The people of Gangtok and entire Sikkim are avid rice eaters. The traditional food habit is greatly inspired by the Nepali and Tibetan cuisine. Most of the dishes prepared here are soupy. The locals use slow cooking method for preparing dishes, which enhances the nutritional value of the food.
Thukpa
Thukpa is a popular Tibetan dish. It is a hot noodle soup made from meat. You can also get the vegetarian and eggitarian version of this dish. Though it sounds like a starter dish, yet it is fulfilling and sufficient for an average meal.
Here is Aditya Bal’s take on the traditional Thukpa recipe.
Wonton
It is a pork soup. In Sikkim, wonton is prepared by combining pork, green chili, green onion, and ginger and cooking them in chicken or vegetable stock.
Thenthuk
It is a noodle soup inspired by Tibetan cuisine. The broth is prepared from onion, ginger, garlic, and other vegetables present in the region. Soy-sauce is also integral to this dish. The noodles are added to the dish, one the soup starts to boil.
Gundruk
It is one of the few vegetarian dishes prepared in the region. It is mostly cooked during the winter season when the vegetation blooms. Gundruk is a soup made from radish, mustard leaves, and cauliflower.
Sha Phaley or Meat Patty
Sha Phaley is another popular dish of Gangtok. In this dish, bread is stuffed with seasoned beef and cabbage and cooked over firewood. It is the Sikkimese take on the Meat Patty dish of the country.
Phagshapa
This dish has a distinct flavor and it is not found in other parts of India, except some northeastern provinces. In this dish, pork fat is stewed with radish and green chili. Except for salt, no other spices are added in the basic traditional version of this dish.
How about renting a car in Gangtok for the entire trip and enjoying sightseeing and food trail?
Useful Links-