OT Staff
The capital city of Sikkim rests at an altitude of 1,650m above sea level in the Eastern Himalayas. Gangtok’s culinary scene reflects the diversity and creativity of the people who made it their home, like the Bhutias, Lepchas and Gorkhalis. Eat your way through the city with these lip-smacking delights.
Thukpa is a soup consisting of Tibetan-style noodles with vegetables or chicken. Common ingredients apart from meat include carrot, bell pepper, spinach, cauliflower and celery. It is widely available and vendors across town sell hot bowls of the rich, nutritious noodle soup at affordable prices.
Originating in Nepal, this is a ring-shaped and deep-fried mildly sweet bread with a crispy exterior and a slightly spongy interior. Sel roti is made from a batter of rice flour, water, sugar, ghee and spices. It is mostly enjoyed during festivals or as a snack.
This dish is made by fermenting leafy vegetables like mustard, radish, cauliflower and cabbage. Gundruk is an important source of minerals and is traditionally made in an earthen pot. It is mostly eaten in winters.
Kinema is made by boiling and fermenting soya beans until they obtain a sticky texture. It is eaten with with bhaat (rice) or as a dip for bread. The food is high in antioxidants and is popular in Nepal as well.
Crispy on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside, sha phaley is bread stuffed with ground beef and cabbage which is then deep-fried, much like a samosa. There are numerous versions of this traditional dish but sha phaley is just what you need on a cold evening.
A close cousin of dal chawal, dal bhaat consists of lentils cooked into a flavorful soup (dal) and rice. Dal bhaat is served with accompaniments like vegetable curries, pickles, yogurt and sometimes meat dishes. It is a nutritious and balanced meal in and of itself.
This flavourful Nepali dish is made by fermenting black gram and a blend of aromatic spices. It is eaten with steamed or boiled rice and has a subtle spiciness to it.
Dhindo is prepared by boiling water and slowly pouring in buckwheat, ground millet or corn flour to form a paste. The paste is rolled into balls, dipped into lentil soup or chutney, and swallowed so that the millets don’t stick to the teeth. The snack originated in Nepal.
Phagshapa is a strip of pork fat that is stewed with spices, red chillies and radish. This mouthwatering meal is rich in protein and made without a drop of oil. It pairs well with rice or Tibetan bread.
Whether you eat them fried, sautéed or steamed, these buns are iconic all over India. The dough is made of flour and water. Momo fillings range from crispy vegetables to minced chicken. It has its origins in Nepali and Tibetan cuisine.