Perched 1600 meters above sea level in the village of Gadholi near Almora, The Kumaon is a cosy mountain retreat. Surrounded by woodlands and forests that meet with village farmlands beneath towering pines and oaks, while the sloping ground dotted with oregano, thyme and other edibles evoke a sense of a wild botanical sanctuary.
The retreat features 10 chalets, a lounge and a dining and bar, a library and a spa. The main building positioned at the highest point of the site leads to the first-floor cantilevered dining room, as if suspended above the valley with a floor-to-ceiling glass view of the Nanda Devi range. The room is naturally lit during the day, come night, the ‘bukhari’ keeps it warm, tables are generously spaced apart to offer privacy, but all eyes are on the breathtaking views of the Himalayas — this is India’s most picturesque and design-forward dining destination.
The standout is its culinary offering, led by Chef Naveen Adhikari, who offers his distinct culinary perspective through an experience that celebrates the regional Kumaoni cuisine and the indigenous produce that flourishes in these forests and valleys.
Diners eagerly anticipate the chef-curated menus (customised as per dietary preference) celebrating the splendor of seasonal produce. What piqued my curiosity was the ‘Kathgodam cutlet with ghugni’ – a simple railway cutlet made from mashed potato, green peas, and beetroot, served on a bed of flavourful, curried whole yellow peas known across East India as ‘ghugni.’ Chopped onions, green chilies, ginger julians, tamarind pulp, and a dash of curd and cumin powder add the finishing touches to this nutritious morning bowl.
Breakfast comes with a comforting platter of eggs, fruits and homemade honey oat bread and gluten-free muffins, with freshly made jams and juice as a side .“Everything that is grown here is used in the restaurant kitchen, followed by ingredients foraged from woodlands and sourced from local farmers,” informs the Chef. I was thrilled to know the jam was homemade from the plums growing in his backyard garden.
From left: Fiddleheads are ultra-seasonal, these tender young fern fronds are foraged during a short part of the monsoon season and picked at their prime ripe. Right: The rhododendron flower is a foraged edible delight introduced to hikers on the trail.
(Image Credit: The Kumaon)
The forest ground offers rich and rare pickings with each season showcasing its own bounty. Local naturalist, Nandan Brisht inspired me with his knowledge of the edible wonders along the trail. When the monsoon hits, the Kosi River rushes by, and the hills are punctuated with waterfalls everywhere. That’s when you start to see fiddleheads, or ‘lingdi,’ popping up near the swampy grounds. This ultra-seasonal vegetable is definitely worth foraging for, as it combines the flavour profiles of young spinach and mushrooms. It is a mucilaginous plant that is rich in nutrients and contains high levels of calcium, potassium, and iron.
Additionally, it is abundant in flavonoids, which are known to help prevent certain cancers, as well as cardiovascular diseases and neurodegeneration. In spring, the hills bloom with apples, cherries, plums, almonds, ‘kinnu’ oranges, pears, and a special varietal of apricots known locally as ‘khumani.’ The ‘hisalu,’ or golden raspberries, grow abundant here and they find their way into jams and dessert bowls, perfectly complementing the lush scenery of the season.
Another name of the Himalayan Nettle is Sisod which is first boiled down to a purée and then cooked with mustard oil, garlic, cumin, turmeric and red chilli and best enjoyed with ragi roti.
(Image Credit: The Kumaon)
A climbing shrub called duck creeper or ‘ishwarmooli’ finds its home on rock beds and dry, sloppy grounds featuring thin, woody stems and soft, heart-shaped leaves that treat indigestion and skin disorders like eczema and psoriasis and scientifically acclaimed as anti-cancerous. Painting the slopes and valleys with fiery hues of red, ‘buransh’or rhododendron becomes the seasonal superfood during spring. The edible red flower has a mild sour aftertaste and goes into juice, jam, and locally brewed wine. Sundried petals are taken as therapeutic teas known for their anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant, and anti-diarrheal properties.
Amidst the vibrant herbaceous grasses and medicinal thickets, stinging nettle, or ‘bicchu ghaas,’ known locally as ‘kandali’ thrives in the wild, bringing nourishment as it is delightfully cooked into saag, often accompanied by rice or with the ‘madua’ roti, a cherished flatbread made from finger millet or ragi, cultivated in these fertile farmlands. There’s a unique festival around ‘kandali’ in the hinterland of Pithoragarh where the women of the rung tribe uproot stinging nettle while dancing and chanting.
Legend has it that a young boy in the valley died from using Kandali paste on a wound, which deeply affected his mother. In his memory, the women perform a festival of uprooting the plant and feasting on it as a curry or saag which symbolises their victory against the ill omen. It is no more a secret that cannabis or hemp flourishes here year-round, cherishing its non-intoxicated part as the beloved ‘bhang ki chutney’—the locals pair it with saag and millet flatbreads during summers.
The philosophy behind a vegetable patch is to operate more sustainably, more regeneratively, and in perfect harmony with the planet. The produce from the garden and village farms makes for a joyful and rewarding menu.
(Image Credit: The Kumaon )
Hidden in the backyard of the mountain retreat is a kitchen garden growing small batches of red lettuce, fenugreek leaves, spinach, turnip, mustard greens, wild spinach (pigweed), thyme, oregano, and red amaranth that find their way in the Kumaoni cuisine. The dominance of millets native to the region reflects a deep reverence for the land.
Chef Adhikari tells me that the menu is never the same and champions ingredients found right on the doorstep, whether it is the locally sourced country chicken, the salad greens from the garden or foraged leafy greens from the slopes or the ‘bhatt’ dal ( black soybean) from nearby village farms. A live cooking session with the Chef introduced the comforting and complex flavours of a Kumaoni thali—a nod to the immersive culinary experience sparking curiosity on regional discoveries.
In Uttarakhand, bhang seeds are used in varied forms— ground into flavoured salts, goes into chutneys, or even added to curries.
(Image Credit: Satarupa Datta)
The first dish at the live cooking was ‘Kumaoni badi ka saag,’ sun-dried lentil nuggets (badis) that are further browned by dry roasting and doused in a flavourful curry that brings a load of flavourful nutrition in one bowl and carry flavours of hing, red chili, turmeric, topped with fresh coriander. Then came ‘Jakhiya aloo, ‘ tossed with lots of wild mustard seeds that are native to the region and a generous drizzle of mustard oil that enhanced all the seasonings.
The ‘Kumaoni raita’ had a fresh and distinct taste of grated cucumbers and mustard paste that was whisked with curd and a final tadka in mustard oil added an extra depth to the flavour. The ‘bhaang ki chutney’ was a huge hit. Roasting hemp seeds removes the psychoactive properties of marijuana, and adding mint, garlic, green chili, and ginger made it a perfect side with ragi ‘phulka’ or as a condiment. This local relish has a sweet-nutty aftertaste with savoury hints of mint. To end the meal, ‘ragi lapsi’ is the sweet porridge flavoured with ragi, milk, and ghee – one of those simple but very satisfying dessert that satiate the sugar rush of a sweet tooth.
A humble Kumaoni thali brings a strong connection between each dish and the earth.
(Image Credit: Satarupa Datta)
Post lunch, the quiet afternoons are reserved for walks through hamlets that thrive on traditional agriculture. Or simply sit back at the outdoor sit-out of the chalets that offer a front-row seat to the changing hues of the landscape with the passing hour. The cocktail session at sundown was magical by the cosy bonfire beneath the golden sky. Suraj, the F&B manager, skillfully crafted a gin-based cocktail using India’s first premium provincial gin – ‘Kumaon &1’ infused with unique Himalayan botanicals like timur, a berry-like Szechuan pepper that infuses a delightful fusion of fruitiness and spice, and black turmeric, a rare cousin of the curcumin family cultivated at an altitude of over 10,000 feet, along with vibrant local citrus fruits like galgal and kinnu orange.
Drawn on classical cocktails, Suraj informs he plans to curate signature cocktails in the menu introducing Himalayan botanicals for modern travellers who tread on this offgrid journey to combine gastronomic awareness with regional discoveries. To appeal to a global palate, chef Adhikari gives local flavours a modern twist – like the pan-roasted fiddlehead greens, flavoured with garlic chili, and mushroom puree, and seasoned with fiddlehead oil, is served with rice herbs and microgreens.
The seasonal produce is grown with natural agricultural techniques, including companion planting, with specific crops cultivated together to reduce disease and boost biodiversity.
(Image Credit: The Kumaon)
What I learn – Kumaoni food is a blend of complex fibers, a macrobiotic diet and superfoods native to the region which bridges the link between nature and this hyper-local cuisine An earth-to-table approach born out of a culture of foraging and the traditional farming carried among valley farmers is a feat that has become an achievement on a daily basis. The Kumaon joins the list as destination dining in India is on the rise with passionate gourmands seeking to expand perceptions on India’s culinary repertoire.
