Indian cuisine is as extensive as its culture. You will find every region offering a range of unique dishes that are earthy and delicious, and speak well about the food habit of the natives. For instance, fish dominates the food culture of Bengal due to its availability, likewise, in Kerala, food is prepared using coconut oil as the state boasts an abundance of coconut trees. Now, if you go to Himachal Pradesh, you will find food is being prepared using very basic and local ingredients. Wonder why? The adverse weather of the mountain makes the region not so favourable for agriculture. Hence, people majorly resort to local ingredients that grow easily in such climates. Besides, they consume wildly grown fruits, vegetables and greens too.
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If you explore the food culture of Himachal Pradesh, you will find every dish offering a unique flavour, making it stand out in the lot. One such dish that tugged at heartstrings is 'khatta'. It is a gravy-based dish that is prepared with kala chana, spices and imli. Also called chane ka khatta, it makes a popular dish in a Himachali household and is also prepared in 'Dham' - a popular traditional feast in Himachal Pradesh, prepared on special occasions like weddings, festivals etc.
Himachali Khatta Recipe | How To Make Kale Chane Ka Khatta:
'Khatta' in Hindi refers to sour - meaning sour taste is the dominant flavour of the dish. If you do not have tamarind at home, you can always replace it with amchoor powder to get the flavour. Now, without further ado, let's take a look at the recipe.
To start with, heat mustard oil in a pan and add methi, dalchini, black cardamom and hing to it. To it, add dhania powder, besan, chilli powder, amchoor powder, haldi, salt and mix everything well.
Add water to the spice mix and stir well to avoid the formation of any lump. Add boondi to it and boil. You can replace the boondi with regular kala chana too.
Switch off the flame and set aside and let the gravy thicken. Serve it hot with white rice and enjoy!
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