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With the mountains standing tall and mighty, and the green valleys dark and deep, Uttarakhand is a haven for all nature lovers, looking for hearty respite from the urban jungle, but the state has so much more to offer for the foodies too. The cuisine mainly comprises food from two different sub-regions, Garhwal and Kumaon, while the ingredients are the same, the treatment differs. The cuisine is known for its free use of ghee, lentils, pulses, local vegetables, and herbs. The food is also wholesome and high in energy to suit the nutritious requirements of people living in cold and mountainous regions. There is a range of sweets too that make the cuisine all the more refined and varied. It must be noted that most of these sweets are traditionally prepared with copious amounts of ghee and nuts, which is again very fruitful for mountain dwellers. Let’s have a look at some of the sweets.
1. Bal Mithai
Bal Mithai, is a brown, chocolate-like fudge. This soft and chewy fudge is covered in tiny white balls that are essentially, sugar-coated roasted poppy seeds. The Mithai itself is made of roasted Khoya and is a popular treat in both Garhwali and Kumaoni household.
2. Singori
This unique sweetmeat hailing from the region of Kumaon is made with Khoya and is wrapped in maalu leaf (Bauhinia variegata). It is in a shape of a cone, and in terms of taste it is similar to Kalakhand.
3. Jhangore Ki Kheer
This Pahadi pudding is not made with rice and milk, but with barnyard millet, also known as Jhangora. Take out a pan, boil some barnyard millet, milk, sugar and garnish with kewra essence, almonds and raisins. And you are done.
4. Malai Ladoo
This melt-in-your-mouth made with khoya, crumbled paneer, some desiccated coconut, and cardamom is straight-up addictive. This festive season, try making some at home and see for yourself.
5. Singhal
You can call it the Pahadai doughnut, this deep-fried, sweet snack is a popular tea-time treat. To make this, take a large bowl, add semolina, thick yogurt, mashed banana, sugar and green cardamom powder. Add enough milk to make a smooth batter and then shape them and start frying.
How many of these Pahadi sweets have you tried? Do let us know.
