Dishes of Himachal Pradesh-Food for the Hungry Soul

Himachal Pradesh apart from being blessed with breathtaking natural beauty, is also a tasteful blend of exquisite pahari cuisine that gives any traveller more than just one reason to fall in love with this beautiful mountains dotted state. Himachal Pradesh food dishes are the love of every foodie.

So here are few famous traditional Himachal Pradesh food dishes-

1. MADRA

Madra is a form of yoghurt and chickpea flour based gravy. This is cooked in every Himachali family, that too on a regular basis and is consumed with rice. There are varieties of madras like Chana Madra (which is the most famous).

Chana Madra is one such dish made with kabuli chane or white chickpeas and cooked in the gravy seasoned with assorted spices, ginger, garlic and onions.

2. PATHRODE

The name sounds quite funny, even for me it was a funny one. But ignoring that part, just concentrate on its taste and how delicious it is. A Himachali delicacy, Pathrode is steamed and rolled colocasia (arbi) leaves stuffed with a spicy batter of rice and dal. You can also lightly roast them in oil to make them crispy. And it tastes best when taken with sauce or with a chilly sauce. It is also the delicacy of Manglore.

3. SIDU

Sidu is a local bread made from wheat flour. The flour is kneaded and set aside for some hours for the yeast to settle and the dough to rise. This dough is put on direct flame of bonfire to be par-cooked and then later steamed to complete the cooking. This distinct bread is usually enjoyed with ghee or butter alone. This is commonly found in KULLU or MANDI. It is enough to charge up your taste buds.

4. TUDKIYA BHATH

It is type of pulao. Tudkiya Bhath is made with rice cooked with onions, ginger, garlic and yoghurt and spiced with bay cardamom, cinnamon, red chilli powder etc. This spicy rice dish is usually served with mash daal. Further it can be garnished by squeezing lemon on top of it.

5. RHODODENDRON (BARAH CHUTNEY)

It is a traditional recipe of district Kangra. Rhododendron locally known as barah is a flower present in hilly areas of Himachal Pradesh. It is red to maroon in color and slightly sour to taste. For making chutney, paste of fresh flowers of barah, onion, mint leaves, basin leaves, green chillies, salt and spices is prepared. It can accompany the main meal which is delicious in nature. Even few people consume the juice made out of these flowers.

6. CHHACHHA

Raw mangoes  are used for making chhachha. Onion and raw mangoes are taken in equal amount, peeled and grind together coarsely. Chillies, salt and sugar are added to taste. It is generally consumed with pulses. These were a few local food of Himachal Pradesh, which must be tried at least for once in your lifetime. They add a different flavour to our taste bud.

These food recipes could be actually called as the food which is desired by a hungry soul.

Yet, there are many more traditional food of Himachal which one must surely explore as it is worth exploring.
For any information regarding traditional recipes of Himachal Pradesh, you can email me at-meghagupta2310@gmail.com

-Megha Gupta

Edited by Mrinaal Datt

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