Uttarakhand Cuisine: 16 Lip-Smacking Dishes You Must Try During Your Trip In 2024!

Indian Cuisines are famous worldwide for the special blend of spices and mouth-watering flavours. The delicious flavours attract people from all over the world. People often visit India to experience the taste of such aromas. Uttarakhand is one such state in India that serves you up with that extra – delicious to creative savoury which must be appreciated for its amazing delicacies to subtle flavours.Uttarakhand is famous for the perfect use of the Panch Phoron or the five spices plus other spices varieties. Uttarakhand Cuisine proffers a highly tempting blend of the piquant spices with their ultra-fine aromatic flavours. While having a joyful trip to the famous hill stations of Uttarakhand, you will eventually be welcomed with the aromatic flavours of the famous Panch Phoron plus rest spices in recipes you taste and feel their presence in the traditional food of Uttarakhand that have attained global popularity.

16 Dishes From Uttarakhand Cuisine

Uttarakhand is famous for its views and for the food it offers. From main course items to sweet dish, each and every dish of Uttarakhand speaks for itself. Let’s discuss the famous food of Uttarakhand which remains as enchanting as the state itself is looked at.

Kafuli – Mouthwatering Dish
Bhang Ki Chutney – Flavorful Experience
Phaanu – Lip-smacking Delicious
Baadi – Traditional Food
Aaloo Tamatar Ka Jhol – Taste And Nutrition
Kandalee Ka Saag – Must Try Dish
Chainsoo – Delicious
Dubuk – Tasty Meal
Aloo Gutook – Excite Your Palate
Jhangora Ki Kheer – Tasty Dessert
Thhatwani – Nutritious And Flavorful
Garhwal Ka Fannah – Protein Rich Dish
Kumaoni Raita – Beat The Heat
Gulgula – Sweet Affair
Arsa – Sweet Tooth
Singori – Sweet Delicacy

1. Kafuli – Mouthwatering Dish

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Taste the famous blend of green leafy vegetables in the form of Kafuli which is the most traditional food of Uttarakhand from the Pahari cuisine. It is offered to all guests and is loved by the Pahari inhabitants as much as travellers seeking to taste something unique. It is an amalgamation of green leafy vegetables which is a rich source of healthy nutrients. Two main ingredients which are essentially required to prepare such dishes are Spinach and Fenugreek Leaves. Both are added together and cooked in the pot followed by salt and spices. Kafuli is popularly known as the State Food of Uttarakhand. It is served with the gravy made out of the paste of rice or wheat and water.

Main Ingredients: Spinach Leaves, Fenugreek Leaves, Spices, Rice Powder, Curd, Water and Salt.

Rich Source Of: Protein, Fiber, Vitamin A,C,E and other minerals.

Must Read: 15 Best Places To Visit In Uttarakhand In December For A Refreshing Escape

2. Bhang Ki Chutney – Flavorful Experience

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As Uttarakhand is mainly a mountainous region, a mixture of different food tastes is available here. Any cuisine of Uttarakhand will easily reflect and carry a pinch of some tangy flavours commonly liked by the locals. One such dish named Bhang Ki Chutney delivers the tangy tamarind taste. It remains a famous food of Uttarakhand to be tasted as recommended to the travellers by the locals. It is served as a sauce made from different spices and condiments. This lip-smacking savoury is served with the Pahadi food creating a spell on our taste buds.

Main Ingredients: Bhang seeds, Cumin Seeds, Hemp Seeds, Lemon, Red Chillies, Tamarind.

Rich Source Of: Vitamin C

3. Phaanu – Lip-smacking Delicious

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Considered another most popular food of Uttarakhand, Phaanu is the complex of different varieties of lentils. It is prepared by mixing lentils soaked overnight in water. It appears to be as a type of soupy meal. It is consumed primarily with rice. Phaanu will definitely create a spell on your taste buds.

Main Ingredients: Lentils (Arhar, Gahat), Oil, Spices, Turmeric, Water.

Rich Source Of: Protein.

4. Baadi – Traditional Food

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Baadi remains the most popular food of Uttarakhand. It is not only famous for its delicious taste but also it carries all the nutritional elements essential for the human body. Indeed, it is a combination of taste and nutrition and so is it considered as best traditional Food of Garhwal region in Uttarakhand. Prepared from the black coloured kwada ka aata, it is best served with Phaanu.

Main Ingredients: Kwada Ka Aata, Water, Ghee

Rich Source Of: Vitamin B12, Vitamin A

5. Aaloo Tamatar Ka Jhol – Taste And Nutrition

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Aaloo Tamatar Ka Jhol is one of the clear attention grabbers amongst all the palatable dishes from the popular cuisine of Uttarakhand. A highly tempting blend of incredible aroma and mouth-watering flavours, it can be prepared in the least time which is the unique speciality of this tremendous dish. It is as easy as the people of Uttarakhand simple yet awesome. You just need to steam some potatoes. Curry of tomatoes along with onions is prepared separately. This famous food of Uttarakhand will for sure make you feel fresh after the tough excursion of the whole day.

Main Ingredients: Potato, Tomato, Onions

Rich Source Of: Vitamin C, Carbohydrates

6. Kandalee Ka Saag – Must Try Dish

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Uttarakhand Cuisine meticulously chooses the delights taste buds to make the most use of the available resources in the state. What if you are getting splendid flavours and all essential nutrients in the same delicacy! Yes, Kandalee Ka Saag offers altogether the piquant aromatic spices and proper vitamins essential for your immune system. Major ingredients of it impart the taste and flavour to almost all food items of the Uttarakhand that include the leafy vegetable and major local spices. Kandalee Ka Saag is a green leafy veggie prepared just like other green vegetable dishes. However, its main ingredient Bichhu Ghas makes it different from the rest similar dishes.

Major Ingredients: Bicchu ka Ghas, Onions, Ghee, Spices.

Rich Source Of: Vitamin A

7. Chainsoo – Delicious

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One of the most popular recipes in the Garhwal region namely Chainsoo is prepared from the Urad Dal. A popular Uttarakhand Cuisine will definitely contain the bulk of protein and essential nutrients. Chainsoo due to its higher protein content might take some time to digest but still, this delicious savour deserves a try! Toasting the lentils initially and then making a fine paste out of it is a foremost step to prepare this delicacy. You enjoy the aromatic flavour of this famous food of Uttarakhand especially because of its unique cooking method of keeping that in an iron kadai on slow flame.

Major Ingredient: Urad Dal, Ghee, Spices

Rich Source Of: Protein

8. Dubuk – Tasty Meal

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If you have to pick the tastiest meal out of all the delicious dishes and the perfect state food of Uttarakhand, then give a try to Dubuk. Enjoying the title of one of this most popular food Of the Uttarakhand, Dubuk is helpful for your stomach and can be easily assimilated. It is ideally served with rice and Bhang Ki Chutney making it subtle in taste and carrying a twist of Tang too. To prepare it, Bhat Ki Dal or Arhar Ki Dal is converted into fine paste followed by its slow cooking in a kadhai. It is commendable, especially during wintertime. Dubuk lovers reap the benefits of its mesmerising taste throughout the year.

Major Ingredients: Arhar (Bhaat Ki Dal), Spices, Onions

Rich Source Of: Protein and other nutrients

9. Aloo Gutook – Excite Your Palate

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Aaloo Gutook is a purely mesmerising recipe from the famous cuisine of Uttarakhand similar to its people—simple yet incredible one. It is specially made on all occasions like birthdays and family functions. This popular food of uttarakhand entices everyone just to savour it. Undoubtedly, it can be declared as a regional food of Kumaon yet becomes the food for the heart when served with the Bhang ki chutney, Pooris and famous Kumaon Raita. Every house in Uttarakhand has its own way to make it yet all of them maintain amazing delicacy. Prepared with the steamed potatoes and garnished by red chillies and coriander leaves, this dish at least deserves a try during a trip to this state.

Major Ingredients: Potatoes, Onions, Coriander, Red Chillies

Rich Source Of: Vitamins and carbohydrates

10. Jhangora Ki Kheer – Tasty Dessert

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Indians are habitual of having some sweet after the square meals and Garhwali cuisine too practice that tradition. Taste the regional yet unique sweet namely Jhangora Ki Kheer whose aroma is awesome. A famous recipe of the state, its main ingredient Millet makes it distinct. Milk acting as the main ingredient makes it rich in texture and nutrition.

Major Ingredient: Milk, Millets, Sugar

11. Thhatwani – Nutritious And Flavorful

Make sure you taste one of the tastiest recipes from the Uttarakhand Cuisine namely Rus or Thhatwani which is a blend of lentils and spices.It is highly rich in the nutrients and remains a famous food of Uttarakhand to try at least once.

Major Ingredients: Lentils

Rich Source Of: Protein

12. Garhwal Ka Fannah – Protein Rich Dish

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This dish is considered as a staple diet in Mussoorie. The dish is not only delicious but is also appealing enough to feast your eyes. Be it any small occasion or a large gathering of people or a restaurant on every nook and corner; this dish will find its place in the menu. It is a famous dish of Uttarakhand and will leave you asking for more.

Main ingredient: Kulad dal
Rich source of: Protein

13. Kumaoni Raita – Beat The Heat

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Just like Bhang ki Chutney accompanies every dish of Uttarakhand cuisine, Kumaoni Raita is also found with every dish in Uttarakhand. Prepared with curd, turmeric, and cucumber; Kumaoni raita is a dish that you will relish and ask for more. While ingredients play their role in maintaining health, the divine taste keeps the mouth watering.

Main ingredient: Curd and cucumber
Rich source of: Protein

14. Gulgula – Sweet Affair

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Gulgula is a delectable sweet which is popular not only amongst the locals but tourists as well. The dish can either be consumed as a snack or a dessert. It is made using very basic ingredients, primarily jaggery. Gulgula is now famous in many parts of North India as a delicious dessert.

Main ingredient: Wheat flour, sugar, fennel seeds
Rich source of: Calories

15. Arsa – Sweet Tooth

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Arsa is a sweet dish that has made its place in every household in Uttarakhand. It is a famous dish of Uttarakhand. This sweet dish of Uttarakhand cuisine is delicious and low on calories which makes it popular amongst the diet-conscious generation as well. There is no occasion or festival that is complete without the presence of Arsa in the food menu.

Main ingredient: Rice
Rich source of: Potassium

16. Singori – Sweet Delicacy

Image Credit: Vinaysharmahbd for Wikipedia

Locally also called Singodi or Singauri, this is considered a sweet dish in Uttarakhand which is made of Khoa. The unique thing about this sweet dish is that it is wrapped and served in a Maalu leaf. It can be found in Almora which is located in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand.

Main Ingredients: Khoa (dairy product of thickened milk)
Rich Source Of: Protein and Carbohydrates

Further Read: Uttarakhand In June: Your Personal Guide For A Blissful Vacay In Summer

While travelling to Uttarakhand, you should have a well-planned itinerary where to go and what to explore. But don’t forget the amazing dishes from Uttarakhand cuisine to make your travel experience worthwhile and get to know the Pahadi culture better!

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Frequently Asked Questions About Uttarakhand Cuisine

What are the stay options in Uttarakhand camp?

There are a number of stay options in Uttarakhand for adventure enthusiasts to stay during their camping. The options include luxury tents, luxury cottages, basic tents, and cottages.

What are the facilities offered in camp?

The camps in Uttarakhand offer various facilities that ensure your stay to be a peaceful and enjoyable one. Some of the common facilities include attached washrooms, hot and cold water, safe drinking water, sit-out area, garden area.

Which is the best time to go camping in Uttarakhand?

The best time to go camping is during the summer months as winter months are not that accessible for the purpose of camping.

Can I enjoy adventure sports during camping? What kind of sports can I enjoy?

Yes, you can enjoy a large number of adventure sports during camping. Such sports include river rafting, rock climbing, trekking, hiking, paragliding, and many others.

Is camping in Uttarakhand meant for the family?

Yes, camping in Uttarakhand is completely meant for family, adults, friends.

Is paragliding done in Uttarakhand?

Yes, paragliding is done in Uttarakhand in several places where you can enjoy the sport under the supervision of trained specialists.

What activities can I enjoy during camping?

You can enjoy a diverse range of activities such as walking through the lush green forests, setting a bonfire at night, and so on.

How much does it cost to go camping in Uttarakhand?

Camping in Uttarakhand with price starts from INR 2000 and goes up till 6000.

Tanishk Juneja

Experience the world through captivating stories of adventure and travel. As a senior content writer, I bring my passion for exploration to life, crafting tales that take you on a journey. With my words, you’ll feel the thrill of discovery and the joy of experiencing new cultures. Let me turn your imagination into a reality with stories that inspire you to explore and embrace the world.