Mukteshwar: Preserving culinary heritage with local food
Sustainable initiatives, properties, and the locals of Mukteshwar are encouraging visitors to relish fresh Kumaoni cuisine
This article delves into the rich culinary traditions of Kumaon, Uttarakhand. The Kumaon Vani Community Radio Station plays a vital role in broadcasting local food practices, while the Himalayan Centre of TERI champions farm-to-table concepts and educates visitors on local produce. Experiences like foraging for seasonal ingredients such as Rhododendron and Stinging nettle offer a hands-on connection to the region's bounty, with dishes like Bicchu ghaas saag and Madua ki roti showcasing its distinct flavours
This article delves into the rich culinary traditions of Kumaon, Uttarakhand. The Kumaon Vani Community Radio Station plays a vital role in broadcasting local food practices, while the Himalayan Centre of TERI champions farm-to-table concepts and educates visitors on local produce. Experiences like foraging for seasonal ingredients such as Rhododendron and Stinging nettle offer a hands-on connection to the region's bounty, with dishes like Bicchu ghaas saag and Madua ki roti showcasing its distinct flavours
This article delves into the rich culinary traditions of Kumaon, Uttarakhand. The Kumaon Vani Community Radio Station plays a vital role in broadcasting local food practices, while the Himalayan Centre of TERI champions farm-to-table concepts and educates visitors on local produce. Experiences like foraging for seasonal ingredients such as Rhododendron and Stinging nettle offer a hands-on connection to the region's bounty, with dishes like Bicchu ghaas saag and Madua ki roti showcasing its distinct flavours
Two RJs are talking about Kumaoni food traditions during a live broadcast session on Kumaon Vani Community Radio Station, the first community radio station of Kumaon in Uttarakhand. Launched on March 11, 2010, the 90.4 MHz community radio station plays within a 10-kilometre radius and has a listener base of almost five and a half lakh. “Our staff multi-tasks; we RJ and go into the field to record programmes that are aimed at rural development and community engagement,” explains Narayan Mehta of Kumaon Vani while I watch the live broadcast.
The radio station is one of the initiatives of the Himalayan Centre of TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) that benefits local farmers and focuses on sustainable development. I visit the centre’s fruit orchards, organic farms, polyhouses and glasshouses. The onsite shop sells local spices, herbal teas, pickles, jams and squashes. “We educate visitors about our farm-to-table fruits, vegetables, flowers, and spices. Visitors also have the option of cooking and eating a mindful Kumaoni meal in the home of a local,” explains B.S. Gaira of the Centre that is located in Supi Village.
Guests staying at jüSTa Mukteshwar Retreat & Spa in Mukteshwar are encouraged to forage for seasonal ingredients in the surrounding forest. On a misty morning, accompanied by Sanjay Singh, a naturalist, I set out to learn about the medicinal and culinary uses of native trees and shrubs. Foraging is season-dependent. In spring, the bright red flowers of Rhododendron or Buransh, which are used to make desserts, chutneys, syrup, and jam, bloom. Wild bitter gourd grows in the monsoon season.
Breathing in fresh mountain air, I am shown the famous Bicchu ghaas, or Stinging nettle, a wild herb that is made into a traditional nutrient-dense vegetable that is eaten with ragi roti locally known as Madua ki roti. “This Himalayan herb’s painful sting remains for almost a day. Yet, we not only cook it, but also use it to make slippers,” adds Singh, who also teaches me how to extract pine nuts from fallen pine cones. We cross mighty pine trees, and I learn about how their resin and oil are used in the paint industry.
Famished after the trek cum foraging, I head to Sabor restaurant at jüSTa. The property is a prominent venue for Chitrashaala, an annual global art residency. Sabor, meaning taste, is helmed by Kumaoni chefs who proudly serve their culinary heritage in addition to Indian, Chinese, and Continental food. My meal is a delicious mix of Jakhiya aloo, where potatoes are tempered with native wild mustard seeds known as Jakhiya; Bicchu ghaas turned into saag and home-style paneer that I relish with Madua ki roti topped with ghee.
There is also steamed rice that I eat with the staple Bhatt ki dal made with black soybean, providing plant-based protein. For dessert, flaming red Rhododendron has been turned into a lip-smacking kheer that I gleefully polish off.
On other days, breakfast is parathas made with Himalayan horsegram and served with jackfruit pickle. Intrigued by the famous Bhang ki chutney, an Uttarakhand favourite made with hemp seeds, I watch chef Mukesh Singh roast the seeds, then add onion, salt, green chillies, and a dash of lemon. The chutney accompanies my last meal of steamed rice, Pahadi gahat ki dal made with Himalayan horsegram, Madua ki roti, and vegetables made with freshly ground spices.