UTTARAKHAND’s LOST DELICACIES

Uttarakhand is the land of God, Nature, Worship and more than that it is the land of its culture, and its food adds up to more.

Traditional Food of Uttarakhand; Source: humansofuttarakhand

Located in the north western part of the country amongst the beautiful hilly terrain in northern India is the ‘land of natural beauty’, Uttarakhand. It is bordered to the northwest by the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, to the northeast by the Tibet, autonomous Region of China, to the southeast by Nepal, and to the south and southwest by the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

Uttarakhand has a highly varied topography, with snow-covered peaks, glaciers, deep canyons, roaring streams, beautiful lakes, and a few patches of dusty plains in the south. Some of the highest mountains in the world are found in Uttarakhand.

Three-fifths of the working population of Uttarakhand is engaged in agriculture. The steep slopes of the mountains require careful terracing and irrigation. The fields are sown more than once per year with wheat being the most widely cultivated crop, followed by rice and various types of millets. Other important crops include pulses oilseeds, mustard seeds, and assorted fruits and vegetables.

Uttarakhand is known for its landscape with mystical mountains, exhilarating adventure and simple cuisine. The food here is very tasty and made from locally-grown ingredients which doesn’t contain any complex spices. The two major cuisines of the state are Garhwali and Kumaoni.

Most of the food in the state consists of lentils and is generally cooked over a slow fire to enhance the taste of the dish. The tourists who visit enjoy the simple food of the local cuisine, sitting on the mountain, surrounded by clouds, away from the rush of the cities. The popular dishes amongst many are the aloo ke gutke, gahat and rabri which are generally enjoyed by all tourists.

But what is less know is that the natural essence of Uttarakhand’s food is slowly fading away. Lot of their traditional recipes have started disappearing from the local kitchens. Some of the unique and delicious recipes from the cuisines of Uttarakhand have started losing its prominence.

Chol roti a pancake that is made with whole wheat flour, caraway and jaggery is one of the forgotten recipe. The method of mixing ingredients and making a batter gave the name “Chol roti”. The roti is made from wheat batter rather than dough. It’s a perfect healthy tea-time snack which is tasty. The flavourings and toppings decide on the taste of the snack as sweet or savoury.

Another dish that is made from the commonly found weed hogweed, horse purslane, pigweed and tarvine is the Punarnava. These weeds are also used in Ayurveda and is said to be beneficial for liver, diabetes and kidney diseases. The name Punarnava means ‘new again’ and this dish which is made from the uncultivated greens is not only delicious but also very healthy.

Baadi or Vadi is made with cucumber, ash gourd, pumpkin, taro root and lentils. The mixture is prepared and sun-dried for seven to eight days under the low heat of winter sun. It is also a way storing the pulses for a longer duration. The difficult climate and harsh weather gave birth to the dish but it is slowly disappearing as the preparation is time-consuming and requires patience, and every region of the state has their own way of cooking baadi. The dish can be stored for an entire year without adding any preservatives.

Lapsi is a very delicious dish. It is Prepared in just six to seven minutes with milk, ghee, wheat or rice flour and jaggery. Lapsi is easy to digest and very healthy for new moms. The flour and milk are mixed nicely and cooked on low flame with the flavour of cardamom and jaggery. Made with milk and ghee as key ingredients, this dish gives good amount of heat and nourishment to the body during winter.

Mostly made during winter by stuffing a finger millet dough inside the dough of whole wheat flour Lesu is an unique flat bread which is flavoured with carom seeds, garlic salt and ghee that gives a delicious taste to it. This heavy roti keeps the body warm and protects from the chilly weather of Uttarakhand. Finger millet being a good source of antioxidants, also helps in keeping the liver and heart healthy.

It's completely fine to try and explore different cuisines of the world but one should always remember to preserve their traditional dishes. There are lots of such traditional dishes that are being lost due to people’s inclination towards modernization and western food. So next time whenever you plan to visit Uttarakhand don’t forget to taste these local dishes which are on the verge of disappearing.