Sikkim is famous for being one of the most beautiful, scenic, and a state where people are friendly and very deeply connected to their roots and heritage. Every aspect here is unique and has an identity of its own. It is home to magnificent sights, panoramic views, gently rolling green hills, and a Pandora box of diverse flora and fauna. What makes this place even better is the variety of delicious authentic food available which makes this whole northeast India experience worth it.
Sikkimese food is famous for its locally available largely organic ingredients that preserves the real flavor of the dish. Travelers can get the real taste of Sikkim at any one of the largely available cafes, restaurants, and Dhabas. The state’s main inhabitants include Nepalese, Bhutanese and Tibetan people. One can taste the confluence of all these flavor together into creating one whole delicious Sikkimese meal.
Given below are a collection of some of the most widely available delicious authentic Sikkimese food that one must definitely try out:
List of 6 Most Popular Food in Sikkim
Dhindo
A trip to Sikkim remains incomplete without a delicious Dhindo meal which is considered to be a famous traditional food among the locals and tourists alike. Although the roots of this dish can be traced back to Nepal but it is loved amongst the people of Darjeeling and Sikkim. The delicacy is created by preparing a flour mix which is slowly added into the boiling water and combining it with butter. The flour’s primary ingredient is either barley or millet which makes it very healthy as well. A typical utensil used in traditional Sikkim homes is an iron pan known as Palame Tapke. This is one of the most widely prepared authentic meals in Sikkim due to its warming and comforting nature and is also often referred to as one of the best comfort foods here.
Phagshapa
Sikkim along with the rest of northeast India is a paradise for non-vegetarian food lovers. The range of non-veg traditional food options available here are so many that one could get tired just listing it down. Phagshapa is one of the most preferred and loved delicacy among the Sikkimese population. The primary ingredient here is the pork fat which is cooked until tender and then also included with radishes and red chilies. It represents the perfect combination of the spicy and flavourful dish. An interesting thing about this dish is that no oil is utilized in its preparation instead the pork is just combined with vegetables resulting in one of the most healthy food options here. One can easily say that this dish is the best food in Sikkim for one to relish.
Gundruk And Sinki
This dish whose origin can be traced back to Nepal (like most of the Sikkimese dishes) it is created out of the combination of radish leaves and cauliflower. A tomato sauce/gravy like element works in combining this whole dish together. Locally made and organically grown spices adds a wholesome taste to the dish which also helps in creating a delicious meal. The main ingredient of Gundruk and Sinki is the taproot which is fermented that adds on to its delicious sour taste. Adding on to the taste is the mustard leaves and oil. As mentioned above and like most of the Sikkimese traditional delicacies this dish is also extremely healthy and has proven to be a good source of essential minerals and vitamins among other health benefits.
Sel Roti
As the name suggests this dish is an accompaniment bread just like the regular maida or wheat flour roti which is prepared in households and everywhere else in the plains of North India. This roti is a majorly available food item just like the humble roti but it is fried and generally served along with the traditional and ethnically prepared aloo curry. Sael roti is prepared by combining the two main ingredients of water and rice to create a paste-like dough. It is then deep-fried in the form of large donuts by dipping and frying it into boiling hot oil. Due to its wide and easy availability Sikkimese people love to indulge in this dish which became popular due to the presence of Tibetan and Nepalese crowd.
Kinema Curry
This is a traditional vegetable curry made with several locally sourced vegetables which makes it an extremely healthy option of food for health-conscious people. However the taste of this curry is unlike any other Indian curry you may have tried in the past. This uniquely different taste owes to the fact that the soya bean utilized here is fermented prior to its usage in the making of this Sikkimese delicacy. Other than that the other flavorful and aromatic spices utilized include Turmeric Powder, Onion, Red Chilli Powder, Tomato, etc. which are fried together in order to get the perfectly enhanced flavour packed healthy dish. One can have it mostly with hot roti or piping hot steamed rice.
Thukpa
You may have heard about a traditional Thukpa in the hill regions like the cities in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. It is known for its delicious and warming abilities which acts as a comfort meal especially during the cold winter season. The origin of Thukpa can be traced back to the local villages and the people of Tibet. It can be recognized in simpler terms as a Flavour packed wholesome noodle soup which also includes several vegetables that creates a delicious rhythm of flavours in every bite. Thukpa is undoubtedly one of the most popular street foods in Sikkim and is packed with the goodness of local and organic ingredients. One can Savour both vegetarian and non-vegetarian versions of Thukpa according to their liking. People say that of you haven’t tried a traditional and locally prepared Thukpa dish in Sikkim then your travel to northeast remains incomplete.
All these dishes should definitely Tried since it will give you the perfect and the real taste of Sikkim.
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