Kumaoni food is very simple but very nutritious, perfectly suitable for the difficult environment of the Himalayas. Roses are included in various preparations like Ras-Bhat, Zanjeer, Phanda and Thatwani. All make unique preparations from the same lentils. Jholi or curry masala with curd.
Bal Methai is a brown chocolate-like fudge made with roasted khoya, coated with white sugar shells.
Dube is a simple dish made from various lentils. These are frozen and the dish is made from frozen lentils and paneer along with some local spices available in the Kumaon hills like Jambo and Zakhia. Usually made in an iron pan and eaten with rice.
Chen is a preparation of whole urad which is first roasted then ground and then mixed in soup.
A carp is a dish prepared from spinach leaves that is crushed to a paste and the spices cooked.
Zhai is a curry made with curd and curry leaves.
Bhatt’s churani is a soup in which Bhat’s lentils eaten with rice are prepared.
Saag is a fried dish of green vegetables. Spinach (spinach), lai, fenugreek and so on can be made from any of the green vegetables.
Aaloo gutuk and Pinalu Gutuk are fried potatoes or pinalu, which are cooked with spices.