Joshimath Joshimath
Living in the mountains mostly in places that are not easily accessible the people of the district have been able to preserve their culture, folklore, folksongs and folkdances, the last, a distinctive feature of the district, being seasonal, traditional and religious, some of the better known being described below.....Read More
Pahari Cuisine





Chainsoo
Chainsoo is prepared by using black gram daal. Normally due to the high protein content in this daal it is difficult to digest. However it is said that the bad effect gets nullified by roasting. Similar preparation with slight variation is made out of black bhat (a varity of soyabeen), but in that case it is called bhatwani.

Ingredients
Black Gram seeds(Kali Urd whole) - 1 cup
Oil - 1/2 cup ( preferably mustard oil)
Garlic - 4 to 5 cloves
Cummin seeds - 1 tsp
Black pepper - 4 nos.
Red chillies whole - 4 to 5
Asafoetida - a pinch
Dry coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chillies powder - 1/2 tsp
Water - 3 cups
Salt - 3 tsp or to taste
garam masala-1/2 tsp

Method
1. Place an iron frying pan (kadhai) on a moderate flame. Put Sabut Urad (black gram) in it and roast it without oil for about 3 to 5 minutes or till the pleasant aroma of roasted seeds comes. Do not over cook it. Take off the flame. Grind the roasted seeds into a coarse powder.
2. Heat oil in the Kadahi and add garlic cloves.When the garlic turns lightl brown, add cumin seeds, red chillies,black pepper, and heeng (asafoetida)
3. Immediately add the daal powder and fry it for 1-2 minute or so. Add turmeric powder, dry coriander powder, red chillies powder, salt and water. Bring it to boil.
4. Cover and Cook till the daal becomes very soft. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Before taking off the heat, sprinkle garam masala over chainsoo.
Garnish with pure ghee and chopped coriander leaves. Serve with hot steamed rice.


Kafuli
Kafuli is a thick gravy preparation made from green leafy vegetables. Kafuli made of Spinach leaves is the most common preparation.

Ingredients
Spinach(Palak ka saag) - 2 bunches
Fenugreek leaves ( Methi) optional - 1/2 bunch
Green chillies - 4 to 5
Oil - 2 tbsp ( preferably mustard
oil) Garlic - 4 to 5 cloves
Ginger - a 3 cm piece
Cummin seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Dry coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Rice powder or rice paste - 1 tbsp
Curd- 2tbsp (optional)
Water - 1-2 cup
Salt - 2 tsp or to taste

Method
1. Wash Palak and Methi in running water. After washing, chop and boil both vegetables along with green chillies in a little water till tender. Mash into a paste using a blender.
2. Finely chop ginger and garlic. Heat oil in afrying pan. Add garlic and ginger in the hot oil. When the garlic turns light brown, add cummin seeds and asafoetida. Add mashed vegetables, turmeric powder, dry coriander powder and salt.
3. Add required amount of water to Kafuli and bring to boil. Now add rice paste or rice powder dissolved in water.
4. Cover and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes on slow fire till the gravy is is thick. If dry add some water and boil.
Garnish with pure ghee and serve hot with roti or steamed rice.


Jholi
In Garhwali Jhol means very thin gravy. Jhol can be made out of tomatoes, potatoes and other tubers. On the other hand Jholi is gravy made out of curd. It is comparatively a much thicker jhol and similar to phanu in preparation.

Ingredients
Besan or Rice flour - 1 cup
Curd - 3 cups
Oil or Ghee - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 4 to 5 cloves
Dry Faran or Cummin seeds - 1 tsp
Red chillies whole - 4 to 5
Asafoetida - a pinch
Dry coriander powder - !/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies powder - 1/2 tsp
Water - 3 cups
Salt - 3 tsp or to taste
Chopped spinach or fenugreek leaves -optional

Method
1. Jholi can be made of besan or rice flour. Mix besan, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Make it into a thick paste by gradually adding water, and continuously folding it with a spatula or karchi.
2. Now mix the paste with Curd and water. Churn the mixture well.
3. Take a pan or karahi and heat the oil. Add garlic cloves in the hot oil. When the garlic turns light brown, faran, red chillies and heeng.
3. Immediately pour the curd mix into the frying pan. Add turmeric powder, dry coriander powder, red chillies powder and salt.
4. Cook till the gravy starts thickening and the raw smell of besan is gone. Let the jholi cook for about 10-15 minutes. If you are using rice flour then cook it for few minutes more. Add more water to keep the consistency thin.
5. Before taking it off from heat, add handful of chopped spinach leaves or chopped spring onion leaves. Cook for few more minutes till the leaves are tender.
Garnish with a table spoon full of ghee, coriander leaves and green chillies( slit apart into two pieces) and serve with bhaat (steamed rice)


Phaanu
Phanu is also made of dals (lentils) like chainsoo, but in this case the dals are soaked in water for about 4 to 6 hours before its use. A different variety of dals like- Gahat, Arhar or green Mung can be used to prepare Phanu.

Ingredients
Gahat or Kulath (Horse gram) - 1 cup
Oil - 1/2 cup ( preferably mustard oil)
Garlic - 4 to 5 cloves
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Green chillies - 3 to 4
Jakhiya or Cummin seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Dry coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Water - 3 cups
Salt - 2 tsp or to taste

Method
1. Soak the Gahat daal in water overnight. If using Arhar daal, soak for 1-2hrs.
2. In the morning wash and rub the daal in running water so that it is free of seed covering (chilka). Then, grind it into a dry thick paste in a mixer or on a silbatta along with green chillies, garlic and ginger.
3. Place a tawa on a moderate flame. Put some oil and make thick pancakes ( like cutlets ) daal paste. Use only half of the paste for making the cakes.
4. Mix water with the remaining paste making it of pouring consistency. Heat oil in a pan and add jakhiya seeds and heeng. Now add Gahat paste, turmeric powder, dry coriander powder and salt.
5. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes on slow fire. Add the Gahat cakes to the gravy and continue simmer for another ten minutes. The gravy should have pouring consistency. If thick add some more water and heat till it boils.
Garnish with pure ghee and chopped coriander leaves . Serve with steamed rice.


Til ki Chutney
This chutney is mainly prepared during winters and is yummy with Tor ki daal n' Bhaat or with Gahat ke paranthe. It can also be used as a dip for various snacks.

Ingredients
Til (sesame seeds)- 3-4 tbsp
Corriander leaves- 1 bunch
Garlic cloves- 3-4 nos.
Green chillies- 2-3 nos.
Yoghurt or Lemon Juice- 3-4 tbsp
Salt to taste
sugar 1/2 tsp (optional)

Method
1. Dry Roast Til seeds in a pan on a moderate flame for 4-5 minutes. Take care not to overdo it.
2. Grind Til seeds with corriander leaves, garlic cloves and green chillies. Add lemon juice or yoghurt and grind to a fine paste.
3. Adjust salt and sugar.


Thechwani
Thechwani can be prepared using radish root (pahari mula having round root) or potatoes. The preparation is called by this name as the radish root or potato is never cut, but crushed (thinchao) into pieces.

Ingredients
Radish root - 3 to 4
Potato - 1
Oil or Ghee - 2 tblsp
Garlic - 4 to 5 cloves
Ginger - 3 cm piece
onion-1 medium chopped
Tomato- 1 medium and chopped
Dry Faran or Cummin seeds - 1 tsp
Red chillies whole - 4 to 5
Asafoetida - a pinch
Dry coriander powder - !/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies powder - 1/2 tsp
Water - 6 cups
Salt - to taste

Method
1. Wash and peal the radish and potatoes and crush them into small pieces. Crush also ginger and garlic.
2. Heat oil in the frying pan on a moderate flame. Stir-fry crushed garlic and ginger in the hot oil. Add crushed radish and potato. Fry the mix for 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
3. Add cummin seeds, red chillies, asafoetida in the remaining oil, add chopped onion and fry till light brown. Put turmeric powder, dry coriander powder, red chillies powder . Fry for few seconds. Add fried vegetable and chopped tomatoes and salt and some water.
4. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining water and pressure cook or cook on a slow fire for about 30 minutes or till the radish becomes soft.
Garnish with corriander leaves and green chillies( slit apart into two pieces).


Baadi
Baadi is made from Kwada ka Aata (also known as Choon or Mandua flour and is black in color) Baadi is best eaten with Gahat ki dal or Phaanu.Hot Baadi and hot Phanu is very popular food in Uttaranchal.

Ingredients
Kwada ka Aata - 1-2 cup
Water - as required
Ghee - 1-2 tbsp

Method
1. Heat water in a pan till it boils.
2. Now mix Choon (kwada flour) in water and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add ghee to it and serve hot.



Roat
During marriages and other family or religious functions certain traditional Garhwali dishes are prepared, the most important among them are Roat and Arsa, besides `urd ki pakori, pooris , kaddu ki bhujji and alu-tamatar ka jhol are the most common dishes made during these occasions and the festive seasons

Ingredients
Whole meal wheat flour (Gahun ka atta) - 2 cups
Cold milk - 1/2 cups
Butter Oil (Ghee) - 150 grams
Green cardamom (Ilaichi) - 1/2 tsp
Aniseed (Saunf) - 1 tsp
Jaggery(gur) - 1 1/2 cups
Water - 1 cup

Method
1.Heat the water and dissolve the jaggery in it. Sieve the jaggery solution through a muslin cloth. Set aside, and allow the solution to cool.
2. Mix thoroughly the wheat flour with the milk along with two-tbsp. ghee. Add Saunf and Ilachi, mix well. Add the jaggery solution to the prepared wheat flour, gradually kneading it.
3. Continue adding the jaggery solution and kneading the floor till it turns into a stiff dough. Make thick roats like roties out of the dough.
4. Place an iron tawa on a moderate flame. Pour about a tsp. ghee on it. When the ghee gets moderately hot, place the roat on the tawa. Turn the roat upside down and add more ghee to cook if needed. Cook each roat till it becomes brown. Remove the roat from the tawa. Serve it when cool.


Arsa
Ingredients
Rice flour (Chawal ka atta) - 2 cups
Butter Oil (Ghee) - 150 grams
Resins - 100 grams
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Water - 1 cup

Method
1. Heat the water and dissolve the sugar in warm water. Allow the solution to cool and sieve it through a muslin cloth. Set aside.
2.Add the sugar solution gradually kneeding the rice flour into a soft dough. Place an iron frying pan (kadhai) on a moderate flame. Pour about 100 grams ghee in it. When the ghee gets moderately hot deep fry small poorie like arsas made out of the dough.
3. Cook each arsa till it becomes brown. Remove off the flame.


Alu tamatar ka jhol
Ingredients
Potatoes - 250 grams
Onion - 50 grams
Tomatoes - 100 grams
Ginger - 2 cm piece ( finely chopped)
Garlic - 4 to 5 cloves
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Garam masala powder - ½ tsp
Fenugreek seeds - ½ tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp ( chopped)
Ghee - ¼ tea cup

Method
1. Put the frying pan on a moderate flame. Pour the ghee and allow it to get hot. Add cumin and fenugreek seeds in the hot oil. When the seeds start crackling add garlic cloves and chopped ginger.
2. Stir-fry till the garlic and ginger turns slightly brownish. Now add chopped onion. Fry until onion becomes tender. Add red chili and turmeric powders, chopped tomatoes, and fry for a couple of minutes, till tomatoes become soft.
3. Add one teacup of water, add pealed and big pieces of potatoes and garam masala and cook for about 10 minutes in moderate flame.
4.Add 2-tea cup or more water and salt to taste and cook on slow fire for another 10 minutes until potatoes get tende