cuisine
HIMACHALI DHAAM
Dhaam is a traditional food festival celebrated in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.[1][2] Dhaam is prepared and served on every joyful event or celebration in the family. Temples also serve Dhaam on most of the religious festivals or auspicious dates.
Himachali food varies from region to region. The cuisine of Himachal Pradesh is largely based on the climate and topography of the state. While the everyday meal is the usual dal-chawal-subzi-roti, special dishes are cooked during festive occasions. Amongst festive food, the traditional meal, Dham (lunch served in traditional occasions) finds instant mention. The traditional Dham is celebrated with great enthusiasm. The dham offers one with an opportunity to be acquainted with the various delicacies of the state.
Dham is cooked only by botis (a particular caste of Brahmins who are hereditary chefs). Preparation for this elaborate mid-day meal begins the night before. The utensils used for cooking the food are normally brass ones called “Batohi”, “Baltohi” or “Charoti” in local languages. It is served in courses to people who sit on floor. The food is served on leaf plates called pattal or pattlu( in local himachal kangra language). The Dham includes plain aromatic rice, fried pulses or dal, spicy vegetable curry of red kidney beans and many desserts to satisfy one’s appetite.
The traditional dham differs in every region of the state. The typical menu for dham would start with rice, moong dal[dhotvin] and a madra of rajma(red kidney beans) or Chole ( chik pea) which is cooked in yoghurt which is prepared in unique style by adding approximately twenty spices . This is followed by mash dal, topped by khatta (sweet & sour sauce) made of tamarind and jaggery, the dham ends with the mitha bhatt (dessert) (Bhatt means rice in himachali language) – sweet rice or mithdee (made of boondi or bread crumbs etc.).
Dham is a mid day meal served to the people in himachali culture on the occasions of marriage, birthday party, retirement party or any religious days. In dham firstly cooked rice and a type of dal called moong dal is served. After that a kidney bean shaped pulse known as rajma (madra) is also served and then palda, khatta, maa ki daal and At the end meetha bhatt which means dessert is served including kheer made up of rice, milk and sugar.
Brief Details of Dishes of Himachali Dham
The dishes of Himachali Dham differ from region to region and vary according to the local produce. Dham is prepared by Bhotis, who are Brahmin chefs in Himachal and have traditionally been cooking Dham for generations. Most of the utensils used for cooking food for dham are made from copper or brass.
The usual menu for a Himachali dham would be rice and madra of rajma (red kidney beans) cooked in ghee & yoghurt in Chamba, sepubadi in Mandi district and mash dal in Kullu. Generally this is followed by kadi and khatta (sweet and sour sauce) mixed with tamarind and jaggery, the dham ends with the mitha (sweet dish) – rice, liberally mixed with pounded sugar, raisins and dry fruit.
Legend & History of Himachali Dham
It is believed that more than 1000 years ago, the King of Himachal Pradesh liked the Kashmiri Wazwan so much that he ordered his cooks to prepare a similar meal without using meat. Thus a new menu evolved in Himachali cuisine, and has since been known as dham.
Features of Dham
Some dishes like dal are flavoured by smoked cooking method where mustard oil is put over a piece of burning coal and hung in the dal without dipping it. It is then covered for some time to get the smoky flavour. Himachalis locally call it the Dhuni technique.
Use of garlic and onions is usually a no-no in the tradition of cooking dishes in dham. It may vary from region to region in the present time.
Leaf plates (pattals) are traditionally used to serve the Dham, as people sit on the floor and enjoy it in community gatherings. In the modern times, plastic plates and stainless steel plates are also being used these days to serve Dham.
Dham is made in huge pot-shaped copper containers known as ‘Charoti’.
Madra
Madra is a kind of curry which is cooked slowly over low fire in a
huge brass container. It is the main component of Dham across the state
of Himachal Pradesh. There are 2-3 Madra dishes in a wholesome Dham. One
major inclusion in the madra recipe is that of curd, which is added
during the preparation process. Different types of Madra are Sepubadi Madra, Kaala chana madra, Safed Chana Madra, Rajmah Madra, Guchhi Madra.
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