Power point presentation on

“Taste of Himachal Pradesh”

By: Vaibhav Verma

vaibhav22verma@gmail.com
+91 98094 09009
Assistant Professor AP Goyal
Shimla University
 HIMACHAL PRADESH
The Himalayan Wonderland
 An overview
• Himachal Pradesh literally means "snow-laden province”
• The state in the northern part of India in the Western
Himalayas, it is bordered by states of Jammu and Kashmir on
the north, Punjab on the west, Haryana on the
southwest, Uttarakhand on the southeast, and Tibet on the east.
• At its southernmost point, it also touches the state of Uttar
Pradesh.

• The state's name was coined by Acharya Diwakar Datt Sharma,

one of the state's eminent Sanskrit scholars.
• Himachal Pradesh is spread across valleys with many perennial
rivers flowing through them. Almost 90% of the state's
population lives in rural areas.
• Agriculture, horticulture, hydropower and tourism are
important constituents of the state's economy.
 History
• After independence, the Chief Commissioner's Province of
Himachal Pradesh was organized on 15 April 1948 as a result of
the integration of 28 petty princely states in the promontories of
the western Himalayas.
• The State of Bilaspur was merged into Himachal Pradesh on 1
July 1954 by the Himachal Pradesh and Bilaspur.
• Himachal became a Part 'C' state on 26 January 1950 with the
implementation of the Constitution of India and the Lieutenant
Governor was appointed.
• The Legislative Assembly was elected in 1952. Himachal
Pradesh became a union territory on 1 November 1956.
• On 18 December 1970, the State of Himachal Pradesh Act was
passed by Parliament, and the new state came into being on 25
January 1971. Himachal became the 18th state of the Indian
Union with Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar as its first chief
minister.
 Some Glimpse of Culture
People
• Retaining their age-old customs and traditions, the people of
Himachal Pradesh are proud of their rich cultural
heritage. Their passion for life clearly reflects in their colourful
dresses and amazing celebrations.
• The beauty of the culture of Himachal Pradesh lies in its
simplicity. The most commonly spoken languages in Himachal
Pradesh are Hindi, Punjabi, Pahari, Dogri, Kangri and Kinnauri.
• A majority of the people of the state are Hindus. Other
inhabitants include Buddhists.
• There are several Hindu communities in the state such as
Brahmins, Rajputs, Kannets, Rathis and Kolis.
• Some of the tribes inhabiting the state are Gaddis, Kinnars,
Gujjars, Pangawals and Lahaulis.
• Although rearing of goats, sheep and other cattle is an
important occupation of the people of Himachal Pradesh, most
of the population is dependent on agriculture for survival.
 Art and Work
• The people of Himachal Pradesh are extremely hard
working and talented and this reflects in their art and
craft.
• The extremely beautiful handicraft that come out of
this state is really worth appreciating.
• Carpets, leather works, shawls, paintings, metalware,
woodwork and paintings are just some of the craft
forms of the people here.
• Colourful Himachali caps, Kullvi Shawls, Chamba
Rumal are yet another famous art work of the people.
• Metalware of the state include utensils, ritualistic
vessels, idols, gold and silver jewelleries.
 Music and Dance
• Music and dance in Himachal Pradesh revolves around religion.
Through their dance and music, people entreat gods during
festivals and other special occasions.
• Some of the dance forms of Himachal are Losar Shona Chuksam
(Kinnaur), Dangi (Chamba), Gee Dance and Burah dance,
(Sirmour), Naati, Kharait, Ujagjama and Chadhgebrikar (Kullu)
and Shunto (Lahaul & Spiti).
• The folk stories of mountainous regions often find a mention in
these music. The stories range from romance, chivalry and
changing seasons.
• Musical instruments that are quiet frequently used by the artists
here Ranasingha, Karna, Turhi, Flute, Ektara, Kindari, Jhanjh,
Manjara, Chimta, Ghariyal, and Ghunghru.
 Fairs and Festivals
• Apart from the festivals that are celebrated on an all India
basis, there are numerous other fairs and festivals that are the
high point of Himachal Pradesh.
• These festivals are time when the religious and cultural faith
of the people can be seen and felt clearly.
• These festivals are also the time for them to adorn colourful
dress and accessories and mingle with the rest of their kins
freely.
• Amongst these fairs and festivals are the Kullu Dussehra,
Shivratri Fair (Mandi), Minjar Fair (Chamba), Mani Mahesh
Chhari Yatra (Chamba), Renuka fair (Sirmaur), Lavi Trade
Fair (Rampur), Vrajeshwari fair (Kangra), Jwalamukhi Fair
(Jwalamukhi), Holi Fair (Sujanpur), Shivratri Fair (Mandi)
and Naina Devi Fair (Bilaspur).
 An Insight to HIMACHAL CUISINE

• Himachal Pradesh is one of those cities in India that serve as the

epitome of natural beauty.
• Apart from its natural beauty, Himachal Pradesh is also known for
dishing out one of the most delicious cuisines of India.
• Though Himachali cuisine, as it is commonly known, is not as
varied as other Indian cuisines, it does have a distinctive taste of its
own.
• Irrespective of the regional differences in the cuisine of the state,
non-vegetarian food, with liberal use of spices like cardamom,
cinnamon, cloves and red chilies, is common.
• In the house of a Himachali, you will usually find meat, lentil and
cereal preparations.
 1. Dham
• No festivities of Himachal are considered complete
without Dham. Dham, a local term for lunch/traditional
feast prepared in Himachali style and served during
ceremonies, provides an opportunity to be familiarized
with the delicacies of the state.
• It is very hard to separate Himachal Pradesh and dham as
it forms an integral part of Himachalit raditions.
• Another unique aspect of dham is that usually no
vegetables are used in any of the dishes. It is purely made
from various types of lentils and dairy products.
• It is traditionally served on plates made out of leaves.
Types of Dham
 • Kangri Dham

• The chief ingredients used in the dham are mustard

oil, spices, and curd whereas onions, garlic, and
tomatoes are avoided. The gravy is prepared with curd
helps in better digestion.
• The typical menu for dham starts with rice and the
main dish of the dham, i.e., moong dal (green gram)
and rajma (red kidney beans)
or chhole(chickpea) madra. The gravy is made by
cooking khoya and dahi in ghee until the consistency
is reduced to a great extent. This is followed by a dish
cooked by mixing three types of dals—moong, urad,
and masoor—and is called the “maash” dal.
• The dal is made by the dhuni technique wherein, the
mustard oil is poured over a piece of burning coal
 • Mandyali Dham

• Unlike Kangri dham, here the starters begin with a

sweet dish, “Boondi ka meetha” (prepared from
chickpea floor dipped in sweet syrup along with dry
fruits).
• The next item served is sepu badi, the main
component of the dham, which is prepared from fresh
spinach leaves and badi. Badi is prepared
from maash (black lentil) and chana dal (Bengal gram),
which is then deeply fried with the gravy
of coriander and spinach leaves, thus giving it a
sweet–sour taste.
• Then comes kaddu ka khatta (prepared from
pumpkin), having a blend of sweet and sour taste,
followed by kolth ka khatta (prepared from horse
gram).
 • Chambyali Dham
• Chambyali dham is mainly famous for rajmah madra.
This rare delicacy is believed to be gifted to the entire
state by Chamba.
• Here, the dham starts with the serving of rice
and auriyali moong daal, followed by the main delicacy,
the rajmah madra, which is served by the head boti.
• Then a sweet dish, usually meethe
• Bilaspuri Dham bhaat, is served
followed by teliya maah ki daal, and kadhi, and in the
end khatta is served.

• The bilaspuri dham, locally called as bhati, kaaraj, or jug.

• Highlights of the bilaspuri dham are moong dal cooked
in ghee, followed by simple urad daal and tur
daal cooked in the mouth-watering white mustard paste,
followed by spicy sebu badi.
 • Other Dhams
Around Hamirpur district, raw mustard oil is added
to the dishes during the cooking process, which
helps in providing a special pungent flavor to the
dishes.
• Onions and tomatoes are added to the dishes in
very small amounts around Hamirpur; however,
curd is added in abundance.
• Dried apricots are used for preparing khattas;
dalda ghee, tomatoes, and curd are used for
preparing traditional madra in Hamirpur region.

In Kinnauri dham, rice is served along with puri,

halwa, and seasonal vegetables. There is also
provision of liquor and mutton for the guests.
In Sirmouri dham, rice, maah ki daal, pude, jalebi,
halwa, and shakkar are served in dham. Patande,
ainkulu, and sidu are some of the famous foods of
Sirmaur district.

In Una, rice, chana daal, rajmah, maah ki daal along

with palda (similar to kadhi) find a special place
in dham.

In rural Shimla, maah ki daal, chane ki daal, safed

chane ka madra,
jimikand (Yam), paneer, kale chane ka khatta, and
sweets such as badana (Boondi) or small-sized
gulab jamuns are served.
Different Dishes of Dham

HIMACHALI
DHAM
(A) Chhole madra is a popular Himachali curry made with
chickpeas and yogurt and is slow cooked with a variety of
spices that provide a distinct aroma and flavor.

(B) Maash dal is prepared by mixing three types of dals—

moong, urad, and masoor—using the dhuni technique to
give a smoky flavor.

(C) Khatta is made of kaale chane, tamarind, and jaggery

and is cooked in an iron vessel.
(A) Boondi/badane ka meetha
(B) Sepu badi
(C) Kaddu ka khatta
(D) Mah ki daal
(E) Jhol
(A) Boondi/badane ka meetha is a traditional delicacy prepared from
chickpea flour dipped in sweet syrup along with dry fruits.

(B) Sepu badi is prepared from urad (black lentil) and chana dal (Bengal
gram) and is cooked in curd along with spinach.

(C) Kaddu ka khatta, a simple, yet delightful recipe, is made by

combining tender pumpkin pieces cooked in indigenous Indian spices and has
a perfect blend of sweet and sour taste.

(D) Mah ki daal cooked in desi ghee is a specialty of Mandi dham.

(E) Jhol is prepared from rice, curd, and spices, which is boiled in a mud pot
and is a delicacy of Mandi and Hamirpur districts.
(A) Auriyali moong dal
(B) Rajmah madra
(C) Meethe bhaat
(D) Teliya maah ki daal
(E) Kadhi
(F) Khatta
(A) Auriyali moong dal, which is made chiefly with mustard seeds (known
as “auri” in Himachal), is stir fried and is relatively dry and sour in taste.

(B) Rajmah madra is a popular Himachali curry made

with rajmah and yoghurt along with desi ghee and few spices, providing a
unique aroma and a distinct flavor.

(C) Meethe bhaat is basically rice cooked with sugar/gur, dry

fruits, cinnamon, cardamom, fennel seeds, and coconut.

(D) Teliya maah ki daal is cooked using mustard oil, desi ghee, and
yoghurt along with a variety of spices, including bay leaf, black and green
cardamoms, cinnamon stick, black peppers, cloves, cumin seeds, asafoetida,
ginger, coriander powder, turmeric, and red chillies.

(E) Kadhi consists of diluted gravy based on sour yoghurt thickened

with besan (gram flour).

(F) Khatta is usually made with kaale chane, tamarind, and jaggery in an iron
vessel.
(A) Patande, a festive dish of chiefly Chamba and Sirmaur districts, is made
from rice flour and looks like a conventional hotcake.

(B) Siddu, a steam-cooked fermented dish resembling bread and is normally

eaten with ghee (clarified butter), dal (lentil broth), or with chutney and is a
delicacy of mainly Kullu, Shimla, and Lahaul-Spiti.

(C) Ainkulu, also called askalu, is a festive dish made from rice flour slurry
mainly in Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Sirmaur, and Solan districts.

(D) Palda, a delicacy resembling kadhi, has a thick, smooth texture cooked
along with potatoes and aroma of cardamom and mustard oil
Preparation and serving of Dham
Other Himachal Dishes
 1. Sidu
• Sidu is a local bread made from
wheat flour.
• The flour is kneaded and set
aside for some hours for the
yeast to settle and the dough to
rise.
• This dough is put on direct
flame of bonfire to be par-
cooked and then later steamed
to complete the cooking.
• This distinct bread is usually
enjoyed with ghee or butter
alone or can be savoured with
mutton or daal as well.
 2. Babru
• Babru is like a Himachali variation of the popular kachoris.
• It is made by stuffing soaked and ground black gram daal
paste to kneaded dough patties.
• These patties are then rolled and deep fried and served with
tamarind chutney.
 3. Chha Gosht
• Another of Himachali delicacy, Chha Gosht is a dish that is made with
marinated lamb meat cooked in a gravy of gram flour, yoghurt and
spices such as cardamom, red chilli powder, coriander powder, bay
leaf, asafoetida and ginger-garlic paste.
 4. Patande
• A popular breakfast dish of
Sirmour district, Patande can
rightly be called as Indian
pancakes.
• Ladle full of smooth batter made
from wheat flour, milk and sugar
are poured on a ghee laden hot
griddle and a thin pancakes like
those resembling dosa(s) are
cooked to make sweet and
yummy Patande.
 5. Kullu Trout
• This fish delicacy made with marinated trout shallow fried in mustard
oil with spices is a much loved dish of the Kullu region.
• Cooked in minimal spices, the dish brings out the natural flavours of
the delicious trout.
 6. Patrode
• Pathrode or patrode is a very
famous delicious snack of
Himachal Pradesh. Pathrode are
made from Arbi ke patte or
Colocasia leaves.
• This recipe is prepared by
using besan (gram flour) and
Colocasia leaves.
• The leaves are wrapped around
the mixture of besan and spices,
made into tiny cylinders or rolls,
steamed and cut into slices
which can be deep or shallow
fried.
 7. Aktori
• Aktori is a festive dish which is very much enjoyed by the people of
Himachal Pradesh during their festive time.
• Aktori is prepared in the form of a cake or pancake made with the
buckwheat leaves which is further cooked in the wheat flour.
• Although, the dish originates in Spiti Valley but it is frequently
prepared and fondly eaten all over Himachal Pradesh.
 8. Bhey
• Bhey is a truly unique dish, which is made from the stems of the lotus
flower. I
• t is an amazing dish, which required a meticulous method of cooking.
• The stems are first sliced and washed.
• It is then boiled and stir-fried with garlic, onions, ginger- garlic paste,
and gram flour. The gram flour is responsible for the distinct flavours.
 9. Nashashta (Sira)
• Nashashta, was another halwa made of wheat flour, sugar and ghee.
• It’s a long process where the wheat is soaked for several days in water
till it becomes very soft.
• It is then crushed and strained to remove impurities. The semi-liquid is
then cooked with sugar and ghee to make this lovely dish.
 10. Ghainda (Baadi)
• ‘Ghainda’. It’s made of roasted
wheat flour and ghee.
• A dollop of the halwa is
served of a plate and then a
depression is made in the
centre and ghee is poured into
the well and you eat it by
scooping out the outer portion,
dipping it in ghee and then
proceed towards the centre.
 11. CHHACHHA
• Raw mangoes are used for making chhachha. Onion and raw
mangoes are taken in equal amount, peeled and grind together
coarsely.
• Chillies, salt and sugar are added to taste. It is generally consumed
with pulses.
 12. BARAH CHUTNEY
• It is a traditional recipe of district Kangra.
• Rhododendron locally known as barah is a flower present in hilly
areas of Himachal Pradesh. It is red to maroon in color and slightly
sour to taste.
• For making chutney, paste of fresh flowers of barah, onion, mint
leaves, basin leaves, green chillies, salt and spices is prepared.
 13. Luchi Poti
• For fans of non-vegetarian
food, it is a dish which uses
lamb intestines in the dish.
• There are two types of flour
which are used, one from
millet and one from wheat.
• It is then mixed with a
variety of spices and
ground to a paste-like
consistency.
• This paste is then stuffed in
the intestines, which is then
steamed. As a side, usually
a mutton soup is served.
 14. Pahadi Chicken
• A very simple dish, this is chunks of Chicken which is stir-fried and
cooked in a variety of flavours and spices.
• The Chicken is cooked with coriander, garlic and ginger along with
mint and spices.
 Conclusion
• The Cuisine of Himachal Pradesh - the north Indian state lying at the
foothills of the Himalayas - boasts of a uniqueness of its own.
• Influence of the neighboring lands of Punjab and Tibet is clearly evident
in the Himachal cuisine.
• The day-to-day cuisine of Himachal Pradesh is simple and very much
similar to that of other north Indian states. Rice, paddy and maize
constitute the staple diet of the people here.
• In the barren regions of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti, locally-grown coarse
grains like buckwheat, millet and barley are mainly used, regions with
pastoral tradition use large quantities of milk and its products in their
dishes.
• A typical everyday meal in the cuisine of Himachal Pradesh comprises
'dal-chawal-subzi-roti' (the common north Indian fare of lentil broth, rice,
vegetable curry and bread).
• Special dishes are cooked during festive occasions.
THANK YOU