Aloo ke Gutke

A  typical Garhwali or even Kumaoni dish, Aloo ke Gutke has a long history, neatly tucked away in Uttarakhandi kitchens. The dish doubles up as a snack as well as a side (when served with dal and a steaming bowl of rice). In fact, Aloo ke Gutke also pairs well with pooris and chapatis. Not only is it one of India’s oldest recipes but also is perfectly apt for the younger, more health conscious demography, since it is completely vegan.

Mustard oil and boiled potatoes are the crowning ingredients in this recipe. The reason why mustard oil is used is specifically to lend the pungent taste, a must for this dish. The fascinating thing about the dish is that it is prepared differently within the state itself, depending on the region. For example, in Garhwal, the dish is prepared using Jakhya (also spelled as 'jakhiya'; this is a tiny seed that resembles mustard and is spluttered in hot oil in much the same way, during the tempering process. Jakhya has a flavour profile that's best described as nutty, and it adds a crunch to the dishes it is added to). On the other hand, in Kumaon, the dish is made with cumin seeds, lending a much more punchy undertone.

This dry preparation is the perfect choice when travelling, as all one needs to do it is roll it up inside chapatis and create a makeshift veggie wrap. The original version of the dish has a heavy hand in terms of spice, but one may always customise it when cooking it at home. Other condiments that go into this dish are cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric and asafoetida. Aloo ke Gutke is also a popular and well-loved breakfast item across Uttarakhand.

Chef and food writer Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal observes that Garhwali cuisine is "characteristically grain and cereal based, made up of simple ingredients, cooked with minimal spicing, simple tempering and optimal cooking methods" and the emphasis is on flavourful, filling and nutritious meals that epitomise the homestyle aesthetic so cherished in the region. Ghildiyal notes that "a balanced use of fats; ghee to temper lentils, mustard oil for greens and vegetable oil for other dishes" is a signature of Garhwali cuisine, and that use of spices is kept minimal. Apart from Jakhya, indigenous spices like "jambu aka pharan" (Ghildiyal explains it as "a chive-like herb popular for tempering dals"), bhaang (hemp) and bhanjeera seeds are also in use.

Aloo ke Gutke certainly ticks all the boxes for a Garhwali dish.