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The Himalayan region is home to more than 53 million people. With the Himalayan region divided by several cultures living there for centuries in the lap of nature, pahadi cuisine demonstrates the wide use of natural resources available in the mountains as a speciality that nobody should miss.
Pahadi cuisine, as one can get the idea by its name, is a cuisine that originated from the mountainous region of the Himalayas. It describes the culinary culture and habits utilised in the mountainous regions of states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The cuisine especially relies on the seasonal crops and vegetables. The most notable thing about Pahadi cuisine is its simplicity and use of minimum resources available to create an indulging feast of flavours.
Pahadi cuisines such as Kumaoni, Garhwali, Ladakhi and Himanchali cuisine have been nurtured in the region for centuries and hold a significant religious value in every dish. Today, we will introduce you with eight such pahadi dishes that you can try at home.
Gulgule
Starting off with something sweet, gulgule are served before and after the meal to activate the taste buds so we can indulge more in the meal. Gulgule are prepared with whole wheat flour, sugar or jaggery, mashed banana and fennel seeds. The fluffy and delicious balls offer a delicious taste and can be eaten at any time of the day as a snack.
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Baal Mithai
Pahadi cuisine is especially inspired from our centuries-old tradition. Every meal in pahadi cuisine represents an ancient tradition and cultural practice associated with respecting ancient gods. This dish demonstrates just that. Bal Mithai is a popular Kumaoni sweet that is made with roasted khoya, coated with white balls of sugar and poppy seeds. This fudgy sweet serves as a prime offering to the Sun god.
Aloo Ke Gutke
Aloo ke gutke or pahadi aloo is a simple yet satisfying dish popular in the pahadi regions. It is a regional dish originated from the mounds of Uttarakhand. The potatoes grown in the hilly regions hold a unique taste and are very popular in the region. Aloo ke gutke is made with boiled potatoes fried in mustard oil along with spices such as asafoetida, chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric. The dish is majorly served with ragi roti.
Thukpa
A widely loved pahadi dish in the country, thukpa has gained a massive fan following ever since the Dalai Lama’s mother introduced it in India. The original recipe of the noodle soup is prepared with noodles cooked in a meat or vegetable broth, today we can find many variations of it in every corner. It's comforting and hearty flavour soothes the mind and body during cold weather.
Khatte Chane
The tantalising taste that khatte chane offers is unmatched. A celebrated recipe in Himachal Pradesh, this tangy and sour dish is an inherent part of himachali cuisine. This dish is made with black chickpea cooked with gram flour, jaggery and spices in mustard oil. Khatte chane are associated with the himanchali traditional feast called Dham. It is usually served with rice.
Jholi
The spicy sister of kadhi, jholi is a curry recipe prepared with curd and spices and instead of chickpea flour the rice flour is added. It is a harmonious combination of spices and flavours. Compared to kadhi which uses besan, jholi has a cold potency since the traditional recipe uses rice flour. You can also use besan as per your preference.
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Bhey
Bhey is a traditional north Indian dish made with chopped lotus stem mixed with several herbs and spices. The chopped lotus stems are steamed until tender and are cooked in mustard oil along with onion, ginger, garlic, gram flour and spices. Bhey is served as a part of the thali in the north Indian cuisine along with roti.
Dhindo
Dhindo is a famous Nepali dish prepared with rice flour gradually added into hot water and cooked with ghee along with salt or sugar. It is a part of thali in Nepal and serves as a comforting meal for cold weather. Apart from rice flour, any other flour can be used to prepare dhindo.
