with fish but the herb has a naturally fishy aromardquoAround the world food has increasingly become a way for countries and communities to tell their stories For Laishram Akhoi plays a similar role And she wants to do it in Mumbai the city that gave her a career and her husband Randeep Hooda ldquoMumbai has already become home for me What Irsquom trying to do is bring a piece of Manipur into this home Inclusiveness is what guided me Akhoi creates a space where people from different backgrounds can come together share a meal hear stories from Manipur and connect with a part of India they may never have experienced beforerdquoQuick Five with Lin LaishramYour favourite dish on the menuChicken curry itrsquos cooked with lots of herbs and is flavoursomeRandeep Hoodarsquos favourite dish on the menuBlack rice kheerIf yoursquore having only one dish at Akhoi make itBlack rice kheerIf you love spicy food you gotta orderEromba Itrsquos a spicy dish of boiled veggies mashed with fermented fish or with fried onions and herbs for vegetarians A drink you want to incorporate in the menuFermented rice drink