Reader’s Digest
The Punjabi classic,
makke ki roti and
sarson ka saagThe British introduced the fish to what
is now Himachal Pradesh in 1909 and
because the region’s rivers were so
clean and clear, the species prolife-
rated. The river Beas and its tributaries
soon became its home. By the early
’40s, trout farms had been set up in
Kullu. The trout that you find in Manali
restaurants—served steamed, grilled,
in gravy or just fried with a dab of but-
ter—is a big draw for tourists.
Popular Choice: Chha GoshtJammu and Kashmir
Gushtaba: A Kashmiri-Muslim dish,
this is essentially an Indian meatball.
Traditionally, lamb meat is beaten with
fat, fennel, ginger and coriander, until
it is almost white, then shaped into
balls and left to simmer in a yogurt
sauce. The dish is known as the ‘king of
dishes’, which explains why during 21-
or 31-course Kashmiri Wazwan feasts,
gushtaba is the last dish to be served—
to ensure that the taste stays with you,
long after the last morsel goes down.
Popular Choice: Rogan JoshLadakh
Thukpa: The thukpa—a hearty meal of
noodles in a broth filled with vegeta-
bles and meat—is believed to have
crossed over to India from Tibet centu-
ries ago. When the Dalai Lama fled
Chinese-controlled Tibet, he is said to
have survived on this filling soup
through the long journey to India. This
one-bowl meal is especially popular in
areas with Tibetan settlements. A good
bowl of thukpa once included yak
meat, but now mostly comprises
minced mutton, ginger, garlic and cab-
bage leaves. People put in whatever is
available to their thukpa cauldron—
and every ingredient adds to the taste.
Popular Choice: ThukpaPunjab
Makke ki Roti and Sarson ka Saag:
This leafy mash was first mentioned in
the holy texts Acaranga Sutra, and,
later, in the Charaka Samhita. The
leaves are pulped and cooked with
greens such as bathua and palak and a
bit of makke ki atta. Once it is cooked,58 february 2020