Travelling across this Himalayan state is particularly highlighted by the dramatic contours of the scenery, from thick woodlands to colorful meadows to the panoramic views of the snow-capped mountains. Sikkim is synonymous with sheer magic and wonder, with its serenity, and diversity in flora and fauna alike, and at the same time the fast-paced development of the state has us gaping open-mouthed in awe.
I remember visiting Sikkim and the adjoining parts of West Bengal during one of our summer vacay trips and Mom and Dad… it was a trip to remember… Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Gangtok, Darjeeling… silk worm farms (Dad informed me that the Nathula Pass in Sikkim was once the part of the famous Silk Route until as recently as 1962!!), mountain peaks seemingly within arms reach covered in snow, mountain sides laden with expansive thick foliage of a gazillion varieties of ferns and flowering shrubs/trees (that I later discovered were rhododendrons!), the gorgeous monastries, and the plethora of momos and hot noodle soups! Some of these memories are so vivid in my mind… the two photos at the beginning of this post - exactly how I remember this land of raw beauty!
Sikkim was an independent kingdom in the Himalayas ruled by a hereditary line of kings (Chogyal) from the 17th century until it became a British protectorate, then an Indian protectorate in 1950.... the history lessons are great, but there's far more interesting facts (or fiction!) I had to share with my girls!
The Organic state: India's first state that dedicated ~75,000 hectares of agricultural land dedicated to organic farming!
The first Mixed World heritage site: Home to 18 glaciers, lakes, mountain peaks, waterfalls, 18 sub-forest types, 124 species of mammals, and 300 species of birds, the Khangchendzonga National Park was named India's first mixed world heritage site by UNESCO,
And the spirit lives on. Of Baba Harbhajan Singh. There are many temples which have been dedicated to various Gods and Goddesses. But rarely in honor of a human being... an Indian army soldier Major Baba Harbhajan Singh, the Hero of Nathula - it is believed that his spirit protects all the soldiers who serve their country while serving at the inhospitable high altitude terrain of the Eastern Himalayas.
Home to the Rhubarb and the Rhododendron. Never ending forests filled with rhododendrons, and playing host to the majestic Rhubarb flowering tree… we’ll it’s a tree that’s a flower. Or a flower that’s a tree. Either ways, majestic as heck!!!
Paintings that play the Evil Eye. Thankas are religious scrolls, believed to drive away evil spirits. The drawings and paintings are so intricate that on an average it takes about a month or two to complete one single scroll.
The top of the world.. well almost. With an elevation of 8,586m (28,169 feet), Mt. Kanchenjunga in Sikkim is the third highest mountain peak in the world.
And Cuteness Overload. You need not travel to China to spot a cute red panda, the state animal of Sikkim ❤️
Our appetites were whetted. And the weather helped. Here's what we cobbled together:
We decided on soup for a change for appetizers, which actually fit well into the wintry scheme of things! So the starter course included Momos (delightful dumplings, with a filling of your choice, steamed and served hot with spicy sauces on the side) and Thukpa (literally translates to heart - "thuk"=heart - a heart warming, wholesome one pot meal, assembled with a myriad of vegetables, rice noodles and toppings, in a bone broth clear-ish soup);
Followed by Sha Phaley (quite like a fried empanada, tempered with a few typical local spices & accompaniments); Phagshapa (a spicy but extremely healthy street food dish of Sikkim, made of pork, radish and a mix of interesting chillies and spices); Bamboo Shoot Curry with steamed rice (a staple food of Sikkim, a simple yet flavorful coconut based curry, tossed with bamboo shoots and local spices);
Topped off with Sael Roti (a traditional homemade ring-shaped sweet rice bread popular in Nepal and adopted by the Sikkimese) for dessert... we added a Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle to the mix :D.... this family is a sucker for ANYTHING sweet!
Momos
What you'll need:
2 cups all-purpose flour; salt to taste (~1 tsp); 2 tblsp canola oil; water for kneading the dough
1 onion, finely chopped; 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped; 250g minced pork; 1 1/2 tblsp soy sauce;1 1/2 tsp chilli sauce; 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Mix the flour and salt, and add a little water at a time, ~6 tblsp, to make a stiff smooth dough. Let the dough sit, covered with a lightly dampened kitchen towel while you work on the filling. For the filling, heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion until its translucent - add the garlic to it and saute to a light golden color. Add the meat and brown it, then the sauces and mix well. Finally, the freshly ground pepper and salt to taste... cook till the pork is done. Now set it aside for the filling to cool to room temperature, and let's start rolling the dough!
The next series of steps are going to sound laborious, but they really aren't... describing the steps took more time than actually rolling these out :D. Divide the dough into 16 equal-sized balls and roll into very thin circles of roughly 4" diameter, dusting the surface with flour if needed. Dab a tiny bit of water on the edges of the circle, put a tblsp of pork in the centre of each circle. Fold the edges over the pork and pinch and twist to seal or fold the Momo in half (into a semi-circular shape, or any other shape you want to) and pinch the edges shut. You can get as creative as you like with shapes, as long as you make sure to seal the edges well. Place the Momos in a steaming dish and cook for 10-15 minutes. You should serve these piping hot with Tomato pickle (or any spicy chutney) and Thukpa.... coming up next!
Thukpa
What you'll need:
2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped; 1" piece fresh ginger; 4 garlic cloves, peeled; 3 serrano chillies
2 tsp cumin seeds; 2 tblsp vegetable oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 2 quarts chicken stock
1 carrot, peeled & coarsely chopped; 2 red, yellow or orange bell peppers, coarsely chopped; 1 cup green beans, coarsely chopped; 1 can bamboo shoots, drained; 1 cup shredded green cabbage
6 oz thin rice noodles; juice of 1 lemon; Kosher salt (to taste); 1 bunch scallions, coarsely chopped; bean sprouts
Combine the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, serranos, cumin and oil in a food processor, and process until a smooth paste is formed. Transfer the paste to a heavy-bottomed pot along with the chicken and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until aromatic, ~3-4 minutes. Now add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and add the carrot, bell peppers, beans, bamboo shoots and cabbage. Cover the pot halfway and simmer until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, ~20-25 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate. Once it is cool enough to handle, tear it into bite-sized pieces and return it to the pot.
Add the noodles and lemon juice, and simmer until the noodles are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt. Spoon the thukpa into bowls, garnish with scallions and bean sprouts and serve very hot, alongside the Momos!
Variation: You can cook the noodles separately, and then assemble the Thukpa bowl piecemeal!
Sha Phaley (also known as Tibetan Shapale)
What you'll need:
For the dough:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup of water; 3 tblsp canola oil
For the filling:
1 lb ground beef; 1 cup minced baby bok choy; 1 tblsp minced ginger; 1 tblsp minced garlic; 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped; 1/4 cup minced spring onions; 1 red onion, finely chopped
2 tblsp soy sauce; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp garam masala; 1/4 tsp cumin pd; 1/2 tblsp szechuan pepper
2 tbsp. cooking oil
Separately, oil for frying
Remember to make the dough a couple hours before cooking, so it can rest and so forth. Mix the flour, oil and water, and knead the dough, forming a ball. Knead for at least 5 minutes until dough is smooth and flexible. Then place the dough in a bowl with a lid, or cover with plastic and let it rest for about 2 hours.
Place the ground meat in a large mixing bowl. Mince the ginger and garlic and add to the beef in the bowl. Chop the bok choy, cilantro, green onion, and onion and place in the mixing bowl. Add the soy sauce, salt, cumin, garam masala and bouillon to the bowl. Mix everything well.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin to about ⅛-inch thickness. Using an inverted glass, cut out 3-4" discs. Place a heaped tblsp of filling on a circle of dough, then place a second circle of dough on top of the first one. Pinch the edges flat together very firmly — going all around the circle. Super important as you don’t want the juices to run out! Then, start anywhere on the circle, fold over a small piece of the edge, and pinch it down, repeating this all around the circle. This results in a pretty, crimped edge. Keep the shapale you have finished on a lightly oiled flat dish or surface, to avoid the dough sticking on to the surface. If the shapale are going to be sitting for a long time, you can place a damp cloth over them to keep them from drying out.
Heat oil in a medium deep pan until the oil is hot and then place one shapale in the pan and lower the heat to medium. You don’t want to burn the outsides before the inside is cooked. Cook until golden brown on both sides, turning frequently, for about 6-7 minutes for each side, for a total of 12-14 minutes. The meat must cook through... serve with a dipping sauce of your choice!!
Phagshapa
What you'll need:
600 g pork (or beef), cut into thin slices
1 Onion, sliced; 10 dry whole red chillies; 1 tsp ginger paste; 1 white radish, cut into thick slices
1 tsp red chilli pd; 1 tsp oil; 1 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame seeds for garnish
Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add the sliced onions and stir fry for 2-3 mins till the onions become soft. Add the ginger paste and whole red chillies and fry for additional 2 mins. Next, add the radish and mix well with the onions and ginger. Now add the pork (or beef) slices and red chilli powder and cook for 2-3 mins. Add 1 cup of water and cover the pressure cooker and cook for 10-15 mins. Release the steam from the pressure cooker, open the lid and simmer for 10 mins till some of the water dries up. Serve it hot over white rice.
Bamboo Shoot Curry
What you'll need:
1 lb bamboo shoots, sliced; 2 tblsp rice flour
3 tblsp oil; 2 onions, thinly sliced; 6-8 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tblsp coriander pd; 1/2 tsp jeera pd; 2-3 tblsp ground coconut (you can substitute this with a can of coconut milk); 2 red chillies; 1/4 tsp mustard seeds; 1 sprig curry leaves
Heat oil in a deep pan, put mustard seeds and curry leaves until they start to splutter. Add garlic and the red chillies, followed by the onions and saute until lightly browned. Add the rice powder and the remaining spices to the mix, and fry the spices for another 3-4 mins on medium heat before adding the bamboo shoots.
Next, add the ground coconut (or coconut milk) and mix well... depending on the amount of gravy you'd like, add between 1-2 glasses of water (reduce the water if you're using coconut milk), cover and let it simmer for a few minutes. And then cook for a little while longer, uncovered, until the gravy thickens. Serve this hot over white rice as well... you have the option to add any additional vegetables or meats to this base yummy curry... we had so much meat going on, that we decided to keep this as "veggie" as possible! Delicious regardless!!!
Sael Roti
What you'll need:
2 cups uncooked rice
3 tblsp sugar; 3 tblsp ghee (clarified butter); 1/2 cup milk; 1 tblsp rice flour (optional; required only if the batter is liquidy
Oil for frying
Soak the rice overnight in a bowl of hot water. Drain out the water and put rice in mixer grinder along with the sugar and ghee. Grind for about 3-4 minutes until it becomes a thick homogenous paste. If the batter is too liquidy, add 1 tblsp of rice flour. Cut the top portion of a plastic bottle to drop batter - I used a bottle I had previously used to make jalebis. Add oil 1/2 inch in a pan and heat. Heat the oil in a kadai, and drop the batter in hot oil in a circular motion, and fry until golden brown on medium heat. Sprinkle confectionery sugar on the hot sael roti, and enjoy this dessert after your hot Sikkimese meal!
Left to right: Sael Roti, Step 1 of assembling the Trifle, Step 2 of the assembled Trifle... recipe, another time!
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