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Tag: Pahadi

  • Aloo ke Gutke

    Aloo ke gutke is the signature potato dish of Kumaon, the eastern hill region of Uttarakhand. Potatoes grow well in the mountains, and every home has a version of this quick stir-fry, served as a snack with tea, at festivals and in the street stalls of Almora, Nainital and Haldwani.

    What makes it distinctly Kumaoni is jakhya, the tiny seeds of a wild mustard-like plant that crackle in hot oil and give a nutty crunch. Mustard oil, dried red chillies and generous amounts of red chilli powder make it hot and pungent, while fresh coriander and a pinch of turmeric balance it. The potatoes should be soft inside with crisp, spiced edges.

    Gutke are eaten with puri or bhang ki chutney (made from hemp seeds), alongside raita, or simply as a snack with tea. They are a common offering at Kumaoni gatherings. Because the potatoes are boiled ahead, it is one of the quickest pahadi dishes to make, ready within fifteen minutes on the stove. If jakhya is unavailable, cumin is the usual substitute, though the flavour will be milder and less distinctive.

    At a glance

    RegionUttarakhand
    CuisineKumaoni
    DietVegan
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time15 minutes
    Total time35 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspotato / jakhya seeds / mustard oil / red chilli

    Ingredients

    • 600 g potatoes, boiled, peeled and cut into 2.5 cm cubes
    • 3 tbsp mustard oil
    • 1 tsp jakhya seeds (or 1 tsp cumin seeds if unavailable)
    • 3 dried red chillies, broken
    • 1/4 tsp hing
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp amchur (optional)
    • 1/2 cup finely chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Boil the potatoes until just tender, about 12 minutes; they should hold their shape. Cool completely, peel and cut into cubes.
    2. Heat mustard oil in a heavy kadai until it smokes, then let it cool for 30 seconds and set the heat to medium.
    3. Add jakhya seeds and dried red chillies. Let them crackle and darken for 15 to 20 seconds without burning.
    4. Add hing, then immediately the turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder. Stir for 10 seconds.
    5. Add the potato cubes and salt. Toss gently to coat every piece with the spiced oil.
    6. Cook on medium for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally with a flat spatula, until the edges turn golden and slightly crisp.
    7. Add amchur if using and toss in most of the coriander. Garnish with the rest and serve.

    Tips

    • Cooled, day-old boiled potatoes give the best texture and do not break.
    • Jakhya burns quickly; have the spices ready before you add it.
    • Pahadi potatoes, if you can find them, are firm and slightly sweet.

    Serve with

    Puri or roti, with bhang ki chutney and raita.

  • Siddu

    Siddu is the comfort food of the Himachal hills, particularly the Kullu, Mandi and Shimla regions, where long, cold winters call for warm, filling food. Families make it on snowy days and festivals, and in recent years roadside stalls on the Manali highway have made it popular with tourists as well.

    The dough is wheat flour leavened with yeast and left to rise in a warm corner, then filled and steamed. Fillings vary from village to village: crushed walnuts and poppy seeds with green chilli and coriander, soaked urad dal ground with spices, or sweet versions with jaggery. Steamed siddu is soft, fluffy and slightly chewy, with a nutty, savoury centre.

    It is torn open and served with a generous pour of ghee, along with green chutney or dal. Leftovers are often pan-fried the next morning for breakfast. Siddu can be made a day ahead and re-steamed, and the walnut filling keeps in the fridge for several days. The steaming takes about twenty minutes, so plan for the dough to rise before you start, ideally in a warm kitchen.

    At a glance

    RegionHimachal Pradesh
    CuisineHimachali
    DietVegetarian
    CourseBread
    Prep time120 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time145 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientswhole wheat flour / walnuts / poppy seeds / ghee / yeast

    Ingredients

    For the dough

    • 2 cups whole wheat atta
    • 1 tsp instant dry yeast
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 tbsp oil
    • About 3/4 cup lukewarm water

    For the filling

    • 1/2 cup walnuts
    • 3 tbsp khus khus (poppy seeds), soaked 1 hour
    • 2 green chillies
    • 3 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1/2 inch ginger
    • 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
    • 1/2 tsp amchur or anardana powder
    • 1/2 tsp salt

    To serve

    • 4 tbsp ghee, melted
    • Green chutney

    Method

    1. Dissolve sugar and yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water and leave 10 minutes until frothy.
    2. Mix atta and salt, add the yeast mixture and oil, and knead with the remaining water into a soft, smooth dough, about 8 minutes. Cover and leave in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours until doubled.
    3. For the filling, drain the poppy seeds and grind with walnuts, green chillies, coriander, ginger, cumin, amchur and salt to a coarse, thick paste with no added water.
    4. Punch the dough down and divide into 6 balls. Roll each into a thick oval about 12 cm long.
    5. Spread a heaped tablespoon of filling on one half, fold over, and seal the edges by pinching firmly. Shape into a slightly flattened oval bun.
    6. Cover and rest the filled siddus 15 minutes so they rise again.
    7. Steam in a greased steamer or idli-stand over boiling water on medium-high for 18 to 20 minutes, until puffed and firm. A skewer inserted into the dough should come out clean.
    8. Cut each siddu open across the top, pour in ghee and serve hot.

    Tips

    • Keep the dough soft; stiff dough makes dense siddus.
    • A urad dal filling (soaked dal ground with ginger, garlic and spices) is the other traditional option.
    • Brush the steamer plate with oil or line it with a banana leaf so they do not stick.

    Serve with

    Plenty of ghee, green chutney or a bowl of dal.

  • Kafuli

    Kafuli is the green curry of Garhwal, the western half of Uttarakhand, made in hill homes with whatever leafy greens grow nearby: spinach, fenugreek and sometimes mustard or lai. It was traditionally cooked in a heavy iron kadai, which deepens the colour and adds iron to the dish, a real benefit in mountain diets.

    It is thicker and more rustic than palak paneer, closer to a thick gravy. The greens are boiled, ground and simmered with a paste of soaked rice (or besan), which gives body and a slightly creamy texture. Mustard oil, garlic, ginger, cumin and a pinch of hing give it a pungent, earthy flavour, with a little curd sometimes added for tang.

    Kafuli is eaten with steamed rice or with mandua (finger millet) roti, a classic Garhwali pairing. It is home food, simple, nourishing and quick once the greens are cleaned. Choose young, tender spinach and fresh methi with small leaves; they cook faster and taste less bitter. A spoon of the hot kafuli over plain rice with a little pickle is one of the simplest and most satisfying pahadi meals.

    At a glance

    RegionUttarakhand
    CuisineGarhwali
    DietVegan
    CourseMain course
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time55 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsspinach / fenugreek leaves / rice / mustard oil

    Ingredients

    • 400 g spinach, chopped
    • 100 g fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves, chopped
    • 2 tbsp raw rice, soaked 1 hour
    • 3 tbsp mustard oil
    • 1/4 tsp hing
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 dried red chillies
    • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
    • 2 green chillies, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1 cup water
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. Wash the spinach and methi several times. Boil 2 cups water, add the greens and cook 4 to 5 minutes until soft. Drain, reserving the water.
    2. Grind the cooled greens to a coarse puree. Separately grind the soaked rice with 3 tbsp water to a smooth paste.
    3. Heat mustard oil in an iron kadai until it smokes, then lower to medium. Add hing, cumin and dried red chillies.
    4. Add garlic, ginger and green chillies and fry 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic turns light golden.
    5. Add turmeric, coriander powder and the greens puree. Cook 5 minutes, stirring.
    6. Mix the rice paste with 1 cup of the reserved water and pour it in, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add salt.
    7. Simmer on low for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the kafuli thickens to a smooth, pourable consistency and the raw rice taste is gone. Add more reserved water if it gets too thick.
    8. Taste for salt and serve hot, straight from the kadai.

    Tips

    • Besan can replace the rice paste – whisk 2 tbsp with water before adding.
    • An iron kadai gives the authentic dark colour, but do not leave the cooked kafuli sitting in it for long.
    • Use less methi if you prefer a less bitter taste.

    Serve with

    Steamed rice or mandua (finger millet) roti.