Top 10 Famous Dishes of Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand, also known as the Land of Gods, offers a delightful array of traditional dishes that reflect the state’s rich cultural heritage and use of locally sourced ingredients. Here are the top 10 famous dishes of Uttarakhand along with their recipes:

1. Aloo Ke Gutke:

A popular Kumaoni dish, Aloo Ke Gutke features boiled potatoes sautéed with spices like cumin seeds, red chili, and turmeric. It is often served with mandua (finger millet) or rice flour rotis.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 medium-sized potatoes, boiled and peeled
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons mustard oil

Recipe:

1. Cut the boiled potatoes into small cubes or pieces.
2. Heat mustard oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
3. Add the boiled potatoes and sauté until they turn golden brown.
4. Sprinkle red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well.
5. Cook for a few more minutes until the potatoes are nicely coated with spices.
6. Serve hot with mandua roti or rice flour roti.

2. Baadi:

Baadi is a traditional dish made from fermented soybean or black gram flour. It is cooked and served with ghee and often paired with leafy greens.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fermented black gram (urad dal) or soybean flour
• Water
• Salt to taste
• Ghee for serving

Recipe:

1. Take the fermented black gram or soybean flour in a bowl.
2. Add water gradually and mix to make a smooth and thick batter.
3. In a deep pan, bring water to a boil and add the batter, stirring continuously.
4. Cook the mixture until it thickens and forms a soft mass.
5. Remove from heat and serve hot baadi with ghee on top.

3. Bhatt Ki Churkani:

Bhatt Ki Churkani is a mouthwatering curry made from black soybeans cooked with spices and local herbs. It is a specialty of the Pithoragarh region.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup black soybeans (bhatt), soaked overnight
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons mustard oil
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Recipe:

1. Pressure cook the soaked black soybeans with water and salt until they become soft.
2. Heat mustard oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
3. Add chopped onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.
4. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they become soft and mushy.
5. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, and salt. Mix well.
6. Add the cooked black soybeans and cook for a few more minutes.
7. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with rice or roti.

4. Phaanu:

Phaanu is a lentil-based dish made from a mixture of different lentils, including gahat (kulath) and arhar (toor dal). It is slow-cooked with spices and has a distinct flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mixed lentils (gahat, arhar, and urad dal), soaked overnight
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Recipe:

1. Pressure cook the soaked lentils with water and salt until they become soft.
2. In a separate pan, heat ghee and add cumin seeds.
3. Add chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
4. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
5. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they become soft and mushy.
6. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala, and salt. Mix well.
7. Add the cooked lentils and mix everything together.
8. Cook for a few more minutes until the flavors are well combined.
9. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or roti.

5. Ras/Thhatwani:

Ras is a traditional dish made from various lentils like urad dal and rice flour, combined with spices and cooked to a thick consistency. It is often enjoyed with steamed rice or mandua rotis.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup urad dal, soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Recipe:

1. Grind the soaked urad dal into a smooth paste.
2. In a pan, heat ghee and add cumin seeds.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
4. Add the urad dal paste and cook on low heat until it thickens.
5. Add rice flour, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Mix well.
6. Cook until the mixture becomes thick and leaves the sides of the pan.
7. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice or mandua roti.

6. Bhang Ki Chutney:

Bhang Ki Chutney is a unique chutney made from hemp seeds, locally known as bhang, combined with spices and herbs. It is a famous accompaniment to many dishes.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup bhang seeds (hemp seeds)
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• Salt to taste
• Water as required

Recipe:

1. Grind all the ingredients together into a smooth paste, adding water as needed.
2. Adjust salt and chili as per your taste preference.
3. Serve this unique chutney with parathas, rice, or as an accompaniment to any meal.

7. Gahat (Kulath) Soup:

Gahat Soup is a nutritious and flavorsome lentil soup made from horse gram (kulath dal), often garnished with local spices.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup gahat dal (horse gram), soaked overnight
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Recipe:

1. Pressure cook the soaked gahat dal with water and salt until it becomes soft.
2. In a pan, heat ghee and add cumin seeds.
3. Add chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
4. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
5. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they become soft and mushy.
6. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Mix well.
7. Add the cooked gahat dal and mix everything together.
8. Cook for a few more minutes until the flavors are well combined.
9. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot as a nutritious soup.

8. Kafuli:

Kafuli is a green curry made from spinach or fenugreek leaves, cooked with buttermilk and local spices. It is a staple dish in Uttarakhand cuisine.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup spinach or fenugreek leaves, finely chopped
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Recipe:

1. In a pan, heat ghee and add cumin seeds.
2. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
3. Add chopped spinach or fenugreek leaves and cook until they become soft.
4. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Mix well.
5. Gradually add buttermilk and stir continuously to avoid lumps.
6. Cook on low heat until the mixture thickens.
7. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or roti.

9. Chainsoo:

Chainsoo is a spicy and thick curry made from roasted black gram (urad dal) and is usually paired with rice or rotis.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup roasted black gram (urad dal) powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Recipe:

1. In a pan, heat ghee and add cumin seeds.
2. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
3. Add roasted black gram powder and mix well.
4. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Mix everything together.
5. Cook for a few more minutes until the flavors are well combined.
6. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or roti.

10. Bal Mithai:

Bal Mithai is a famous sweet delicacy from Uttarakhand, made from khoya (reduced milk) and coated with sugar balls. It has a unique taste and is a favorite among locals and tourists alike.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup khoya (reduced milk)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• Ghee for greasing
• Sugar balls or white sugar for coating

Recipe:

1. In a pan, heat ghee and add khoya. Cook until it becomes slightly brown and crumbly.
2. In another pan, make sugar syrup by boiling sugar and water together until it reaches a 1-string consistency.
3. Add the cooked khoya to the sugar syrup and mix well.
4. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
5. Take small portions of the mixture and shape them into small balls.
6. Roll the balls in sugar or coat them with white sugar.
7. Let them cool completely and serve these sweet delicacies.

Enjoy these famous dishes of Uttarakhand, and savor the unique flavors and traditional taste of the region!