Sikkim, a beautiful hill state of India, is situated in the North-Eastern region of the country. This land is famous for its rich bio-diversity, beautiful natural landscapes, and culture. Sikkim is also known as 'Drenjong' and 'Demazong'.
'Drenjong' is a Tibetan name that means "Valley of Rice". The name 'Demazong' is given by the Bhutias which means 'The Hidden Valley of Rice'. The famous tourist places of Sikkim are Tsomgo Lake (40 km away from the main city of Gangtok), Nathuia Pass( 53 km away from the main city of Gangtok), Kanchanjunga Base Camp, Lachen Valley, Lachung Valley and Yumthang Valley, Pelling (the second most famous tourist spot), Zuluk (offbeat location), Teesta River, Gurudonggmar Lake, Goechala, etc. Tourists are mesmerized by its plenteous beauty.
The famous tourist places of Sikkim are Tsomgo Lake (40km away from the main city of Gangtok), Nathula Pass( 53km away from the main city of Gangtok), Kanchenjunga Base Camp, Lachen Valley, Lachung Valley and Yumthang Valley, Pelling (the second most famous tourist spot), Zuluk (offbeat location), Teesta River, Gurudongmar Lake, Goechala, etc. Tourists are mesmerized by its plenteous beauty. [Also Know: 10 Famous Tourists Places in Manipur: Waterfalls, Lakes, Monuments]
There are three wildlife sanctuaries in the Sikkim district. These are as follows -
Besides these, there are nine beautiful lakes situated in south sikkim. West Sikkim district also has some famous tourist attractions with mesmerising natural view.
Traditional dishes are another symbols of culture. Every state has some unique and delicious dishes which reflects the culture of the community as well as the state. Sikkim is rich in culture, and traditional dishes have enhanced it. The traditional cuisine also attracts tourists. Here are some traditional sikkim dishes and recipes -
Thukpa is a traditional dish from Sikkim. This is a noodle soup of Tibetan style. According to the local people, Thukpa has originated in the eastern part of Tibet, and in traditional language, Thukpa means 'soup' which has a quince taste. This dish has both vegetarian and non-vegetarian versions. Thukpa becomes tastier when it is served with chicken. When people celebrate a festival, they specially cook this dish.
Thukpa Recipe:
Garlic, Chopped Onions and Green Chilies, spices and a dash of seasoning, vegetables, meat, lemon, one tablespoon Soy Sauce, Olive oil, and salt. First, we need to heat Olive Oil in a bottomed vessel. Put the chicken in it and fry till it turns light brown. After this, add ginger, garlic, spring onion, and green chillies and sauté for another minute. After that we need to add salt according to taste, add pepper and some coriander leaves and sauté for 1 more minute. A few minutes later, we need to add 200 ml of water and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then squeeze in the lemon juice. Also add Soya Sauce as well as honey and stir gently. Now leave it for 10 minutes. After that add handful of noodle and cook for 5 minutes. Finally,, add chicken and cook. When it is fully cooked, enjoy this dish.
Dhindo is one of the famous dishes of Sikkim. This dish belongs to Nepal. Nepali people are another major inhabitants of Sikkim. But they have their style to cook this dish. Dhindo has verity about this dish. People can cook it according to their taste. It is very easy to cook and need only a few ingredients.
Dhindo Recipe:
Wheat Flour or Cornflour, Salt and Butter. First, in a saucepan, add four cups of water and salt according to taste and boil it. Pour the flour into the water while it is boiling and stir slowly and steadily. Next, reduce the heat to medium and then low. Keep stirring it until no lumps are left in the mixture and its grainy texture has been lost. Now add butter. We need to make sure that Dhindo does not become dry. When this dish can be separated from the side of the pot, it means that the dish is ready to eat. Dhindo tastes good when it is hot. Dhindo can be served with several side dishes like vegetable curry, Gundruk Sauce, Sisnu Soup, and many more.
Sikkim has varities in its cuisine. Phagshapa is one of the famous foods from Sikkim. This is a non-vegetarian dish. The main ingredients of the dish are pork meat and fat. The origin of Phagshapa is untracked. It is really hard to say that from which community this dish has originated. Sikkim people have their style to cook Phagshapa. It is famous among non-vegetarian people of Sikkim as well as tourist.
Recipe of Phagshpa:
We need some ingredients such as 600 gm pork cut into thin slices, 1 onion, 9-10 dry whole red chillies, 1 tablespoon of ginger paste, radish, oil and salt. First, we need to heat the oil in a pressure cooker and add some chopped onion.
Stir the onions for 2-3 minutes. After onions turn soft, add the ginger paste and chillies and fry for 2-3 minutes. Now, add radish and mix well with the onions and ginger paste and cook for 2-3 minutes. After that add 1 cup of water and cover the pressure cooker. Let it cook for a maximum of 10-15 minutes. Next, we need to release the steam from the pressure cooker. Keep the lid open and cook it on simmer for 10 minutes till the water dries up completely. Now, it is ready to eat and serve with hot rice.
One of the most famous cuisines of Sikkim is Sha Phale. This dish is also known as Shabhaley. Besides this name, it has other names as well. This is a Tibetan dish in which bread is stuffed with a delicious filling. This food looks like Momo. Some people like to eat this with breakfast and some like to have it in lunch or dinner. Sha Phaley is always served with Rutang Soup. In Sikkim, this dish has both vegetarian and non- vegetarian versions. Some local people of Sikkim use yak meat but it is rare.
Sha Phaley Recipe:
We need some ingredients like flour, cool water, meat, vegetable such as cabbage, minced ginger, garlic, chopped cilantro, 2 green onions, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, salt according to taste, and other spices. First, we need to prepare dough, and leave it for 2 hours to become soft. Now, roll out the dough and cut it into a round shaped thin layer of sheet. To cut it round, one can use inverted glass or cut out a circle. After that, we need to prepare the filling for the dough. For this, we need to mix meat, ginger, and garlic. Next, add chopped cilantro, green onion, soy sauce, and salt. Now, mix everything well. The next step involves stuffing the round sheet of dough with the filling. Then fold it over its edges and pinch together very tightly. Now, add little oil to the surface of the vessel to avoid the dough sticking on the surface. Now cook Sha Phaley until it becomes brown. Keep remembering that the meat in the filling needs to be cooked. After it is entirely cooked, it is ready for serving.
Gundruk is another traditional fermented dish of Sikkim. This is a vegetarian dish which is very famous in this land. Gundruk is prepared during the winter season when the fresh perished vegetable is available there. Recipe: We need some fresh green vegetable leaves and a wooden container. First, we need to cut vegetables' leaves and dry them under the sun for a day or a maximum of two days. Now, put them tightly in a container with an airtight lid and let it ferment. Do not open the lid for a week. After fermentation, let it dry under the sunlight. Now, it is ready for serving. We can mix it with vegetables. Do not try to cook this dish like Sinki.
Sinki is Nepali traditional dish from Sikkim. This dish belongs to the Nepali community, and it looks like pickle. To make Sinki, we need to cut radish and cauliflower into small pieces and spread them. Let it dry for several days under the sun. After that store it in an airtight container until the leaves take upon the natural fermentation process. When it is fermented, take Sinki out and spread it in the sun. Now, Sinki is ready to cook.Recipe: Sinki- 50 gm, onion, tomato, dry red chill powder, turmeric powder, and salt. First, we need to soak Sinki in water for 10 minutes. Now, add chopped onion, tomato and chillies together, and cook till it gets golden brown in texture. After that, we need to add drained and soaked Sinki to the fried onion and tomato. ext, add turmeric, chilli powder, and salt according to one taste. Also, add 2 cups of water and cook for 10 minutes. After that, the dish is ready to serve with hot rice.
Sikkim has different types of foods which are very famous among the locals and tourists. One of its famous dishes is Sael Roti. This dish is homemade, and it is a ring-shaped bread. This is a fried Bread which can be served with potato curry. In Sikkim, people use rice powder to make this dish. According to people, it has been originated from Nepal and Tibet. But Sikkim people have their unique style of cooking it.
Sae Roti Recipe:
We need ingredients such as 2 cups of uncooked rice, sugar according to taste, butter, milk, and rice flour. First, we need to soak rice overnight. After draining out the water, grind it with sugar for 3-5 minutes. Now, heat oil in a pan and put the mixer of rice and sugar. Let it fry for few minutes. When Sael Roti becomes golden-brown, it means that it is ready to eat.
Thenthuk is another delicious food from Sikkim. This dish is common yet famous there. This dish is originated from Tibet, but in Sikkim, it has a different taste as well as cooking style. Thenthuk is hand-made noodles soup which is cooked with vegetable and also has a different name in different places. The local people of Sikkim serve it as dinner and sometimes as lunch. This is a non-vegetarian dish.
Thenthuk Recipe:
Ingredients which are required to make Thentuk are- Wheat Flour, Vegetable, Meat, and Salt.
First, we need to mix flour with an appropriate amount of water to make the dough and let it rest for 20 minutes. Now, roll the dough flat and cut it into thin strips. Add chopped vegetables. Next, to make broth, we need to heat a pan with oil. Then add onion, ginger, and garlic. Let it fry till its raw texture is gone. After that add vegetables and water to this dish. Let it boil and then add sauces along with chopped tomatoes.
When soup starts boiling, we need to add noodle strips into the boiling soup and stir it. Finally, add spinach leaves. When the noodles start absorbing water and become thick, it is ready to eat.
Kinema Curry is one of the famous as well as the favourite dishes of Sikkim. They love to eat this curry with rice. Kinema has different tastes, and the dish has its roots in Nepali cuisines. Kinema means Soybean or Fermented Soy Bean. Kinema Curry is easy to cook and rich in flavor. In Sikkim, local people from Sikkim have a different style to cook the dish.
Kinema Curry Recipe:
We need 250 gm kinema (fermented Soy Bean), onion, green chillies, turmeric powder, and salt according to taste.
First, we need to heat oil and add onion. Let it fry till it becomes tender. After that add tomato and turmeric powder and fry for 2-3 minutes. Now, add kinema and mix it well.
After it is fried, add green chillies and salt according to taste. Keep cooking for 4-5 minutes. Now, add water according to its requirement and cook. When it becomes thick, it is ready to be served.
Gya kho Gya Kho is one of the famous dishes of Tibetan cuisines. Sikkim has adopted this dish from them, but it has its own version of preparing the dish. This is a soup also known as Chimney Soup because of the bowl in which the soup is served. In Sikkim, it is one of the mouth-watering local dishes.
Momo is one of the most famous and favourite dishes of Sikkim. They make this dish in various flavors. The dish is a Tibetan Delicacy yet it has its own Sikkim version. In Sikkim, local people use different cooking processes to make this delicious dish. Momo can be fried, steamed, or boiled. The people of Sikkim serve Momo along with some side dishes such as tomato soup, etc.
Momo Recipe:
Ingredients needed to prepare momo are wheat or rice flour, salt, vegetable, meat (if one wants to cook non-vegetarian momo), little oil, etc.
First, we need to make dough. Mix flour and water to make the dough and also, add a little salt. Next, roll the dough in a round shape and make a thin round-shaped layer. After that, we need to fill the round sheets of dough with vegetables or meat and tightly fold to make a design according to your choice. Now apply little butter on both sides of Momos and steam, fry or boil them, whichever one prefers, When it is cooked completely, it is ready to serve.
Sikkim tea is one of the traditional cuisines of Sikkim. It has a rich flavour. Sikkim tea is prepared from the tea especially from the Temi tea garden. Sikkim tea is served in unique traditional cups. Sikkim tea tastes different from other tea. When guests come to their home, they serve this tea, and this tea is also prepared during special events and festival time.