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Heritage Walks In Shimla

SPECIAL FOOD IN SHIMLA

If you are wanting to savour a typical hilly food, Shimla hosts a wide variety of food items. From regional specialities to seasonal delicacies, Shmla offers enumorous variety to suit your taste buds. Some of the iconic dishes of the place you can try out during your visit are:

1.

Madra

Madra is a curd and legume based curry from the himachali cuisine, a delicacy of Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. Made with chick peas, or kidney beans (Rajmah) or Black eyed beans (Rongi) and curd, Madra is a very popular dish in Himachali cuisine served with steamed rice. Prepared with different seasonings such as cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cumin seeds, coriander powder and turmeric powder, Madra is one of the dishes served in a himachali food feast along with various other dishes on various occasions.
aloo ka madra2
aloo ka madra1
siddu

2.

Sidu

Sidu is a bread delicacy prepared in Shimla. It is also a famous dish of Mandi and Rohru. The bread is made out of wheat kneaded with yeast and then stuffed with mashed green peas, roasted peanuts, walnuts, paneer, mashed potatoes and is usually paired with dal, hot red sauce or green chutney and desi ghee.

3.

Dhaam

Dhaam is a traditional feast celebrated in Himachal Pradesh. Dhaam is prepared and served on every joyful event or celebration in the family. Be it occasions of marriage, birthday party, retirement party or any religious day, dham is a meal for any auspicious occasion. In dham the meal is served in various courses. At first, cooked rice and moong dal is served, followed by madra made with rajmah and curd; palda, khatta (sweet & sour gravy made with tamarind, jaggery and black chanas) and maa ki daal (urad sabut). In the end meetha bhatt (sweet rice) or rice kheer or mithha (made of boondi) are served as a dessert. Dhaam is also served in the temples on most of the religious festivals or auspicious days. Dham is cooked only by botis (a particular caste of Brahmins who are hereditary chefs) in brass utensils called “Batohi”.

4.

4. Babru

Babru is like a kachori or puri stuffed with soaked black gram (whole urad dal) and jaggery syrup and is then deep fried. They are served with tamarind chutney or any sabzi. Babru is famous in Mandi, Kangra and Chamba.

5.

Boondi ka Mithha

Boondi ka mitha is a traditional delicacy of Himachal Pradesh. The dish is prepared from soaked, mashed and fried urad dal balls, which are dipped into a sweet syrup along with dry fruits. Mithha (meaning sweet) is served as dessert with plain rice after the traditional meal ‘Dhaam’.
boondi ka mithha3
boondi ka mithha2
boondi ka mithha1

6.

Teliye Ma

Teliye ma or urad sabut dal cooked in oil, is another famous dish in most parts of Shimla. The dal is soaked over night and half cooked in pressure cooker. It is further marinated in curd along with cloves, dal chini, cardamoms, turmeric powder and salt. After that the dal is simmered in mustard oil with asafetida, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds. The dish is served with rice, well garnished with dry fruits.

7.

Kale Chane ka Khatta

Kale Chane ka khatta is a Himachali dish served in Dham. Soaked, boiled black grams are cooked in sweet and sour gravy of gram flour (besan) with a dash of jiggery and mango powder (amchoor). The dish is served with plain rice.
kale chane ka khatta
pahari kukkad2
pahari kukkad3
pahari kukkad1

8.

Pahadi Kukkad (Hilly Chicken)

As the name suggests, Pahadi Kukkad is famous among the non vegetarians in the hills. The dish is prepared in spinach gravy with very little masalas, retaning the actual flavours and green colour of the spinach. A lip smacking dish, Pahadi Kukkad is served with rice or flat breads.

9.

Chha Gosht

Chha Gosht is another Himachali delicacy prepared seasoned lamb meat in a gravy made of besan (gram flour), yoghurt, ginger garlic paste and lots of spices which include- asafetida, cardamoms, red chilli powder, coriander powder, bay leaf.

10.

Chicken Anardana

Chicken Anardana is another Pahari delight flavoured with dry pomegranate seeds and has a tangy flavor. Chicken Anardana is cooked in yoghurt with lots of spices, cashew and khus khus pastes, which add a special texture and flavour to it’s gravy. The dish is served with paranthas, naan or rice.

11.

Thukpa

Thukpa is a noodle soup of Tibetan origin, consisting of a variety of fresh vegetables like- tomatoes, string beans, onions, spring onions, carrots, and cabbage. It is made with meat or chicken as well.

thukpa