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In the hilly region of Uttarakhand, comfort food is not about heavy, decadent meals, but light, simple ones. Here, the food is not about quantity; it’s about how a meal can give balance and warmth while still being light. Jholi Bhaat is one such dish that sits at the core of this ideology. This meal is a representation of how a meal is prepared in a pahadi kitchen, for the well-being of the body and not for show.
Prepared with curd or buttermilk, besan and flavoured with basic spices, cumin, mustard seeds, and garlic, jholi is warm, lightly tangy, and easy to digest. It’s not heavy; instead, it soothes and relaxes you, particularly after a long, heavy day.
In Garhwali and Kumaoni houses, Jholi Bhaat is not dedicated particularly to guests or festivals. It is the meal that is cooked when there is nothing planned, when families want simple and satisfying food that fills you without weighing you down. More than just a dish, Jholi Bhaat is a daily dose of nourishment, a reminder that good food does not need to be extravagant to feel complete.
The History Of Jholi Bhaat In Uttarakhand
Food cooked in the hills is often shaped by landscape, weather, and the availability of food resources. In the mountains, ingredients used in dishes have to be local, seasonal, and also easy to digest. As per these parameters, dairy, grains, and lentils or dals are the backbone of everyday food here. To this adherence, jholi occurred as a smart, innovative dish that was easy to make using local produce, seasonal, and also light on the stomach. It turned curd or buttermilk into a full meal using very minimal ingredients. With each passing generation, jholi became deeply rooted in pahadi households. As it is thin and prepared using buttermilk, like a 'jhol', meaning thin as water, so it got the name "jholi". You can think of it as a lighter version of North Indian "kadhi".
Why Uttarakhand Eats Jholi Bhaat Almost Every Day
People residing in Uttarakhand love to have jholi Bhaat as it fits flawlessly into the hill life. It’s light, fulfilling, and does not weigh down the body, which is very important in physically demanding routines that hills follow. The tangy jholi is paired with plain rice, which makes even a small portion satisfying. It’s also cheap, quick and easy to prepare, making it perfect for daily cooking, when resources are limited. It’s commonly eaten for lunch, often paired with seasonal vegetables.
The Summer And Winter Variation To It
There are two variations in which the jholi can be prepared. As it is prepared using buttermilk or curd, it helps in keeping the gut light and cool, making it a popular choice during the summer season. During winters, a local green produce, called "chansoor", is added to it. Chansoor is a leafy green grown in the mountain fields of the Uttarakhand region. It is believed that it helps in keeping the body warm from within and helps in digestion, which makes it perfect for the winter season. When the body requires more energy and warmth from within, when the hills turn cold, Chansoor ki Jholi becomes a must-have dish. It is light, nutritious, simple and deeply satisfying.
How To Make Jholi At Home
Here's how you can make this Pahadi delicacy to enjoy at home:
Ingredients
2 cups sour curd or thin buttermilk
2 tbsp besan (gram flour)
1½ cups water
1 tbsp mustard oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste
How To Make Jholi
Step 1
In a bowl, whisk curd, besan, water, turmeric, chilli powder, and salt to make a smooth, lump-free batter. Keep the consistency slightly thin.
Step 2
In a pan, heat mustard oil. Once it has reached the smoking point, lower the flame and add cumin seeds and crushed garlic to it. Let them crackle gently.
Step 3
Once the garlic turns lightly golden, slowly pour in the curd mixture. Keep on stirring continuously so that it does not curdle.
Step 4
Let the jholi cook on a low flame, while stirring in between. Cook until it gets a slightly thick consistency, and the raw besan taste vanishes completely.
Step 5
Adjust consistency with warm water if required. Jholi should be thin, pourable, and smooth, and not thick like kadhi.
Step 6
Simmer for another one to two minutes. Switch off the flame, and serve hot with steaming rice, simple aloo sabzi, radish, and a drizzle of ghee.
