Siddu: A delicacy of Himachal Pradesh

Siddu's or known as Sidku's in the Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh from where I belong is one of the most  authentic and regional dish of the himachali cuisine. From childhood siddu's have always been one of my most favourite breads that i have every tasted. Though most of you may not have heard of it. In himachal and especially in the upper himachal area it is almost a frequent dish which is made in almost every household.

Though, siddus are famous all over himachal but they are mostly made and in the districts of Shimla, Kullu, Solan, Mandi, Sirmaur, Kinnaur & Lahaul Spiti. Mostly in the upper himachal areas where there is more colder climate.

Siddu's are a fermented bread made of wheat flour which is stuffed with a variety of sweet and savoury fillings. There are a variety of fillings which used for stuffings such as the sweet combination of the jaggery powder with dry fruits to the savoury lentils paste, potato paste or the sweet potato paste. Also poppy seeds, bhangjeeri or cannabis seeds are added in the stuffing especially in the sweet ones.

Siddu's made by me and served with ghee and peanut chutney

Preparation Method:

Step 1: Kneading of a soft dough by combining all the dry ingredients

The ingredients include wheat flour, a pinch of salt and sugar, a spoon of dry yeast powder.

Step 2: Resting the dough for fermentation 

Keep the dough to rest in a dry place for few hours and let it proof. It can take upto 5 to 7 hours depending on the climate of the place. In colder places, the proofing can take more time.

Step 4: Make a stuffing of your choice 

For a sweet stuffing one can blend various dry fruits, bhangjeeri or cannabis seeds and jaggery powder.

Step 3: Making Siddu shapes 

Now take out the small size of the dough and make it into a round shape and add a good amount of stuffing to it. Seal the siddu's. You can give any type of shape either round or half moon.

Step 4: Steaming

Take a steamer. Grease the stemer plate with ghee and place the siddu's inside it and coat them with some ghee. Steam the siddus for 15-20 minutes.

Siddu's will be ready serve them with ghee or any chutney of your choice.

I have also made a detailed video on the preparation of this wonderful dish in a very simple manner, the link for the same is: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncFViZkcUa4

The cuisine of Himachal Pradesh is a vast treasure house of a variety of gastronomical delights and siddu is just one of them. But still the cuisine is not such popular among the masses and is not served in even in the restaurant's of the state. Now only a handful of the restaurant's and the HPTDC's hotels do have a himachali cuisine menu and do serve siddu's too. 

So whenever you come to himachal do make sure to try this delicacy and ask for the authentic dishes of the place in the restaurants, so that this cuisine too gets a bit of popularity and a recognition too.