Dehradun’s landscape offers a delightful expedition for your curious taste buds. You will love Dehradun’s flavourful food culture. The city’s food culture combines traditional Garhwali dishes and lip-smacking street food. Once you taste the eclectic street food of Dehradun, you will crave more.
List of Traditional and Street Foods of Dehradun
1. Kafuli
Kafuli is a traditional dish of Uttarakhand. It’s a treat for your taste buds. People easily mistake it for Chutney, but it’s a nutritious dish made from Spinach and Fenugreek leaves. It is also known as Dhapdi in Garhwal. Kafuli displays the elegance and simplicity of Pahadi cooking. In hilly regions of Uttarakhand, people cook Kafuli in their homes to beat the harsh weather. The dish is prepared on an iron pan with special care to maintain the green colour of the curry. It is also effortless to make and does not involve a long list of ingredients and spices for cooking. Cooking Kafuli in an iron pan is a very clever technique of Pahadis.
It shows their resilience and flawless survival skills. Iron pan has good heat retention capacity, less fuel consumption capacity, and improves the iron level in food. People of Uttarakhand love to eat Kafuli with rice or Chapati. If you are in Dehradun, you must try the traditional dish Kafuli once. Head to Khugshal Ji Ki Rasyan for authentic Uttarakhand food. They serve authentic Uttarakhand cuisines, keeping the culinary tradition of Uttarakhand alive.
2. Phanu
Phanu is a must-try traditional dish in Dehradun. Like Chainsoo, a sufficient variety of Dals like Gahat, Black Dal, Green Moong Dal, etc., are soaked in water for about 4-6 hours to cook with spices and herbs. There are many methods to make Phanu. There are different variations in different parts of Uttarakhand. The people of Garhwal eat Phanu to beat the harsh winters of the mountain. Served with boiled rice, Phanu is a delicious dish to experience authentic Uttarakhand cuisine. If you want delicious Phanu, visit Dindyaali restaurant to nourish your taste buds.
3. Pahadi Aloo
Pahadi Aloo is a spicy potato dish that the people of Dehradun love to eat. It typically consists of locally grown potatoes cooked with regional spices and flavours. It’s cooked with locally grown potatoes, red chili powder, salt, turmeric, and regional spices and served with Chapatis, Raita, and pooris. In winter, families often prepare made Pahadi Aloo using fresh seasonal ingredients. Each family may have its unique variation, making it the most cherished dish of Uttarakhand. You can find this dish in restaurants due to its popularity among locals. You must head to Kaafal restaurant to try this delicacy in Dehradun.
4. Arsa
A delight for sweet lovers, Arsa is a traditional Pahadi sweet made with Jaggery, rice, and mustard oil. It is prepared by grinding thick rice, converted into rice balls to fry in oil. Arsa sweet is made during festivals, special occasions, tea, or snack time. It’s an energy-giving sweet that boosts immunity and protects from the winters of the mountain. It is also offered to daughters when they visit their father’s home for a get-together. Arsa is also given to a daughter when she leaves for her husband’s house.
5. Urad Ke Pakode
Urad ke Pakode is one of the most popular dishes of Dehradun. The dish is prepared to fulfill the energy requirements of the body. It’s a source of carbohydrate for one’s body. It’s a deep-fried dumpling dish of Urad ki Dal and spices served with green chutney or tomato sauce. There are many variations of Urad ke Pakode in Uttarakhand. In Garhwal and Kumaon, people use different varieties of Dals to make Urad ke Pakode. It is served on any auspicious occasion like weddings and festivals in Uttarakhand. It’s also a favourite choice for breakfast and snack time. If you want to try this authentic dish, Dindyaali restaurant is the best dining option. There are very few restaurants where you get authentic Garhwali food.
6. Gahat Ke Paranthe
Gahat Ke Parathe is a delicious traditional dish of Dehradun and other parts of Uttarakhand. It is Prepared with brown indigenous lentils, Mandua flour, and wheat mixture and stuffed with cooked Gahat. People for decades have eaten Mandua flatbreads in hilly areas of Uttarakhand. It has high nutritional value. Gahat Ke Paranthe is a delicious delicacy savoured with homemade pickle or Bhang ki Chutney. Go to Kalsang Friends Corner in Dehradun to try delicious Gahat Ki Dal. It’s a must-not-miss dish if you are planning a trip to Dehradun.
7. Bun Tikki
Bun Tikki in Dehradun is more popular than burgers. It’s a delicious Bun made with Chana Dal, Potato Tikki, and flavoured spices. Often served with tomato chutney or other delicious chutneys, this light-roasted flavoured bun will make your day wholesome. If you are in Dehradun, visit EC Road in Bun Tikki Wala to try this Bun. You will never regret your decision. The Bun Tikki of Dehradun is very popular. Tourists from far places always try this delicious delicacy.
8. Momos
Don’t miss Momos, the most loved roadside snack of Dehradun. It is a dumpling dish made with all sorts of vegetarian and non-vegetarian fillings and served with spicy dipping sauce made with soy sauce, vinegar, and red chili paste. It has gained widespread popularity in various parts of Uttarakhand apart from Dehradun. The dumplings can be steamed, fried, or even boiled. It is very popular as a quick street food snack in Dehradun. Visit KC momos on Rajpur Road to try the best momos of Dehradun. Don’t miss out on the best mutton momos here.
9. Chole Puri
Who does not love the combination of hearty Chickpeas and indulgent pooris? Chole Poori in Dehradun is a popular street food and the most cherished dish preferred for comfort meals. People love the flavourful chickpeas cooked with gravy and spices. The wheat dough pooris are deep-fried until it becomes golden brown and puffed up. Chole Poori’s taste delights the taste buds when served with pickles and sliced onions. You will taste the best Chole Pooris at Chetan Pooriwala in Hanuman Chowk. It is a popular place to eat Chole Puri in Dehradun.
10. Madrasi Dosa
The classic Madrasi Dosa is a widely enjoyed vegetarian dish in Dehradun. The dish is a staple in south Indian cuisine, but the people of Dehradun also love it and prefer it for lunch and dinner. Madrasi Dosa is a delicious dish served with silky coconut chutney and hot sambhar, a lentil-based stew with curry leaves, tamarind, and spices. You will also get tomato chutney along with it. If you are in Dehradun looking for a fulfilling lunch or dinner option, try Madrasi Dosa of Parade Ground. It’s the best place to try this lip-smacking delicacy of the South.
