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If there is one cuisine that deserves the attention of the culinary world and the foodies alike, it is the humble Sikkimese food. The hilly, chilly state has food that will introduce you to a whole new world of spices and flavours. The food of Sikkim is heavily influenced by Nepalese cuisine because of proximity and similar climatic conditions. Of course, the best place to have authentic taste of the food is Sikkim itself, where the dishes are freshly made with locally available materials. But if you are looking for options for dinner and want to try something new, here is our ultimate list for the perfect Sikkimese dishes that you can prepare at your home.
Kodo ko roti with tomato achaar
It is a flatbread made with millet that is the staple of Sikkim. It is slightly sweet in taste and is usually eaten with tomato achaar or chutney. Let us look at a simple recipe for it.
Kodo ko Rotti | Picture Credits : Instagram - @bimalapriya
Ingredients
- 1 cup millet flour
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon refined oil
- Water
Method
- Make a thick batter with water and salt.
- Put a little oil in a non-stick pan and spread the batter.
- Cook both sides on a low flame till the batter solidifies.
- Serve with tomato achaar.
Sha Phaley
A dish of Tibetan origin, Sha Phaley is a semi-circle shaped deep-fried bread item, stuffed with seasoned cabbage and minced meat. Delicious to eat, Sha Phaley is easy to make too.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- 300gms minced meat
- 2 cups chopped cabbage
- 1/4 cup garlic minced
- 1/4 cup minced ginger
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp stock
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
Method
- Knead your flour into a soft dough, cover it and keep it aside for 2-3 hours.
- Meanwhile, take a frying pan. Heat oil and add minced meat, cabbage, garlic, ginger, onion and salt and cook for 5 minutes.
- Put the mixture into a bowl and add the stock and soy sauce to it. Mix properly.
- Take out your prepared dough and roll it on a rolling pin to get a thick layer.
- Cut the rolled dough into circular pieces.
- Add filling into the circles and tightly wrap them in semi-circular shape.
- Heat oil in a large pan and one by one, deep fry the filled-up dough.
- Your Sha Phaley is ready to be served hot.
Dhindo | Picture credits : Instagram - @96food
Yet again a dish influenced by Nepalese culture, Dhindo is made by ground millet and is the staple dish of Sikkim. It is prepared by adding flour to boiling water. Dhindo can be eaten with any curry of your choice.
Ingredients
- 2 cups ground millet
- Water
- Salt to taste
Method
- Take a big pan and heat up water and salt in it.
- When the water reaches boiling point, start adding millet gradually.
- Keep adding millet and stirring the mixture continuously.
- When the mixture stabilizes, turns brown and takes a for, take it off the stove.
Kinema Curry
The perfect curry to go with your Dhindo and Kodo ko roti, it is made with fermented soybeans and is very popular in Sikkim. It has a unique, sticky texture.
Ingredients
- 200gms kinema or fermented soy bean
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 sliced tomato
- 4-5 green chillies
- 1/4 tbsp turmeric powder
- ¼ red chilli powder
- Salt to taste
Method
- Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onion.
- Cook the onion till it is soft and brown.
- Add tomatoes, turmeric powder and chilli powder and fry for 3-4 mins.
- Add kinema and cook well.
- Once it's cooked, add salt, sliced green chillies and fry for a few more minutes.
- Add a little water to make a thick curry and cover the pan.
- Cook for 10 minutes and switch off the flame.
- Serve hot with your Dhindo.
So, the next time you want to surprise your family with a different cuisine, cook these easy to make Sikkimese dishes and enjoy your dinner.
