Must-Try

Top 20 Must Try Food in North Bengal

Due to the diverse mix of cultures in North Bengal, the local food here also has a lot of varieties. The food varieties here are mostly a combination of Tibetan, Nepali, and British cuisines. Here are the 20 best foods from North Bengal we must try,-

1. Thukpa

Thukpa is essentially a dish of Darjeeling but finds its roots in Tibetan cuisine. A noodle soup, Thukpa made up of Hakka noodles, many veggies, and some spices. It is one of the most praised dishes within the town.

2. Chatamari

A variety of traditional toppings are used in it. There are lots of aromatic herbs, yak cheese, chicken keema, and eggs in this food. It is a dish that looks like pizza and its base is made with rice flour.

3. Chaila

The traditional new food called Chaila is usually made with buffalo meat. But it is also made with goat and poultry meat. It is eaten with a type of rice made of rice called the peak. It is an important food for the Nepalese festival.

4. Momo

The Tibetan dish made of Nepali spices Momo is one of the most popular dishes in North Bengal. Momos are mostly made out of flour with vegetable or pork/chicken stuffing and can be cooked through the process of deep frying or steaming. In the beginning, buffalo meat was given in it. However, presently mutton, chickens, as well as vegetables, are also offered.

5. Gundruk

Another very popular food in north Bengal is Gundruk. This dish is made with some sour green leaves. These leaves are kept in an earthen pot for a day or two along with mustard, Mula, and cauliflower for cooking the gundruka. In this way, the green leaves go away. Then gundruk was made.

6. Tongba

The drink that won’t be complete if you don’t drink on a trip to North Bengal is called Tongba. Made of maize, this drink is a traditional drink of the eastern Limbu people. This local drink is served in bamboo mugs. There is also a straw made of bamboo. They have no alternative to Tongba to drink in the severe winter.

7. Churpee

It is a traditional cheese prepared in the Himalayan region. It can be consumed in a variety of ways. Churpee is sold in local shops in Darjeeling and has a variety of shapes.

8. Cowrie/ Kauri

It is a handmade, shell-shaped pasta consumed in the Himalayan state of Sikkim, Darjeeling, and Kalimpong districts. The pasta is boiled and served in meat/veggie broth. You can top this up with spicy relish, chili sauce, or chopped garlic chives.

9. Shaphalay

Another Himalayan region in general. A pie filled with cheese, 2 variants of egg, authentic Tibetan ginger, and minced meat, served with spicy garlic sauce. Generously stuffed with melt-in-mouth spicy fillings.

10. Aloo Dum

The most typical dish in Bengali cuisine is Aloo Dum. The preparation of this food of North Bengal includes boiling the potatoes in a gravy made up of red chili powder, finely cut onions, garlic, ginger cloves, etc.

11. The Naga cuisine

The Naga cuisine is famous for its fish and meats which are cooked through the process of fermenting, smoking, etc. Heaven for non-veg lovers, Naga cuisine, offers some lip-smacking dishes which are loved and eaten by all.

12. The Traditional Nepali Thali

A traditional Thali comprises Bhaat, Dal, Tarkaari, Achaar or Chutney, and finally a sweet dish to complete the meal. The Nepali thali is a favored and common food in Darjeeling. They serve on a bronze plate and bowls.

13. Sel Roti

Sael Roti is another one of the North Bengal specialties and is a delicacy during special occasions. They are flat round pieces of bread prepared from the paste of rice and then deep-fried, resembling the shape of a bagel.

14. Chaang

Made from fermented rice, millet, or barley are some of the grains. Locals believe the drink helps you fight health conditions such as fevers, common cold, etc.

15. Tingmo

Fluffy, soft Tibetan Steam Buns called Tingmo or Ting Momos. The feature of this steamed dumpling is its layered. Once properly steamed and proofed, all the layers of the bun open up like a flower.

16. Ema Datchi

Ema Datshi is a stew that is made using two main ingredients “ema” meaning chilies and “datshi” meaning cheese. It’s a famous dish in Bhutanese cuisine, recognized as a national dish of Bhutan, but very much famous in North Bengal. It is made from cheese and hot chili peppers & served with Tingmo.

17. La Phing

La Phing is a cold and spicy noodle usually eaten as a snack in northeast India. It tastes spicy but super delicious. It can be eaten with coriander, red pepper chili, and green onion sauce. There are two types of laphing, one is sukkha another one is jhol laphing.

18. Mokthuk

Mokthuk is a Tibetan dish that consists of dumplings and vegetables in a soup. It’s healthy and tasty and looks similar to a Thukpa.

19. Phagshapa

Phagshapa is a food item where pork fat is thekey ingredient. Firstly the fat pork strips are cooked and then stewed with the radishes. Due to the usage of red chilies, it is quite spicy.