Wondering what is Jhol? Jhol is a traditional dish from Himachal Pradesh, specially made in Mandi and Kullu districts. Nearly every day, either for lunch or dinner, locals eat jhol as part of their meal. A quick and simple recipe that pairs well with rice is made using buttermilk and spices. Locals adore soupy jhol so much that it is also served at weddings since a meal wouldn't be complete without it. Jhol is not only scrumptious to eat but also helps prevent colds and flu in the winter and boosts immunity. This is a lighter variant of Kadhi, which is almost identical to what we cook.
Here, we have everything you need to know to prepare this at home. Try this incredibly simple dish that uses basic Indian spices, which you probably already have in your kitchen pantry. You can enjoy the flavor of this mountain meal by following the step-by-step instructions for making jhol.
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Jhol can be garnished with fried red chillis or kadi patta too. Photo Credit: istock
Here's How You Can Prepare Perfect Himachali Jhol In Less Than An Hour.
1. Show your chopping skills. Finely chop chills and coriander leaves.
2. Nicely mix the butter milk or curd. Make sure there are no lumps. If you are using curd in place of butter milk, then make sure you add water to make it into watery consistency.
3. Add all the spices- turmeric, cumin seeds, red chilli powder and salt to the chick pea flour and mix well.
4. Now add the liquid to the dry ingredients and make a runny batter. Avoid forming lumps in it and make if as watery as possible.
5. Once you're done. Place the pan on medium heat and stir constantly till the mixture changes to bright yellow colour.
6. Switch off the burner and continue stirring for half a minute.
7. Garnish hot jhol with fresh coriander, and it's ready to serve.
Also Read: Chha Gosht: How To Make This Delicious Himachal-Style Mutton Curry
Jhol is best served with rice. Photo Credit: istock
What Sides Can Be Paired With Jhol?
During weddings or even when prepared at home, jhol is finest served with hot rice. Since it has a watery consistency, the locals prefer to eat it with rice. Simply mixing it with rice and eating it that way, with your hands in the traditional style is just wholesome. Similar to chaach, it is also frequently consumed by locals as a side drink. Drink a large glass of jhol along with your meal to aid in digestion. However, if you prefer to have chapatis with your meals, you can dip some fluffy roti into your jhol and enjoy it.
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Himachali food is definitely wholesome to prepare and eat, because of the fresh and rich spices used in it.
For the full recipe of Himachali Jhol, click here.