Uttarakhand’s food is mountain logic on a plate — lentils that grow on thin soil, greens that survive the cold, grains that store through winter, and sweets built for festivals. Skip the “North Indian thali” default and order these.
The savoury essentials
- Kafuli — the state’s signature: a thick spinach-and-fenugreek green curry, thickened with rice paste.
- Phaanu — slow-cooked mixed lentils, soupy and warming; the winter staple.
- Bhatt ki Churkani — black soybean curry, the Kumaoni favourite with rice.
- Aloo ke Gutke — spiced fried potatoes with coriander and red chilli; the universal side.
- Kaapa — palak batter cakes in curd gravy.
- Jhangore ki Kheer — barnyard-millet pudding; the dessert that isn’t overloaded with sugar.
- Chainsoo — roasted urad dal, ground and slow-cooked; rich and smoky.
The sweets and snacks
- Bal Mithai — Almora’s chocolate-brown fudge with sugar balls; the state’s most famous sweet (buy it in Almora).
- Singori — khoya sweet wrapped in Malu leaves; the Kumaoni gift box.
- Arsa and Gulgula — festival-time fried sweets from Garhwal and Kumaon kitchens.
- Buransh sharbat — rhododendron flower squash; the summer cooler of the mid-hills (bloom calendar).
Where to eat what
Almora’s bazaar for Bal Mithai and Singori; homestays in Garhwal for Kafuli done right; Rishikesh’s cafés for the modern mountain kitchen; and every roadside dhaba for Aloo ke Gutke with pooris. Kumaon and Garhwal cook differently — here’s why.
