I am not a researcher merely
an informed speculator. I speculate how certain things have panned out; this
speculation is on cuisine of Garhwal. This region had not been a hotshot
cultural region but for the high profile pilgrimage centers and summer resorts
this area would have been deemed dark tribal land off the cultural circuit.
There was a Maharaja and may be a miniscule aristocracy but absolutely no
middle class only a vast peasant class. First the Army created a middle class
and then the next generation went into bureaucracy and teaching eventually
creating a sizeable middle class. Cuisine evolves over a long time in feudal
set up where aristocracy patronizes and allows experimentation with food. Since
Garhwal is a recently evolved society therefore it never had the necessary
length of time to evolve a niche culinary style of its own. Whatever exotic
cuisine exists consists of low grade constituents created by peasantry class
but by no means any less tasty to savor. Therefore don’t expect high profile
dishes from this region nevertheless whatever evolved is surely a distinctive
style…….
Chainsoo, Thechwani and Phaanu
I have eaten and liked other recipes sound alien.
