If you are booking your tickets for Shimla, this vacation, I am sure you have planned up your Mall Road shopping, Jakhu Ropeway trip to the Hanuman Temple, Shimla Christ church visit, and many other activities as per your to-do list. But amidst these lush green picturesque hills, are you planning to have the same old burgers, rotis, and dosas? Do not worry, we got just the right stuff for you. Nothing beats Shimla when it comes to the mouth-watering traditional food of all varieties. From decades-old street food to famous cafes, there’s always something cooking in Shimla for visitors of every taste. We serve you 7 famous traditional delicacies that you might check out when in Shimla.
Mash daal(commonly known as askali daal) is made with split black lentils. This special heart-warming daal is made after soaking the legumes overnight, pressure-cooking it and then simmering it in a heavy-bottomed pan along with a saute of fine onions, ginger, garlic shallow fried in warm mustard oil. Sounds lovely? You can try out this special dish with naan or sidu.
Sidu is the popular fresh Shimla bread made of yeast-kneaded wheat, mashed boiled green peas, roasted nuts, and paneer. It is a mouth-watering bread variety and is an out-and-out Himachal dish. Sidu is usually paired with Mash daal, ghee, and pudina/dhania chutney.
Madra is a traditional delicacy from the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. This dish is rich in nutritional and cultural values and is a part of every festive event in Shimla. Madras made of soaked chickpeas or veggies, prepared in warm oil and different seasonings such as cloves, cinnamon, cumin, and coriander powder.
Babru is another tasty delicacy of Shimla and is a Himachal version of the popular North Indian kachoris. Babruis made by stuffing soaked and groundeddaal paste to kneaded dough patties, which are then rolled and deep-fried. These hot deep fried kachoris are then served with tamarind chutney. Do not miss the street-version of Babru at the Mall Road.
Dhaam is a complete meal that comes with a wholesome promise of taste and nutrition. In Shimla, this traditional spread consists of dal, rajma, rice, curd, boor kiKadiand is complemented with home-madegur (jaggery). With every plate, Dhaampromises a variety of tastes and is a must-serve for celebrations and festivals in Shimla. During special occasions, Dhaamis prepared by special chefs known as botis.
After all these vegetarian delicacies, let us focus a bit on the non-vegetarian wonders of Shimla food. Thupka is a noodle soup of Tibetan origin and is prepared with a variety of fresh vegetables such as tomato, onions, spring onions, string beans, carrot, and chopped cabbage, with steamed meat pieces. Boiled noodles are also added to this meal which is prepared hot with ginger garlic paste, chili, and regional sauces. And interestingly, Thupkawithout meat is served as veg Thupka.
ChhaGosht is a must-have for mutton or lamb meat lovers. This dish is made with seasoned lamb meat marinated and prepared in a sauce of gram flour, yogurt, and spices.
I am sure your mouth is already watering. But well, you have to wait till you reach Shimla. So, list these up in your menu and get ready to experience a heavenly traditional foodgasm during your vacations. Have a good trip!