A vacation is always a great time to relax. A time to indulge the senses. A time to embark on adventures and try your hand at new activities to make memories for a lifetime. One of the inseparable aspects of travel and vacationing is food. No vacation is complete without indulging in gastronomic adventures. The best way to understand a region’s culture is through the local food. Local cuisines are indeed windows to the heritage and culture of a place.

Indulge your taste buds

Himachal Pradesh, the land that is literally serenaded by the majestic presence of the Himalaya is a fairyland of sorts. Though its rich natural beauty and avenues for adventure are sure to enthral you. What one must indulge in is treating your taste buds to the flavours and aromas of the rich local Himachal cuisine. Sterling Kufri, a resort that nestles in the pristine environs of Kufri is a great place to relax. In keeping with its promise of ensuring that you holiday differently, Sterling curates the best of local food experiences for you.

The local food of Himachal Pradesh referred to as Himachali cuisine seems to have imbibed within its folds the fresh and healthy air of the Himalayas. The flavours of the cuisine are deeply influenced by the neighbouring Indian state of Punjab as well as the cuisine of Tibet. Most of the authentic Himachal dishes have an earthy flavour, are simple, and yet seem to emanate the aroma and flavours of a heavenly dish. It may be interesting to note that most of the dishes of Himachal Pradesh are slowly cooked, allowing the ingredients to fully absorb the flavours of the ingredients and come up with a unique taste and aroma. Also, many of the dishes are fermented. Partaking of the dishes of the Himachali cuisine is always a treat to the taste buds.

The cuisine has a predominance of non-vegetarian dishes owing to the paucity of fresh vegetables in the snow-clad regions. Rice, pulses, and lentils figure prominently in any traditionally Himachali menu. The food is generally rich and laden with spices cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, and turmeric. The generous use of buttermilk, yoghurt, and marinated butter adds to the smooth consistency of the dishes and also serves as a complement to the spices.

Exquisite Pahari cuisine

Though the Himachali cuisine is majorly non-vegetarian, Himachal Pradesh is famous for a centuries-old food tradition known as Dham. The Dham is the name given to Sattvik vegetarian food that is prepared without even the use of onions and garlic during festivals, weddings, and other religious occasions. The food is usually prepared by a Brahmin community known as Botis. The Dham was initially food prepared in temples and served as prasad to the devotees. Over time the Dham slowly became part of religious and family events like weddings and festivals. A typical Dham menu consists of rice, rajma curry, mash dal which is a dish cooked with three types of lentils, and a dessert of sweet rice. What is remarkable is that no vegetables are used in preparing the Dham meal. It is slow cooked in copper vessels over wood fire giving it a unique smoky flavour.

Some of the tempting dishes of Himachal Pradesh include Babru which is a Himachali version of north Indian Kachori, Pahari Chicken which is stir-fried chunks of juicy chicken garnished with ginger, coriander, and mint. Chha Ghost is another popular Himachali non-vegetarian dish made of marinated lamb in a mixture of cardamom, ginger, and red chilly powder.

Sterling Kufri provides guests with a delicious curated experience that brings alive the flavours and aromas of the Himachali cuisine in all its authentic and traditional best. An experience of indulging in the best of Himachali food sitting on a raised platform and eating from a traditional brass plate is one of the experiences to look forward to during your stay at the Sterling resort in Kufri. Planing a vacation to the hills? Book your stay with us at Sterling for that unforgettable experience.