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Himachali auriya kaddu: Lamas’ fare that refreshes from sole to soul
It was cold and clammy with the wind whistling through all possible chinks in the few stone structures we passed by. Colonel AJ Singh, my friend, was driving the van with a few other Army heroes and myself, sitting at the back, trying to look beyond the sluggish rain.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
We had decided on visiting the monastery and fort at Dhankar in Himachal Pradesh after reading its history. We were keen to see the 12th century temple the village was home to and the old monastery Dhankar Gompa.
As we drove, we suddenly spotted a few lights, which filled us with joy and hope of finding some food as the last meal eaten was over 10 hours ago. With a lot of difficulty, AJ maneuvered the van towards the lights. We could notice a fort-like structure standing majestically, with lanterns burning inside, giving off light all around. There was a signboard swinging in the wind and I suddenly screamed looking at a huge robed figure, loom over us with a lantern. It was one of the Lamas from the beautiful monastery, which was locked between the rocky terrains at the top of a cliff — at an elevation of 3,800 metres in the Spiti Valley of Dhankar.
A huge wooden door then opened for us. Our nostrils were assaulted by aromatic flavours of yogurt and cardamom cooking on firewood that rushed out of the door. We were given towels to wipe ourselves and were made to sit on a wooden bench to dine as we had to spend the night at the monastery before heading to our homestay, down in the village. From sole to soul, we needed rejuvenation and some nourishment. Two more Lamas then came out from the heavenly smelling room, which we presumed was the kitchen. We were first served a hot black tea with butter and ghee. It went down warm and soothing, chasing away the cold, clammy feeling inside.
After the tea, we were then served rice and auriya kaddu, a tangy pahadi (of mountains) delight. Auriya kaddu is a scrumptious delight made with potatoes and pumpkin. This spicy, delectable gravy uses dried mango powder, which gives it the essential tanginess. After the delicious meal and a good night’s rest, we thanked the Lamas and headed to the village to taste more of the food with Tibetan and Punjabi influence. The Lamas and villagers eat simple food like buck wheat, rice and milk produce, as it can be difficult to grow fresh vegetables in this terrain. They supplement it with green herbs and a lot of meat. Their traditional dishes like siddu, aktori and gulgule are all cereal-based. One can also find the use of yogurt, buttermilk and ghee in their curries.
The food in the village was rich and spicy with a generous sprinkle of cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon and coriander powders. Their feast, dham, includes aromatic rice, moong dal, madra of kidney beans or chickpeas cooked in yogurt and a sweet dish made with lentils and rice called mitha bhatt, or mithdee, cooked with boondi and breadcrumbs. Though a lot of meat dishes were available, we stuck to the wonderful vegetarian fare, with our favourite being basmati rice with auriya kaddu. The simple food, like the place with its breathtakingly lush natural beauty, gives any traveller more than just one reason to fall in love.
AURIYA KADDU-ALOO
Cuisine style: Himachal heritage
Preparation time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 30 min
Quantity: 4 servings
Calories per serve: 70 cl
Ingredients
Yellow pumpkin: 6 cups chopped cubes
Potatoes: 2 cut into small cubes
Mustard oil: 1/4 cup
Panch phorun: 1 tbsp
Asafetida: 1/4 tsp
Bay leaves: 2
Red whole chillies: 2
Green chillies: 2
Turmeric: 1tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Dry mango powder: 1 tsp
Green coriander: 1 cup chopped
Black mustard seeds: 30 gm
Water: 1/4 cup
Method
- Grind the black mustard seeds with ¼ cup water and keep aside.
- Place a heavy bottom kadhai on fire and heat the mustard oil.
- Add the panch phorun and asafetida.
- Add 2-3 whole red chillies and fry.
- Add chopped green chillies.
- Add the chopped potato and mix well.
- Cook for about four minutes until the potato is half cooked.
- Add the pumpkin, stir and cook for 15 min, till well cooked.
- Add turmeric and salt to taste.
- Cook for a few minutes and then add the dry mango powder.
- Mash the pumpkin and potato.
- Add the ground mustard paste and stir well once.
- Remove the dish from the heat.
- Let the pumpkin dish cool down.
- Add in chopped green coriander.
- Serve warm with white basmati rice or rotis.
Kitchen Tips
- Use spices in moderation, less is more. Adding too much spice can make a dish bitter
- Always try and use fresh spices and never bulk buy them. Once you open the packets the aroma will be lost
- When grinding your own spice mixture, dry roasting the spices prior to grinding releases their flavours
— Chef Ramaa Shanker is the author of 'Festive Offerings to the Gods: Divine Soul Recipes'
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