Siddu in Tirthan Valley: the bread worth the drive

Siddu is the dish people in Kullu talk about when you ask what to eat. It is a soft, steamed wheat bread with a savoury filling, served hot with a spoon of desi ghee on top. If you are coming to the Tirthan Valley, it is worth eating at least once, ideally straight out of a home kitchen rather than a highway dhaba.

Siddu (also spelled sidu) is a fermented, steamed bread from Himachal Pradesh, most associated with Kullu, Mandi and Shimla. The dough is wheat flour with yeast, left to rise for an hour or two, then filled, sealed and steamed rather than baked or fried. It looks a bit like a large momo or a bao, but it is denser, nuttier and very much its own thing.

• Classic savoury filling: roasted walnuts and poppy seeds (khus khus) ground coarse with green chilli, coriander and cumin
• Other fillings: urad dal, green peas, mint and herbs; sweet versions use jaggery and dried fruit
• Steaming time: about 15 to 20 minutes
• Served with: warm desi ghee, green chutney or a bowl of dal

Siddu is filling, warming food for cold days. Walnuts and wheat give you slow energy, and the ghee is not optional in a Kullu kitchen. It is also part of the festive dham tradition of the region, which is why you will see it around celebrations like Kullu Dussehra. On a cool October or winter evening in Chhet, a plate of hot Siddu after a walk is exactly the point.

1. Knead a soft wheat dough with yeast, a little salt and ghee, then cover and let it rise.
2. Roast and grind the filling, usually walnut and poppy seed with spices.
3. Roll out small rounds, spoon in the filling and pinch them shut.
4. Rest the shaped Siddu briefly, then steam until puffed and cooked through.
5. Serve immediately, with ghee melting over the top.

It takes time, mostly waiting for the dough. That is the reason good Siddu is easiest to find in homes, not on fast menus.

At Peaks N Valley Stays in Chhet, near Jibhi, Siddu is made fresh in our own kitchen by our caretaker's wife, who is honestly one of the best cooks in the valley. Hers is the classic Kullu version: a walnut and poppy seed (khus khus) filling, steamed and served hot with desi ghee. Our in-house local chefs cook Himachali home food with farm-sourced produce, and the menu is reasonably priced. Siddu is not on the menu every day. It is made fresh on demand, because the dough needs time to rise, so please ask for it when you book or message us on WhatsApp a few hours ahead, and we will plan it into your stay.

You can pair it with a slow evening at the Romantic Glass House (two guests, private hot tub) or one of the two Mudhouses (up to three guests each). Pets are welcome in all three. If you come back again, ask us about a custom trek; the food tastes even better after one.

WhatsApp: +91 99537 93147 · peaksnvalleystays.com