Sibendu Das

The idea, he shares, was to start a conversation about pahadi food, not just from the Himalayas, but also from the Eastern and Western Ghats, the Vindhyas, and the plateaus. So far on the show, chefs Rahul Wali chatted about Kashmiri Pandit food, Nitika Kuthiala on Himachali food, Nilza Wangmo shared some Ladakhi staples and Doma Wang shed light on the fare of Kalimpong. But it's not just food that Das talks about; he also looks for the stories behind them, the people who make them and the history and socio-economic landscape of the cuisine. For instance, while talking about the popular noodles of Kalimpong, Wang recollected her memories of growing up in a noodle factory, and how the process has changed. Or the time Wangmo gave viewers a glimpse of her traditional utensils made of a kind of stone found only on the border of India and Pakistan. "When you're visiting a place, you can always Google what food you'll be able to savour there, but what you won't get are these stories that are made through human connections, which is rare," he shares.

Poll

Who will win the Punjab Elections?

BJP 32.86%

AAP 41.43%

INC 25.71%

Submit

View All In Poll

Although the chats highlight the diverse cuisines of the hills, they also give us a glimpse of similarities that exist for various reasons. "While Kalimpong and Ladakh are from two sides of the country and very different in terms of landscape, it's where most people who fled during the Tibetan exodus settled. So, while watching Wangmo's and Wang's lives, we realised the similarities between both. A Kashmir-born Tibetan who was watching both also connected to it. That's unity in diversity for me."

Log on to @pickletopilaf on Instagram

Nepali aloo dum

Das says, "This recipe was shared by Doma Wang on Pahadi Ahaar. It is a popular street food from the hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong."

Ingredients
500g potatoes
2 to 3 dry chillies
10 cloves of garlic
Kalonji seeds for tempering
A pinch of Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric and salt
A sprinkle of Wai Wai (Thai instant noodles)
Mustard oil

Method
Boil the potatoes, and cut them into medium-sized cubes. Soak two to three dry red chillies in boiling hot water for 15 minutes and then, make a paste out of that with the garlic cloves. Heat a sliver of mustard oil in a kadhai and temper it with kalonji. Now, tip in the chilli-garlic paste, and sprinkle some Kashmiri red chilli powder for the red colour. You can also add a little tomato purée if you want. Now, add the turmeric and salt. Cook the paste on a medium to low flame till the oil separates. Pour in some boiling water to create a thin gravy-like consistency. Bring it to a boil and add the cubed potatoes. Mix well and cook on a low flame for five more minutes, till it becomes a moderately thick gravy. Sprinkle Wai Wai and serve hot.

Keep scrolling to read more news

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news