As vast as the Himalayas

There are many cross-border cuisines bound by the string of the Himalayas. In this edition we discover a lesser known cuisine from the pristine land of hills.

The Himalayas are an ultimate destination, not only for Indians but for people from all over the world. While the mountain range has gained huge popularity (for all the right reasons) its native culinary scene has shied away from most travellers. One of the most common statements that you’d come across whenever visiting the Himalayas would be ‘Bhai khane ka bohot dikkat hua (Got troubled for food)’ or ‘Sirf Maggi, momos aur thukpa hi sahara hai agle saat dino tak (Have to depend on Maggi, momos and thukpa for the next seven days)’

But trust me on this when I say that this place has an elaborate range of scrumptious and appealing dishes that you cannot afford to miss.

Right from Sukutu Sadeko (Buff jerky) to Yomari (Himalayan dessert), dishes originated from the lap of Himalayas will never fail to satisfy your cravings. As the mountains are spread over five countries (India, Bhutan, Nepal, China and Pakistan), the cuisine encompasses multiple cross-border flavours. Chef Daulat, who has been into this unique food scene for the past six years, expresses that a lot of people have some misconceptions regarding the cuisine. He shares, “Vegetation in all parts of Himalayas is minimal. And cold is a constant friend. Thus, meat has become an essential constituent.’’ If you want to get a taste of the Himalayas at home, here’s something to give you a sneak peek. But, for the rest, you need to go out and explore.

There is more use of meat as a result of lack of vegetation in Himalayas