A Himachali feast!
The hospitality and warmth of the hill and mountain people of North India are legendary. The centuries old camaraderie amongst them has spawned a rich culture and heritage which has left a mark on all aspects of the people’s lives. One such influence that lives on has an interesting anecdotal origin to it. One thousand three hundred years or so ago, Jaistambh the King of Himachal was invited by his counterpart in Kashmir. There he was lavished with the Kashmiri Wazwan feast. Jaistambh was so impressed with the fare that he wanted to recreate it in his homeland, thus was born the quintessential Himachali feast, the Dham.
Traditionally the Dham was prepared in the Temples for the Royal families by the Boti, a Brahmin caste of Himachal, but with time the practice was adopted by the public at large for special occasions like marriages, festivals, birthdays among others. Dham with its roots as temple food ‘prasad’ meant that the food was prepared in the ‘Satwik’ fashion with no onion, ginger or garlic is used to prepare it. Weirdly enough, even vegetables don’t make the cut. Dham is prepared only with a variety of lentils and dairy products cooked on a slow wood fire in specialized narrow mouth copper vessels called Charoti.
The traditional Dham differs from region to region within Himachal, however the more popular among them is the Kangri Dham of Kangra is a scenic district of Himachal Pradesh. Kangra is home to some of the most beautiful destinations of Himachal including Dharamshala and Mcleodganj among others. Rakh is a quaint little idyllic place close to these favoured destinations, offering the peace and quiet of nature as well as the novelty and rush of various experiences around here. Situated in the lap of Dhauladhar range surrounded by stunning snow clad mountains is the Rakkh Resort, a five star Hotel in Dharamshala. Rakkh Resort offers many experiences to the guests. A major attraction and experience in any travel is the chance to discover and experience the culinary culture and specialities of the land. At Rakkh Resort you will experience the most authentic of the Kangri Dham.
Kangri Dham with almost a dozen different dishes prepared meticulously and served on plates made of leaves of sal and banyan, ‘Pattals’. The typical menu for Dham starts with rice, moong dal and rajma (red kidney beans) or chole (chickpea), which is cooked in yoghurt, prepared in a unique style by adding approximately 20 spices called as madrah, the main dish of the Dham and the entire gravy is made by cooking khoya and yoghurt in desi ghee until it reduces to the consistency of a thick gravy. Followed by a 1500-year-old recipe the ‘Maash’, prepared with 3 kinds of lentils and topped off by a sweet and sour sauce, ‘khatta’. To conclude this elaborate journey of the palette, a dessert is served, either the Mitha Bhaat or Mithdee.