Enticing East Indian Dishes

Gangtok ka Gundruk and Sinki Soup

The capital of the Sikkim state, Gangtok is a fine Buddhist pilgrimage spot famous for hikers to the treks of Himalayan range of mountains as also known for its drooling delicacies.
Gundruk and Sinki Soup is a delicious spicy and sour delicacy originated in Nepal, known as its one of the national dishes and relished as an appetizer or a side dish with the main course of meal. It is prepared sautéing in mustard oil with cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, diced green chilies, tomatoes, ginger, onions, garlic etc. seasoned with spices- like- salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder added with dry roasted soy beans,, Gundruk (fermented and sun-dried shredded leaves of mustard, turnip, radish, cauliflower etc.), Sinki (fermented and sun-dried roots of radish and tap root), lemon juice, water etc., simmered till the consistency of a gravy and served hot with steamed rice is enticingly flavoursome to try for its spicy and sour flavour.

Kurseong ke Momos

Also called as the ’Land of Orchid’, Kurseong is a beautiful hill station located at sub-divisional town in Darjeeling district of West Bengal. Situated at a height of 4783 ft, it is known for its serene and cool surrounding. With a plenty of tea gardens, there are a lot of places that attract the tourists, like- Jagdish temple, Buddhist Gompa, Kunsang Choiling Monestery, Eagle’s Craig, Rock Garden, Deer Park, Kholas- water-falls, springs, Kettle Valley, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Museum, Chimney, etc.
The signature Tibetan Moms are the most favourite spicy dish of the Kurseong savoured as a fast food. The crescent or round pleated wheat flour dumplings stuffed with sautéed finely cut, onions, garlic, ginger, cabbage, cheese, capsicum, green chilies, spring onions etc. seasoned with salt and pepper, steam cooked or deep-fried and served hot with spicy red chili-garlic chutney or Shezwam sauce are highly relished for its spicy flavour.

Pelling ka Thupka

Located at a height of 7200 ft, Pelling is a small town in West Sikkim and a base for trekkers to undertake arduous treks in the area, covered with alpine plants and remains snow clad during winters. A lot of Buddhist monasteries, waterfall, rock garden, holy rock of Rani Dhunga, sacred Khecheopalri Lake, Kanchenjunga Falls, Sikkim’s highest and second highest bridge in Asia, etc. allure the visitors to this enchanting heaven on earth.
Mouth-watering Thupka is a signature Tibetan noodle soup that finds it origin in eastern part of Tibet and northern part of Nepal and quite popular in Himachal Pradesh, Bhutan, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Ladhakh etc. and savoured during lunch or dinner. This traditional dish is prepared from cooked noodles fried in a thick soup with diced onions, string beans, carrot, cabbage, green coriander leaves, green chilies, garlic cloves, Dal water, vegetable broth etc. seasoned with salt, red chili powder, cumin powder, Garam Masala (assortment of several spices) and flavoured with soy sauce. The delicacy is served hot by garnishing with finely cut spring onions.

Aizawl ka Koat Pitha

The state capital of Mizoram, Aizwal located on a ridge at an altitude of 3715 ft has a soothing temperature of 20-30 °C during summers and 11–21 °C in winters is yet another hill station of North East India and attracts the visitors during summer vacations for its panoramic sites, like- Reiek Tourist Resort, Durtlang Hills, Hmuifang mountains covered with dense forest, Solomon's Temple, Khuangchera Puk cave, Folkland Amusement Park etc. as well Mizoram State Museum.
Koat Pitha is a traditional sweet delicacy of Mizoram has a striking resemblance to Unniappam of Kerala. These deep-fried luscious and crisp fritters are made from the batter of rice flour added with banana, melted jiggery a little salt and served hot are irresistible to try for its divine sweet flavour.

Darjeeling ki Sael Roti

Enjoying the reputation of being the 'Queen of the Hills', beautiful Darjeeling is a town in West Bengal and renowned for its tea industry. The tea of Darjeeling is famous across the globe. A popular tourist site, Darjeeling is famous for a number of British-style public schools that attracts a large number of students to get enrolled across the nation. Not only this, it has a variety of local delicious foods to satiate your hunger pangs.
One such delectable delicacy is its mouthwatering Sel Roti which is made during local Hindu festivals, like- Dashain, Tihar and Teej celebrated in Darjeeling and Nepal. The scrumptious dish is prepared from a semi-liquid batter of rice flour added with water, sugar, milk, pure Desi Ghee (clarified butter), banana etc., flavoured with ground green cardamom, deep-fried in pure Ghee or oil in ring shape and served hot is enticingly toothsome to try for its luscious flavour. The traditional sweet dish is offered to the God and consumed as a Prasad during Puja days and also prepared on wedding ceremonies.

Cherrapunji ke Bamboo Shoot Fry

Originally and historically known as Sohra, Cherrapunji/Cherrapunjee, a sub-divisional town in the East Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya (abode of clouds), is noted for being the wettest place in the whole world to have the highest rainfall in the country and replete with a lot of delicious local food delicacies. With an average annual temperature of 17.3 °C, it is an ideal spot to spent summer vacations in the most cheerful way. The place is also famous for a large number of living bridges with enthralling trees.
One of its famous delicacies here is the Bamboo Shoot Fry, a spicy delicacy from the local Khasi tribes relished as a side dish. It is prepared from the tender bamboo shoots cut into pieces, added with baking soda, stir-fried in oil with fenugreek seeds, seasoned with red chilies, salt etc. cooked on low heat and served hot is sure to tickle your taste buds.

Kalimpong ki Nepali Thali

Derived its name from Kalim (King’s Minister) and Pong (Stronghold), and ‘Ridge where we play’ from Lepcha, picturesque Kalimpong is an attractive hill station of West Bengl at a height of 4101 ft and famous for its educational institutions, many of which were founded during the British Raj. It is a major tourist attraction for its lush green mountain, rich flora and fauna, Kalinmpong Sciene Centre situated on the top of Deolo Hills, magnificent view of Kanchanjunga and many a snow covered peaks of glorious Himalayas, mind boggling landscapes and has a pleasant weather conducive to the tourists.
A scrumptious Nepali Thali (platter) is served with a variety of dishes, like- Dal, Bhaat, Tarkari, Roti, maize dishes, barley dishes, porridge like-Dhido, Gundruk and Sinki (fermented and dried greens), Saeo Roti (a sweet dish), Daal (a spicy stew) along with pickles, yogurt, chutneys etc. is highly tempting to savour for its varied spicy, tangy and sweet flavours to satiate your food cravings

Chhurpi of Dooars

Dooars/Duars literally meaning doors are mesmerizing outer foothills of the southern Himalayas and north to Brahmaputra river and famous for its countless streams and rivers from mountains of Bhutan. This charming place has many passages between the hills in Bhutan and plains of India. With mild weather in summers, the Dooars allure the visitors for its national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
Chhurpi also called as Dukha is a traditional cheese relished in Himalayan regions. While soft Chhurpi is consumed as a side dish with rice, its hard version is chewed like a betel nut. It is used in a number of ways, like in cooking with green vegetables to make these delectable, a stuffing item in Momos, grinding with tomatoes and chilies for chutneys and sure to make your lips smack with its exotic flavour.

These are some of the Enticing East Indian Dishes that can be easily prepared at home and are also available at the nearby street vendors or eateries abundantly. If you wish to know more about such delicacies and locate your nearby joints, download the app right away!