History of Himachal Pradesh

Human beings have inhabited Himachal Pradesh since the dawn of

civilization. It has a rich and varied history, which can be divided into
several distinct eras.
The earliest known inhabitants of the region were tribal called Dasas.
Later, ryans came and they assimilated in the tribes. In the later
centuries, the hill chieftains acce!ted suzerainty of the "auryan
#m!ire, the $aushans, and the %u!tas and $anua& rulers. During the
"ughal !eriod, the 'a&as of the hill states made some mutually agreed
arrangements, which governed their relations. In the ()th century,
'an&it *ingh anne+ed,sub&ugated many of the states. -hen the .ritish
came, they defeated %orkhas and entered into treaties with some
'a&as and anne+ed the kingdoms of others. The situation more or less
remained unchanged till ()/0. fter Inde!endence, 12 !rincely states
of the area were united and Himachal Pradesh was formed on (3th
!ril ()/4. -ith the recognition of Pun&ab on (st 5ovember ()66,
certain areas belonging to it were also included in Himachal Pradesh.
7n 83th 9anuary ()0(, Himachal Pradesh was made a full:fledged
*tate.
ccording to the "ahabharta the tract which forms the !resent day
Himachal Pradesh was made u! of number of small re!ublics known
as 9an!adas each of which constituted both a state and cultural unit.
udumbras;
The were the most !rominent ancient tribes of Himachal who lived in
the lower hills between Pathankot and 9walamukhi. They formed a
se!arate state in 8 ..<.
Trigarta:
The state lay in the foothills drained by three rivers, i.e. 'avi, .eas
and *atlu& and hence the name. It is believed to have been an
inde!endent re!ublic.
$uluta;
The kingdom of $ilita or $uluta was situated in the u!!er .eas
valley, which is also known as the $ully valley now. 5aggar was the
ca!ital of $ilita.
Kulindas:
This kingdom covered the area lying between the .eas, *atlu& and
=amuna rivers, i.e. the *himla and *irmour hills. Their administration
resembled a re!ublic with members of a central assembly sharing the
!owers of the king.
%u!ta #m!ire;
<handragu!ta slowly subdued most of the re!ublics of Himachal by
show of strength or use of force though he usually did not rule them
directly. shoka, the grandson of <handragu!ta e+tended his
boundaries to the Himalayan region. He introduced .uddhism to this
tract. He built many stu!as one of which is in the $ullu valley.
Harsha:
fter the colla!se of %u!ta em!ire and before the rise of Harsha, this
area was again ruled by !etty chiefs known as Thakurs and 'anas.
-ith the rise of Harsha in the early 0th century, most of these small
states acknowledged his overall su!remacy though many local !owers
remained with the !etty chiefs.
The Rajput Period:-
few decades after Harsha>s death ?6/0 .D.@ many 'a&!ut states
ascended in 'a&sthan and Indus !lains. They fought amongst
themselves and the vanAuished moved to the hills with their followers,
where they set u! small states or !rinci!alities. These states were
$angra, 5ur!ur, *uket, "andi, $utlehar, .aghal, .ilas!ur, 5alagarh,
$eonthal, Dhami, $unihar, .ushahar, *irmour.
The Mughal Period:-
The small hill kingdom en&oyed a large degree of inde!endence till the
eve of "uslim invasions in northern India. "uslim invaders
devastated states of the foothills from time to time. "ahmud
%haznavi conAuered $angra at the begining of the (2th centuary.
Timur and *ikander Lodi also marched through the lower hills and
ca!tured several forts and fought many battles. Later on as the "ughal
dynasty began to break u!B the rulers of the hill states took full
advantage. The $atoch rulers of $angra availed of this o!!ortunity
and $angra regained inde!endence status under "ahara&a *ansar
<hand who ruled for nearly half a centuary. He was one of the ablest
administrators of the region. fter he took formal !ossession of
$angra fort, *ansar <hand began to e+!and his territory. The states of
<hamba, *uket, "andi, .ilas!ur, %uler, 9aswan, *iwan and Datar!ur
came under the direct or indirect control of *ansar <hand.
Post-Independence Period
The history of !resent day Himachal Pradesh in the !ost:
inde!endence era has been outlined below;
(. The <hief <ommissioner>s !rovince of H.P. came into being on
(3th !ril ()/4.
8. H.P. became a !art < state on 86th 9anuary ()32 with the
im!lementation of the <onstitution of India.
1. .ilas!ur was merged with Himachal Pradesh on (st 9uly ()3/.
/. Himachal Pradesh became Cnion Territory on (st 5ovember
()36.
3. $angra and most of the other hill areas of Pun&ab were merged
with H.P. on (st 5ovember ()66 though its status remained that of a
Cnion Territory.
6. 7n (4th December ()02 the *tate of Himachal Pradesh ct
was !assed by Parliament and the new state came into being on 83th
9anuary ()0(. Thus H.P. emerged as the eighteenth state of Indian
Cnion.
0. Himachal Pradesh has come a long way since then. It has
seen a number of full:fledged governments which have led
the state towards economic self:reliance.
4. The *tate is bordered by 9ammu D $ashmir on 5orth,
Pun&ab on -est and *outh:-est, Haryana on *outh, Cttar
Pradesh on *outh:#ast and <hina on the #ast.
fter inde!endence of India, Himachal was declared as Cnion
territory but later on its status was raised to !art ><> state till ()66
when some hilly areas of Pun&ab were merged in this due to re:
organization of Pun&ab state. However, it was declared a full:fledged
state on 83.(.0( with (8 districts. It is larger in area than Pun&ab,
Haryana and $erala. It is located in the northwest of India in the la!
of Himalaya. It is surrounded by 9ammu:$ashmir in the north, Cttar
Pradesh in the southeast, and Haryana in the south and Pun&ab in the
southwest. In the east it has borders with Tibet. It has an elevation
from /32 to 6422 mts. and can be divided into southern and northern
regions. *outhern region is warm in summer and the northern is
e+tremly cold with heavy snow.
Himachal Pradesh has been on the !ath of !rogress since
Inde!endence. The literacy rate of the state is 61E now and is
im!roving every decade. The !o!ulation has almost stabilized at about
3 million, thanks to high literacy and effective family !lanning
!rograms. #very village in the state has electricity and drinking water
now.
Himachal is literally a !ower house when it comes to hydro:
electricity. The state has many dams that harness the hilly rivers to
generate electric !ower. The electricity is used by farmers in Pun&ab,
Haryana and by the industries in the northern !lains."any young men
from Himachal serve the Indian rmy and have !layed significant role
in the 5ational defense. Dharamsala has a war memorial dedicated to
the memory of those who lost their lives for their country.
Himachal has five mighty snow:fed rivers flowing through it : the
<henab, 'avi, .eas, *utle& and =amuna. <limatically, this state is
divisible into two regions : the south which is as warm as the !lains,
and the north where the summers are tem!erate and winters are
e+tremely cold.
FAIR A!" #$%T$R&
Himachalis traditionally await to celebrate the fairs and festivals with
!om! and ceremony. "ost of the fairs s!reading throughout
Himachal though basically are religious in nature but also celebrate
community and trade fairs too. ll these fairs carry the elements of
social and trade gatherings where besides social e+changes !eo!le
find grounds to change hands their !roduce. The fairs bring colours
and life where !eo!le dressed in their best en&oy life in singing,
dancing and merry making.
Primarily being an agragarian society, invocation of %ods during
harvest festivals and rituals, !erha!s gave rise to music and dance.
Dance and music could be the only way of communication between
!eo!le living in these far away hill sides.
Dances to the Himachalis are s!ontaneous as a relief to their hard
work and also as a mark of their &ubilations. .efore or after the
sowing or during the harvest seasons, one finds dances all around in
every festival. -hether it is a child birth, marriage or a community
gathering, those cannot go without dances. Dances to a Himachali
means ha!!iness and &oy. These dances can be solo or in grou!s.
'&('RAPHI#A% F&AT$R& (F HIMA#HA% PRA"&H
Himachal is situated in the heart of the western Himalayas. The
ancients called it Dev .humi ?the abode of %ods@. To its north lies the
state of 9ammu and $ashmir whereas Cttar Pradesh in the southeast.
-ith Haryana on the south side and Pun&ab on the west, in the east it
forms IndiaFs border with Tibet. It is located between 12
2
88G and 12
2
(8G north latitude and between 03
2
/0G and 0)
2
/G east longitude. The
territory is almost wholly mountainous with altitudes ranging between
132 to 0222 meters above sea level.
Physiologically the territory can be divided into three zones;
7uter Himalayas or the *hiwaliks.
Inner Himalayas or mid:mountains
The %reater Himalayas or l!ine Hone
The annual rainfall in the first zone varies from (322 mm. to (422
mm. The rich and fertile valleys of $angra, .alh and Paonta are
located in this zone. The rainfall in the second zone varies annually
from 022 mm to (222 mm. This region has ma'&IJ1K$D
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8. High hill soil zone ?altitude between (322 m and 1222 m above sea
level@
1. "ountainous soil zone ?altitude between 1222 m and 6222 m
above sea level@
/. Dry hill zone.
<LI"T#
There is great diversification in the climatic conditions of
Himachal due to variation in elevation ?/32:6322mtrs@. It varies from
hot and sub:humid tro!ical ?/32:)22mtrs@ in the southern Low tracts,
warm and tem!erate ?)22:(422mtrs@, cool and tem!erate ?()22:
8/22mtrs@ and cold al!ine and glacial ?8/22:/422mtrs@ in the northern
and eastern high mountain ranges.
The year is divided into three seasons. <old ?7ctober to ebruary@,
hot ?"arch to 9une@ and rainy ?9uly to *e!tember@. .y 7ctober, nights
and mornings are very cold. *nowfall at elevations of about 1222mtrs
is about 1mtrs and lasts from December to "arch. bout /322mtrs, is
!er!etual snow.
The main season is the s!ring from mid: eb to "arch:!ril. The air
is cool and fresh. <olourful flowers adorn the valleys, forest slo!es
and meadows. In the hill stations, the climate is !leasant and
comfortable.
The rains start at the end of 9une. The entire landsca!e becomes green
and fresh. *treams begin to swell and s!rings are re!lenished. The
heavy rains in 9uly and ugust cause damage to erosion, floods and
landslides.
Dharamsala has the highest rainfall of 1/22mm. *!iti is the driest area
?below 32mm rainfall@ being enclosed by high mountains on all sides.
A'RI#$%T$R&
griculture contributes over /3E to the net state domestic !roduct. It
is the main source of income and em!loyment in Himachal. 7ver )1E
of the !o!ulation in Himachal de!end directly u!on agriculture which
!rovides direct em!loyment to 0(E of its !eo!le.
However agriculture in the state suffers from certain limitations,
s!ecially in the !roduction of food grains. 7ne of the reason is that the
area under cultivation cannot be e+tended to any a!!reciable e+tent.
'eclamation of land on slo!es of hills for cultivation of food grains is
neither economical nor beneficial. The farmers can !rofit more by
raising cash cro!s suited to the agro:climatic conditions. nother
reason is that reclamation of land from the hills increases the menace
of soil erosion.
The main cereals gro)n are )heat* mai+e* rice and ,arley.
$angra, "andi district and to some e+tent Paonta valley of *irmur
district are the ma&or !roducers of the (st three cereals, while barley is
mostly grown in *himla district. lthough the state is deficit in food
grains, it has gained tremendously in other s!heres of agricultural
!roduction such as seed-potato* ginger* -egeta,les* -egeta,le seeds*
mushrooms* chicory seeds* hops* oli-es and fig es!ecially
vegetables and seed !otato which is disease free and good Auality are
!roviding a good source of income to the farmers. *eed:!otato is
mostly grown in *himla, $ulu and Lahaul areas.
ruit cultivation is another field which has !roved to be an economic
boon to the farmers. There are vast tracts of land in Himachal suitable
only for growing fruits. ruit cultivation does not add to the !roblem
of soil erosion and its em!loyment !otential is much more than that of
conventional farming. The yield !re acre in terms of money is also
much higher.
!!les yield the ma+imum income. In $otgarh, $otkhi, 9ubbal and
$ulu areas, where !eo!le are growing apples, the !er ca!ita income is
the highest as com!ared to that of farmers in any other !art of the
country. ruit growing in Himachal is !resently fetching over 's.122
crore annually. *!ecial efforts are being made to !romote cultivation
of new cro!s like oli-es* figs* hops* mushrooms* flo)ers* pistachio
nuts* sarda melon and saffron. Himachal has earned the name of
the .Apple tate of India./
The agrarian reforms undertaken in the state by the government has
also hel!ed a great deal in the advancement in agriculture. In ()3/, a
revolutionary land reforms legislation, the Himachal Pradesh ?H.P@
bolition of .ig Landed #states and Land 'eforms ct was enacted.
This ct took away land beyond a certain limit from big landlords and
erstwhile rulers and transferred these to tenants on !ayment of
com!ensation amounting to 8/ times of the land revenue !aid on the
land. In ()08, the H.P ceiling on hand Holding ct was !assed which
had the land ceiling fi+ed on various kinds of lands and tenants could
not be evicted. It also directed that every agricultural family must be
given at least 3 bighas of land. s a result of these measures, 8322 big
landed estates were abolished and as area of about one lakh acres was
declared sur!lus and distributed to the landless. In ()0/, H.P illage
<ommon Land estment and Ctilization ct was !assed to enable the
government, to give sham let lands to the landless. Cnder these
aggression reforms, out of about 3 lakh agricultural families, about /.3
lakh families have become land owners.
Fruits
Himachal Pradesh, the !!le *tate of India, is the country>s best
!roducer of Auality a!!les. !!le is being grown in more than 03,222
hectares, yielding an annual cro! of about /22,222 metric tonnes.
!!le is a highly favoured cro! in Himachal : the De!artment of
Horticulture hel!s farmers by making available the most modern
orchard technology and e+!ertise.
large assortment of a!!le varieties are grown, available at their best
from 9uly to 5ovember.
However, the Delicious grou! and its various strains constitute over
)2 !ercent of the area and !roduction of a!!les. The most im!ortant
cultivars are 'oyal ?*tarling@ Delicious, 'ed Delicious, 'ich a 'ed
Delicious, and %olden Delicious. 'ecent introductions are s!ur ty!e
strains of Delicious a!!les.
"any wild forms of !each are found in Himachal Pradesh. 7ne of
these forms is called kateru, which is also sometimes called kataki
aru The most distinguishing feature of this form is the very late
ri!ening of its fruits. The fruits of this wild !lant ri!en at some !laces
as late as 7ctober ?$atak or $artika month of the Indian calendar@ and
!robably that is why they are called kataki aru. These wild !eaches
are found in !lenty in the $andaghat area of the *olan District, the
'a&garh region of *irmur District and in some !laces of the *imla
District of Himachal Pradesh.
$tili+ation
The fruits are eaten by the !eo!le in the villages. com!arison of
their chemical com!osition with that of the su!erior cultivated ty!es
reveals that these wild !eaches are richer in nutrients than the
im!roved cultivated varieties. Trials should be conducted for their
evaluation for !rocessing !ur!oses. <onsidering their overall fruit
Auality, they should make a good canned !roduct.
The late:ri!ening characteristic of this wild !each is uniAue. This !lant
can be used as one of the !arents in the hybridization !rogramme for
evolving some late:ri!ening !each variety. !each variety ri!ening
after the monsoons shall be a boon to the Himachali !each:growers as
all the varieties recommended at !resent ri!en during the !eak
monsoon !eriod. 7wing to heavy rains, the roads are often blocked
and this blockage ham!ers the trans!ortation of !eaches. The kee!ing
Auality of the late:ri!ening !each shall also be better owing to the cold
weather !revailing at that time.
The seeds of this wild !each are collected and sown for use as a
rootstock. n oil is obtained from the kernels of this !lant. This oil
resembles the oil from bitter almonds, for which it may be substituted.
P#'*I""75 belonging to the family Ebenaceae, is a choice fruit of
the sub:tro!ics and tem!erate regions. 7riental !ersimmon is a native
of <hina, and it s!read to $orea and 9a!an several years ago.
FIH&RI&:
7wing to a great range of to!ogra!hical and climatic features, the
fresh water fauna of the same s!ecies is not only rich in number but
also in variety. rom near the glaciers to the dun waters, fresh water
organisms of varying interest and utility have been recorded. -ith
numerous rivers and streams, the !rinci!al fishery of Himachal
Pradesh is the riverine fishing. There are many im!ortant hill stream
fish.
Trout farm has been established at *angla by isheries De!artment
and the river has !lenty of trouts. The tourists can 7btain license for
fishing from the isheries 7fficer.
F(("
-here the hills echo the wind and the winds cares the corn. -here
women s!end a whole day gathering sticks to light the fire of hearth.
The food is sim!le and made delicious with large additions of %hee.
'ice is the sta!le food and with it is served the tangy !ungent "aahni
?Crad Daal with raw dried mangoes@ and the "adra ?Lentils cooked in
yoghurt@. "adra of <hamba is uniAue as it includes about twenty
s!ices and is made of 'a&mah and cooked in yoghurt and Desi %hee
in slow fire. Himachalies love the sizzling Luchi:Poti ?Lamb
Intestines@ which is a favorite in the winter season. The "akki ? resh
<orn@
flour of H.P. is es!ecially delicious, as it is ground slowly in Paani $i
%haraats ?water !ro!elled:mill@ and eaten with milk for breakfast.
There are not many s!ecific varieties that one can get in Himachal
Pradesh. long:time relationshi! with Pun&ab and large:scale
migration of Tibetans ensured the im!act of the Tibetan and Pun&abi
cuisine on Himachal. *ome of the uniAue Himachali cuisines include
5asasta ?a sweetmeat@ in the $angra regionB Indra ?made of Crad dal@,
.aadi , %haunda, and .ada,Poldu in the *himla regionB a!art from
favorites all over the state like Pateer, <houck, .hag&ery and chutneys
of Til. 5on:vegetarian food is Auite !o!ular too in Himachal Pradesh.
The climatic and geogra!hic diversity of Himachalis several
regions and their varied !roduce have over the centuries created
a range of foods and tantalizing dishes that are s!ecial to the
different areas. In !arts of the state where there is a !astoral
tradition, milk and milk !roducts are used Auite liberally in
cooking. 5on:vegetarian food is the norm and meals are
centered around meat, lentils and cereals. It is only in recent
times that green vegetables have become a !art of the daily fare
and till lately tubers like !otatoes and turni!s were the main
vegetarian com!onents of Himachalis cuisine. ood is s!icy
and while cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and red chilies are all
used, reci!es call for subtle variations of s!ices to suit local
taste.
In the barren trans:Himalayan regions of $innaur and Lahaul:
*!iti the food is different and the em!hasis is on coarse grains
that are locally grown like buckwheat, millet and barley.
<ereal is the mainstay of most meals in Himachal. The sta!le
cereal dish of sidu is made of wheat dough to which yeast has
been added. This is allowed to rise for / or 3 hours. -ith a
stuffing of fat it is first browned over a slow fire and then
steamed. These are normally eaten with ghee, dal or mutton. In
the *irmour area, !alande, a sort of !ancake is something of a
delicacy. In many !arts of Himachal, ankalos made of rice flour
are a festive dish. In Lahaul:*!iti, the green leaves of
buckwheat is mi+ed with flour and made into cakes called
aktori.
traditional festive meal:the dham, is only cooked by .otis, a
s!ecial caste of .rahmins who are hereditary chefs. The
!re!arations begin after midnight for a meal that is normally
served at midday. It is served in courses, on e!attalsi or leaf
!lates. In the <hamba region, the ty!ical menu for a dham
would o!en with rice, green lentil ?moong dal@ and a madrah of
beans ?ra&mah@ cooked in yogurt. This is followed by boor ki
kari and a dark lentil ?mash dal@. To!!ed by khutta made out of
tamarind and gur, the dham ends with the mittha : sweet rice,
liberally mi+ed with raisins and dry fruit.
5on:vegetarian food, with a generous dose of s!ices like cardamom,
cinnamon, cloves and red chillies, is very much the norm.
-hile the everyday meal is the usual dal:chawal:subzi:roti, the
common north Indian meal of rice, lentil broth, dish of vegetables and
bread, s!ecial dishes are cooked during festive occasions. "akki or
Lentils and s!ices with <hhachh or buttermilk are eaten by hardy
mountain folk.
*idu is a kind of bread made from wheat flour. It is kneaded with
yeast and the dough is allowed to rise for /:3 hours. -ith stuffing of
fat it is first browned over a slow fire and then steamed. *idu is
normally eaten with >ghee> or clarified butter, dal or lentil broth as well
as with mutton.
Festi-e Food
In many !arts of the state, ankalos made of rice flour are a festive
dish. In the dry Lahaul:*!iti valley, the leaves of uckwheat are mi+ed
with wheat flour and made into cakes called >aktori>. Patande is a sort
of !ancake dish, which is a s!ecialty in the *irmaur area.
The dham, a traditional festive meal, is cooked only by >botis>, a
!articular caste of .rahmins who are hereditary chefs. Pre!arations
for this elaborate mid:day meal begin the night before. It is served in c
ourses on e!attalsi or leaf !lates. In the <hamba region, the ty!ical
menu for a dham would start with rice, moong dal and a madrah of
ra&mah cooked in yoghurt. This is followed by boor ki kari and a dark
lentil or mash dal. To!!ed by khatta or sweet and sour sauce, made of
tamarind and gur or &aggery, the dham ends with the mittha or dessert
: sweet rice, liberally mi+ed with raisins and dry fruit.
The cuisine of Himachal is as distinctive and assorted, hence all the
regional s!ecialties ranging from *outh:Indian to Thai and Italian to
<hinese are offered. Thalis are very well known in Himachal Pradesh.
Dosas and uttha!ams !lay a ma&or role in the *outh Indian menu.
*!icy momos also tantalize the taste buds of most. Pastas decorated
with numerous kinds of sauces and s!ices are very common all
through Himachal Pradesh.
Ti,etian 0 1apanese &ating "elicacies
There is tremendous influence of Tibetan and 9a!anese cuisine.
>mdo> cuisine descending from the northeastern region of Tibet is a
scrum!tious com!osition served on a !latter. ish and chicken are the
chief essentials of non:vegetarian cuisine.
pices
The most commonly used s!ices and herbs in himachali cooking are
asafoetida ?hing@, cardamom ?elaichi@, clove ?laung@, cinnamon
?Dalchini@, cumin seeds ?&eera@, corriander ?dhania@, garlic ?lahusan@,
ginger ?adarak@, turmeric ?haldi@, green,red chilly ?mirch@, aniseed and
various !e!!ers.
$tensils
Himachal Pradesh is richly endowed with several outstanding
s!ecimens of metalwork which remain the state>s most fascinating
craft, fulfilling the religious, ritualistic and everyday needs of the
!ahari !eo!le.The metals used are mainly brass, co!!er, iron, tin and
bell metal and the best e+am!les of metal craft are the statuettes
enshrined in the tem!les.
The metal artefacts of $innaur !resent a uniAue synthesis of Hinduism
and .uddhism which finds e+!ression in !ractically all craft ob&ects.
This is discernible in the common use of the thunderbolt, va&ra, motif
on bell handles. Items like kettles, &ars, fruit bowls on a silver or brass
stand of lotus design, !rayer wheels inscribed with the om mani
!adme hum mantra, conch trum!ets, miniature shrines and flasks all
derive their sha!es from ritual ob&ects used in Tibetan .uddhist
tem!les located near Hindu tem!les all over $innaur.
variety of brass utensils are fashioned by !ahari lohars for storing,
cooking and eating. These in clude a large dish for kneading flour,
!aratB a small !ot for water, ewer, IotaB dishes, thatiB vessels for
cooking, glasses, ovaloid utensils for storing water and milk, balloiB
and the arba for washing hands on weddings and community feasts.
Identical, much larger utensils are used for community meals and in
tem!le storehouses. .rass and co!!er utensils are su!!lied to Lahul:
*!iti by $ulu metalsmiths. lso the water vessel, lota, used for ritual
as well as utilitarian needs seems to have ins!ired the most
imaginative forms and decorations since the earliest times. The same
globular sha!e is common here, as everywhere else in the country. It
may be chased, engraved or encrusted. The attractively designed
hukka base, known as kali, is used all over the !rovince by !ahari
men..airer and Pingla villages in *arkaghat tehsil of "andi district
are renowned for metalsmiths s!ecialising in casting kali. The &ob is
com!leted by three craftsmen working together. The kali is fashioned
by ththe metalworker, the hukka bowl is made by the !otter and the
middle !ortion and !i!e are turned on a manually:o!erated,
indigenous lathe by the car!enter."etal craft is one of the most vital
traditions of Himachal Pradesh. s the age of the gods still !ersists,
highly accom!lished artisans continue to cast bronze images, mohras,
and fashion ritual and domestic ob&ects.
R&#IP&
<H7L#
Ingredients
<hana ?chick !ea@ :: ( (,/th cu!
<ho!!ed 7nions :: 1,/ th cu!
Tamarind 9uice :: (, 8 cu! ?a!!ro+@
Tomato :: (,1 cu!
%arlic :: 8 to 1 cloves
%inger :: ( inch !iece
<oriander leaves :: ( tbs!
%reen chilli :: 8 to 1
%aram masala D <hilli !owder :: ( ts! of each
"ethod;
(. *oak <hana in water overnight or for about 6 hrs.
8. <ook the chana with a !inch of baking soda and salt in the cooker.
llow it to whistle thrice.
1. 'emove the e+cess water and kee! aside. Take 8 tbs!s of oil in a
!an and heat it.
dd cummin ?&eera@ and mustard seeds. 5ow add the cho!!ed onions
and fry until brown.
/. 5e+t, add the cooked chana and tamarind &uice.
3. %rind the remaining ingredients? / to )@. "i+ into the !an and add
salt. <ook on low flame.
6. %arnish with a few cilantro?coriander@ leaves. *erve with .atura.
"LI $7TH
Ingredients;
Potatoes :: /
"ilk <ream ?"alai@ :: ( cu!
<ashewnut !aste ?-ith -ater@ :: 8 tbs!
7nion :: half ?if big@
%inger D %arlic? <ho!!ed@ :: 1,/ th ts!
%reen <hilli :: 8 to 1
Tomato !uree :: 1,/th cu!
ll !ur!ose flour ?maida@ :: 1,/th cu!
Turmeric Powder, 'ed chilli !owder :: (,8 ts!
7il for dee! frying
"ethod;
(. "ake a !aste with onion, ginger, garlic and green chilli.
8. Peel and boil the !otatoes. "ash it . dd little salt and red chilli
!owder to the milk cream. "ake a liAuidy !aste with maida and salt.
1. "ake balls with the mashed !otato and fill the center of the ball
with milk cream.
close the ball and di! in the maida !aste. Dee! fry until golden brown.
/. Take a tbs! of oil in a !an and add the ground !aste of onion to it.
*tir fry till it is slightly brown. 5ow add 'ed chilli !owder, turmeric
!owder and salt.
3. dd tomato !uree and cook for about (3 minutes on medium flame.
fter you notice oil se!arating from the side of the !an add the
cashew !aste and a little water. <ook and allow it to boil for a few
minutes.
6. .efore serving heat the gravy and !our the gravy over the fried
!otato balls?$oftha@.
%arnish with a little milk cream and a few cilantro leaves.
5'TH5 $7'"
Ingredients ;
%inger :: (,8 ts!
%arlic :: 1,/ ts!
%reen <hilli :: 8 to 1
<ilantro ?<oriander @ :: 8 tbs!
<auliflower florets :: (,8 cu!
rozen Peas :: (,/ th cu!
Potatoes ?Peeled@ :: (,8 cu! ?<ut into cubes@
<arrots :: (,1 cu! ? Peeled and cut into stri!s@
.eans :: (,1 cu! ? <ut into stri!s@
Turmeric Powder, <ummin Powder, 'ed <hilli Powder, %aram
masala ::(,8 ts! each
Tomato Puree :: (,8 cu!
<urd ?beaten@ :: (,8 cu!
Pinea!!le cubes :: (,8 cu!
<ashewnuts and lmonds ?*liced@ :: ( tbs! each
Paneer :: (2 to (8 cubes
"ethod ;
(. %rind ginger, garlic, cilantro and green chilli with water.
8. Dee! fry !aneer in oil until golden brown.
1. Take 8 tbs! of oil or ghee in a !an and add the ground !aste. *tir
fry, s!rinkling a little milk from time to time.
/. dd all the vegetables, salt, garam masala, turmeric, cummin D red
chilli !owder. *tir fry and add tomato !uree and little water to cook
the vegetables. "i+ and cook until the vegetables are almost done.
5ow, add the curd.
3. dd Paneer, !inea!!le, cashewnuts and almonds. simmer for about
1 minutes. *erve hot
"C'%H "$5I
Ingredients;
'aw <ashewnuts : ( cu! ?(32g@
%aram "asala : 8 ts!.
%round <oriander : 8 ts!.
<hilli Powder : 1,/ ts!.
*alt : ( ts!.
%arlic, cho!!ed : 6 cloves
resh %inger : ( Tbs!
-hite inegar : 8 Tbs!
Tomato !aste : (,1 cu! ?42 g@
=oghurt : ( cu!
<hicken thigh or thigh fillets, halved : ( kg
.utter : 42 gm
.rown 7nion, cho!!ed finely : ( large ?822 gm@
<innamon stick : 8
%reen <ardamom !ods, bruised : /
Degi "irch : ( ts!.
Tomato Puree : /22 gm can
<hicken stock : 1,/ cu! ?(42 ml@
<ream : ( cu!
"ethod;
(. .rown lightly the first / ingredients in a heated small frying !an.
8. .lend or !rocess nut mi+ture with the ne+t 6 ingredients ?till
yoghurt@ until &ust smooth. <ombine nut mi+ture and chicken, cover
and refrigerate overnight.
1. <ook onion, cinnamon and cardamoms in butter in a large
sauce!an, stirring until browned. dd chicken mi+ture, cook (2
minutes.
/. dd degi mirch, !uree and stock, bring to boil. *immer,
uncovered,stirring occasionally, till chicken is cooked through and
butter floats on to!.
3. 'emove and discard cinnamon and cardamom. dd cream &ust
before serving and simmer 3 minutes. *erve immediately with
Pa!!adums and a Tomato and 7nion *alad.
5ote; 'eci!e can be made ahead till *te! 3. <over, refrigerate
overnight or freeze.
TLI "C'%H
Ingredients;
<hicken : ( kg
7nions : 1
Tomatoes : 8
<hicken "asala !owder ?any brand@ : as desired to your !alate.
Lemon &uice : ( tbs!
7il : s reAuired for frying D sauting
*alt : To taste.
<oriander leaves for garnishing.
"ethod;
(. <ut the chicken into small !ieces D marinate them with chicken
masala !owder, salt D lemon &uice. llow them to sit for an hour or
so. fter an hour, fry the marinated chicken !ieces till they get a
brown color.
8. <ho! onions D Tomatoes into very small !ieces. *aut cho!!ed
onions with oil in a kadai ?fry !an@ till they become light brown in
color. dd tomatoes to it. fter few minutes, add chicken masala
!owder D salt to it. 7nce the onion D tomatoes mi+ture gets a brown
color, add water to it D let it to boil.
1. dd the fried chicken !ieces to the onion D tomato mi+ture D
allow the water to simmer. -ait till the water eva!orates to form a
thick gravy D remove it from the heat. If you like chicken fry to be
dry, allow water to eva!orates fully.
/. %arnish the chicken fry with coriander ?cilantro@ leaves.
%oes well with <ha!!ati D 'ice.
<CLIL7-#':P7TT7 *T#-
Ingredients;
<auliflower : ( medium size cut into big lorets
Potatoes : 8 medium size <ho!!ed into <ubes
7nion : ( thinly cho!!ed Lengthwise
%reen <hillies : 3
%inger : ( inch !iece
%arlic : 4 cloves
<innamon : ( inch !iece
<loves : 8
9eera : ( ts!.
<oriander !owder : 8 Tbs!.
Turmeric !owder : a !inch
<oconut : 3 Tbs!.
*alt : ccording to Taste
"ethod;
(. "ake a !aste of <oconut, %reen <hillies, %inger, %arlic, <innamon
and <loves with some water in a .lender.
8. Then heat oil in a !an, when heated add &eera. -hen it s!lutters add
the <ho!!ed 7nions and fry till lightly brown. Then add the !aste and
<oriander Powder, Turmeric !owder and fry till oil se!arates from the
!aste.
1. dd the <ho!!ed !otatoes and stir so the !otatoes are well coated
with the s!ices.
/. dd salt and reAuired water and allow to cook. -hen !otatoes are
almost done add the <auliflower florets. *tir, reduce heat and cover
the !an until the cauliflower and !otatoes are cooked.
<an be served with rice.
$DDI
Ingredients
/ <loves
(,8 ts! enugreek seeds
*alt ?s !er taste@
(,8 ts! safoetida
/ 'ed <hillies
(,/ ts! Turmeric !owder
( 7nion
( ts! 'ed <hillies !owder
( ts! <oriander !owder
8 tables!oons "ustard oil
(,8 cu! .esan
( (,8 cu! <urd
1 cu!s water
(2:(8 <oriander leaves
Method
"i+ besan and curd with a hand mi+er and then add water to it, to
make it thinner.
In hot oil add fenugreek seeds and when it s!lutters add cloves,
after 1:/ seconds add safoetida and whole red chillies. Then add
onion and fry till a light brown. dd turmeric !owder, red chilli
and coriander !owder. *aute for (,8 minute.
dd the curd:besan mi+ and then add salt. If the mi+ is very thick
ad&ust by adding some more water. .ring it to a boil and then let it
simmer on medium for 82 minutes.
=ou can add Pakodas or bundi to it before serving..efore serving
add the coriander leaves.
HI"D'I "*
Ingredients;
322gms mutton
12gms ginger
6 dry red chillies
?deseeded and ground@
( tbs! ground !o!!y seeds
82 almonds blanched
( ((,8 cu!s hot water
8 medium sized onions
/ cloves of garlic
8 ts!s salt
8 bay leaves
( medium sized ground onion
6 cardamoms
8 cu!s yogurt?well beaten@
/ tbs!s oil
"ethod;
In a dee! !an, heat oil. *aute sliced onions, add meat, ginger,
cardamoms, salt, chilli !aste, bay leaves and half the garlic. *tir fry
for ten minutes. dd ground onions and remaining garlic and saute for
another 3 minutes. <over and cook for 3 minutes. dd half the water,
stir and cook. 'e!eat the !rocess three times until the water dries u!
and the mutton has a rich brown colour. "i+ in half a cu! of yogurt
and ground !o!!y seeds and brown again. <heck the meat is tender or
more water maybe added to cook the meat. -hen the meat is done
add the remaining yogurt and blanched almonds.simmer for
a!!ro+imately (2 minutes on low heat for the gravy to thicken. *erve
hot.
"H5I
Ingredients
8 cu!s black eyes beans
?lobiya@
1 dry red chillies?broken into !ieces@
( tbs! gram flour.
( ts! sugar
!inch of fenugreek !owder
( ts! turmeric
( ts! chilli !owder
) cu!s water
( tbs! wheat flour
/ tbs!s mustard oil
8 ts!s dry mango !owder
!inch of asafoetida
salt to taste.
"ethod
-ash and soak the beans in water for / to 3 hours. Heat the oil to
smoking !oint. Take the !an off the fire, let the oil cool slightly. dd
the asafoetida and the fenugreek !owder. dd the turmeric and red
chilli bits. Then immediately add the wheat flour and gram flour?these
two flours will hel! thicken the gravy.@ add the lobiya and water and
cook until the beans are soft and the gravy thick. dd sugar, stir and
serve hot.
Note: a pressure cooker maybe used.
'9"
Ingredients;
( cu! red red kidney or black eyed beans
ts! turmeric
!inch of asafoetida
/ onions
8 ts!s coriander !owder
cu! oil
cu! cho!!ed coriander
salt to waste
6 tomatoes
( ts! chilli !owder
ts! cumin
ts! ground ginger
( ts! ground garlic
6 black !e!!er corns
s cu! ghee
( ts! garam masalaR !owder
"ethod;
*oak the beans for at least 3 hours. -arm oil in a frying !an and add
cumin, asafoetida, onions and ginger garlic !aste and fry till brown .
mi+ turmeric, garam masala, coriander !owder, chilli !owder and salt.
dd the beans, mi+ thoroughly. dd / cu!s of water and cook in a
!ressure cooker until beans become soft. %arnish with cho!!ed
coriander.
Note: if using slow cooker reduce the quantity of water to 2 cups.
"D'H
Ingredients;
8 cu!s chick !eas
?soaked overnight and cooked@
/ tbs!s oil
/ tbs!s ghee
8 ts!s turmeric
!inch of nutmeg !owder.
82 cashewnuts
?halved lengthwise@
4 cu!s yogurt
8 bay leaves
( ts! sugar
8 ts!s garam masala !owder.
8 ts!s chilli !owder
( tbs! grated dry coconut
1 tbs!s raisins
salt to taste
"ethod;
Heat oil in a !an. dd bay leaves, chilli !owder, turmeric, coconut and
fry, then add the chick !eas. *tir fry for a cou!le of minutes. dd 6
cu!s of beaten yogurt and bring to a boil stirring all the time. 'educe
heat and simmer until the yogurt has reduced to half the Auantity. 5ow
add raisins and cashewnuts, the remaining 8 cu!s of yogurt and add
the garam masala, sugar and nutmeg. *immer until gravy is thick.
$ee! the fire low or the yogurt may curdle. To! with !ure ghee before
serving.
'7%H5I DL
Ingredients;
8,1 cu!s whole black gram
( ts! turmeric
( cu! grated fresh coconut
8 tbs!s mustard oil
( ts! coriander !owder
8 ts!s garam masal !owder.
*alt to taste.
(,1 cu! dried red kidney beans
( ts! grated ginger
8 onions ?grated @
/ tbs!s butter
( ts! chilli !owder
8 ts!s ghee
"ethod;
-ash and soak the dals overnight in !lenty of water. <ook the dals
until soft and mushy adding ginger, coconut, turmeric, oil and salt.
The dal cooking maybe done in a !ressure cooker. 'educe water if
using slow cooker. Pressure cooking will take 83 minutes. ry the
grated onions in !ure ghee, adding chilli !owder and coriander
!owder, to a golden brown colour. dd the onion masala to the dal
and s!rinkle garam masala !owder and mi+ well. To! with !ure ghee
before serving for that added flavour.
"*L .HI5DI
Ingredients;
032 gms okra
1 medium sliced onions
?finely sliced@
( ts! chilli !owder
( ts! turmeric !owder
3 tbs!s oil
salt to waste
"ethod;
-ash and !at dry the okras, cut the stems and cut into (R long !ieces.
Heat oil in wokR. dd chilli !owder and turmeric !owder. dd the
cho!!ed okra kee!ing flame high. "i+ them well with the masala.
dd salt and fry until a little cris!. dd onions to it and leave it for
about 8:1 minutes on a slow fire. -hen onions are lightly browned
remove from heat and serve hot.
Note: donot cover the okra while cooking as they will get slimy.
TL HCI 'I
Ingredients
322gms colocasia
s ts! oregano
ts! chilli !owder
4 ts!s oil
( ts! oil
ts! turmeric
(R !iece of ginger ?ground@
8 tbs!s cho!!ed coriander
for the garnish;
(:(,8 tbs!s lime &uice
coriander ?cho!!ed@
8:1 green chillies
"ethod
*elect uniform sized colocasia. <lean an !ar boil colocasia until they
are tender but not very soft or mushy. <ut in half lengthwise and add
chilli !owder, turmeric, ginger !aste and oregano. 9ust 3 minutes
before serving add salt and fry them to a golden brown. Lift out with a
draining s!oon on absorbent !a!er. %arnish with green chillies and
coriander leaves. *!rinkle with lime &uice. *erve immediately
otherwise it will loose its cris!iness.
PL$ PC'I*
Ingredients;
/ cu!s wheat flour
( tbs! oil
water to knead dough
I ts! salt
( cu! boiled s!inach
oil for dee! frying
"ethod;
<ombine flour , ( tbs! oil, salt and s!inach. "i+ well. dd cold water
graually. $nead into a hard dough. *et aside covered with a dam!
cloth for about 8 hours. $nead once again with oiled !alms. Heat oil
in a wok for frying. $ee! ( tbs! of oil aside for rolling out !uris. -ith
greased finger ti!s sha!e dogh into big walnut sized balls. 7n a
lightly oiled flat surface flatten and roll out to 8(,8R to 1R diameter
rounds. Dee! fry both sides by !ressing down with a !erforated flat
draining s!oon to !uff the !uris. Puris should be golden in colour. Lift
out of oil, allowing e+cess oil to drain off on to brown !a!er in a !an.
*erve hot.
.TC'
Ingredients; ?To "ake 6:4@
(. ll Pur!ose lour ?"aida@ :: 8 cu!s
8. Plain =ogurt :: 8 (,8 tbs!
1. *alt to taste.
/. Pinch of baking soda.
3. *ugar :: ( ts!
6. 7il for dee! frying
"ethod;
(. "ake a dough with the above ingredients ?<an add water to make
the dough@. llow it to ferment for 4 hours. In winter, you may have
to make the dough with lukewarm water.
8. *ha!e into round balls and roll it.
1.Dee! fry in oil.
PTH
Ingredients;
8 cu!s rice
( tbs! oil
( tbs! lime &uice
salt to taste
water ?twice the Auantity of rice@
8 bay leaves
"ethod;
-ash and soak rice in water for (3 minutes and drain. .oil water in a
!an , add salt, bay leaves and rice. <over and cook on a low flame.
-hen water is absorbed reduce heat and cover with lid . cook until the
rice is done, add oil, lime &uice and fluff u! the rice with a fork. *hake
!an well and serve at once.
<H-L $I $H##'
Ingredients;
) cu!s of milk
( cu! sugar
3 dro!s almond essence
?or kewra essence@
/ edible silver leaves ?o!tional@
( cu! cream
cu! rice
12 almonds?blanched and slivered@
3 cardamoms?!owdered@
( cu! water
"ethod
*oak the rice in water for 4:(2 hours. Drain and kee! aside. Heat milk
in a large !an, add sugar and rice. $ee! stirring it occasionally. -hen
it begins boiling, add water and boil the milk to thicken to a creamy
consistency. -hen the rice is cooked and has blended in the milk in
the milk kee! the kheerR simmering on a slow fire and kee! stirring.
dd cardamoms and mi+ well. -hen nice and creamy, add the crem
and remove from heat. dd essence. Pour into individual bowls.
*!rinkle with slivered almonds. Decorate with silver leaves and serve
well chilled.
$HC*:$HC* HL-
Ingredients
Po!!y *eeds (,/ kg
"ilk ( litre
"ilk <ream (small bowl
*ugar ( kg
Dry coconut ?<o!ra@ (,8
<larified .utter ?Pure %hee@ (,8 kg
<ardamom Powder (ts!n
Dry fruits as reAuired ?lmond, Pistachois, <ashewnuts@
"ethod
(. *oak the !o!!y seeds in water overnight. -ater should be (;8
ratio?i.e.( bowl of !o!!y seeds, 8 bowls of water@.
8. %rind to a !aste. Take a dee! vessel. dd ghee, add the !o!!y
seeds !aste and kee! on stirring till light brown.
1. dd milk and co!ra ?dry coconut@.
/. *tir it till the !aste absorbs the milk.
3. 5e+t add milkcream and stir well.
6. dd sugar and kee! on stirring so that the !aste does not touch
the bottom of the !an.
0. -hen you find it is dry remove from flame and garnish it with
cardamom !owder and dry fruits.
PPL# <HCT5#=
Ingredients
!!le 8 kg
*ugar kg
%inger 822 gm
%arlic 822 gm
<innamon (2 gm
<loves (2 gm
<umin (22 gm
<ardamom 32 gm
.lack !e!!er 32 gm
$ashmiri red chili
!owder
(22 gm
inegar 83 ml
*odium benzoate s ts!
*alt to taste
"ethod
%rate the a!!les after !eeling them. %rind the garlic and ginger
into a fine !aste. %rind al the dry masalas into a fine !owder.
Put the grated a!!les into a cooking !an or !ressure !an, cook
for (2 minutes and stir constantly. dd the ground masalas,
chilies and garlic !aste. %radually add salt and sugar. <ook till
all the water eva!orates. The a!!les will soon acAuire a glazed
look. 5ow !ut a tables!oon of it in a steel !late. If the chutney
sticks on cooling, add vinegar. To make the chutney last long,
add sodium benzoate. .ottle in a clean &ar. The chutney is now
ready for use.