India is dotted with beautiful and exotic hill stations which serve as a perfect getaway from the sweltering heat. Darjeeling which is known as the ‘Queen of hillstations’ sits atop a ridge with a spectacular view of the snow peaks of the mighty Kangchenjunga,the third highest mountain in the world.
It is one of the most popular hill stations of India,famous for it’s six T’s- Tea, Teak,Toy train,Trekking,Tiger hill and Tourism. Having covered most other hill stations of North and South India, Darjeeling had somehow eluded our list. So this time by unanimous choice it was Darjeeling. The nearest airport is Baghdogra which is approximately 2 to 3 hours away from the hill town. The distance between Baghdogra and Darjeeling has to be covered by cab. The journey in itself is an exhilarating experience.
As we drove up the rolling mountains, we could see slopes of beautiful tea gardens, orchids, pines & rhododendrons. There were flowers in every shade and every where.
We stopped by a quaint old Tibetan shop which was selling steaming hot momos. Needless to say they were very delicious.It was by now 5 in the evening and it was getting colder.We had to pull out our jackets and roll up the windows of our car. As our car negotiated along the winding hills, a cloud or fog rose up from the valley and covered the path with a white blanket. For the next 3 to 4 kms there was zero visibility. Our cab driver who was well aware of the hill contours was quite confident but I was shivering with thrill and chill and kept sending silent prayers. The kids were excited though.
I heaved a sigh of relief when we reached our destination. Darjeeling true to what we had heard had a picturesque landscape and a mix of colonial and modern world charm. There are centuries old buildings and houses in Darjeeling that reflect the traditional British architecture from 1800’s. The hotel where we stayed was originally built for the British Lords and got later rebuilt keeping the old world charm intact. It had a spectacular view of the Himalayas.
The toy train of Darjeeling Himalayan Railways which runs on a steam engine on a 2 feet narrow gauge track is an engineering marvel. It has been accorded the UNESCO World Heritage status. The train ride was an enjoyable experience as the train honked along its way through several loops and zigzags while negotiating steep gradients.Much to the chagrin of my kids who thought I would fall out of the train, I loved standing at the doorway of the chugging train breathing in the fresh air and viewing the breath takingly beautiful mystical snow capped mountains.
There is a wonderful Japanese temple built in traditional Japanese architecture,monastery and Peace pagoda in a 10 minute driving distance from the town centre. It is surrounded by 100 year old pine trees, flowers in different hues and a clear view of the Kangchenjunga. You can hear the reverberating and rhythmic sound of a huge drum and the soft hum of the chants coming from the prayer room. Visitors are given a small drum pad and a stick and invited to join the prayers.Photography was not allowed inside the prayer room.
Japanese temple
Our visit to the Darjeeeling zoo was an excitingexperience,especially for our animal lover girl. It is home to many endangered species and high altitude Himalayan animals like the Tibetan Wolf, Red Panda, Snow Leopard ,Siberian Tigers, Yaks and many other animals in semi natural habitats. We had to walk up the steep slopes to see the animals in their enclosures but it was well worth the effort.
In close vicinity to the zoo is the Himalayan mountaineering Institute which conducts Adventure, Basic and Advanced Mountaineering courses.
Right outside the zoo were small vendors selling berries and himalayan spices.
All the sightseeing tours,trekking and activities made us all very hungry. Darjeeling cuisine is a mixture of Tibetan,Chinese,Nepalese,Naga and Bengali cuisines. I always love to explore the local food of the places we visit.Momos are the most popular local snack food in Darjeeling. Another very popular Tibetan food is Thukpa. It is a hot noodle soup mixed with meat, eggs, vegetables etc which is served in a large bowl.Alu Dum is a typical Nepali and Bengali snack which is prepared by boiling cut potatoes in a thick gravy and mixing dried red chili powder in it along with onion slices, few cloves of garlic, some mustard oil and some red color.Shaphalay is a Tibetan bread which is stuffed with meat.
Our journey downhill to the airport was another exciting experience. We were generously allowed to spend a day at a tea estate by one of my husband’s friends who owned it. It was extremely beautiful. We learnt how tea was plucked,processed and packed. And of course we got to taste the finest and freshest of darjeeling teas.
A surprise visit to Nepal
While driving down the hill, the road acts as the divider between India and Nepal. The road belongs to India and the valleys belong to the neighbouring country Nepal. Our cab driver offered to take us to Pashupati market in Nepal. There was a small immigration counter where tourists can register their names and enter Nepal. Yes, it is that easy.
Vegetarian Tibetan Thupka Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup of noodles (Tibetan)
- ¾ cup of mixed frozen vegetables
- ½ cup spinach, diced into big pieces
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 small tomato, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 ½ cup vegetable broth
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 ½ green chili, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 tablespoon canola oil
Method
- Place noodles in a pot with 4 cups of water and put on stove on medium to high heat and boil for 10-15 minutes or until slightly undercooked. Drain and rinse.
- In a separate pan on the stove, pour in the canola oil and heat on medium to high heat. Add in the onions and stir until they are a light golden brown color.
- Add in the cumin powder, green chilies, turmeric, garam masala, ginger paste and garlic paste. Stir and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Finally, add in the thawed frozen vegetables and stir-fry for 10-15 minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes, soy sauce, bay leaf, salt, vegetable broth and spinach. Cook this on medium heat, stirring every couple of minutes until the vegetables are tender and soft.
- Add in the noodles and stir, coating the noodles with the contents of the pot. Add in as much water as you would like to make it more or less watery. Cook this for another 2-4 minutes.
- Finally, serve as a main dish.
Recipe Courtesy: Everywhere fare
To sum it all Darjeeling is a pristine and picturesque hill station with delicious food and a pleasant climate. Next time you plan to hit the hills to beat the scorching heat,you know where to go.
Aromas and Flavors from my Kitchen 
Wonderful Post Ana!!! Have a great weekend friend. Cheryl xx
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Thank you so much dear Cheryl.
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xx
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What a beautiful post Ana. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it all, and felt I was right there with you. From the gorgeous views, to the stunning colors and scents all around, you captured it all beautifully. About 12 years ago when I went to Goa, I had also decided to visit a friend in Kerala. She had arranged a trip to a hill station in Ooty. It was a memory I will never forget. Beautiful old colonial homes built in the times of the British… tea pickers, a guy who brought me chai in my room every morning… I felt like royalty! Your trip to the Queen of Hill stations, brought back wonderful memories for me. So lucky that you were able to see Nepal too. Thanks for the memories 🙂
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Thank you so much dear Loretta. I am so happy you liked the post and it took you down memory lane. We went to Ooty a couple of years back and enjoyed the trip too. Most hill stations were made by and for the British who couldn’t bear the Indian summers especially when there were no airconditioners in those times. You must plan a trip to North Indian hill stations especially Manali. They are blessed with natural breathtaking views and are at a higher altitude. I am so glad you could relate to the post. Have a wonderful weekend dear friend. Take care 🙂
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Beautiful photos and information!
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Thank you so much ☺
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The narrative was illustrative that I experienced myself as though I was touring Darjeeling.One should visit when young
Keep up your excitement and mouthwatering recipeess
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Thank you so much. Wish you had joined us 🙂
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What a wonderful trip, thank you so much for sharing it xx
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Thank you dear Elaine ☺ My Thupka was a bit late for your vegetarian soup challenge. I was thinking about you while relishing the soup during my vacation.
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Lovely! I bet the food was amazing?!
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Oh it was. Steaming hot food in cold foggy weather. It was yumm… and it was mostly vegetarian.
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Fabulous!
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stunning photos and delish recipes, what more could one ask?
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Thank you so much ☺ It is a beautiful place to visit.
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Your post makes me want to visit this place! I’ve heard so much of it, never got a chance to go there, hopefully someday 🙂
This recipe sounds delicious ! Super gorgeous pics, Skd 🙂
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Thank you so much Freda! I am so happy you liked the post. March – April is spring season so the valley was blooming with colours. Have a wonderful Sunday !
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HAve a lovely week ahead 🙂
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You too dear Freda ☺
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Amazing pictures Ana and thanks for sharing a vegetarian Thupka, I guess I can try making this one although not sure when, In love totally with the beautiful pictures and this post. Take care.
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Hello Arohi!! Nice to hear from you. I missed blogging for almost a month. Hope to catch up with all your wonderful posts soon. Thank you so much for loving this post. Have a wonderful Sunday!
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yes, I missed you and your recipes as well and have been wondering where you were until I recently saw your lovely post, I hope you had amazing time my friend. I totally loved the pictures and am longing for a vacation like that too. 😀 Take care.
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Thank you so much dear Arohi for missing me.😘 Summers are busy vacationing and catching up with near and dear ones. Hope to be regular in posting! Take care too 🙂
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🙂
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What a beautiful post Ana – your experiences and the pictures to go along with them. I remember driving in the Smokey Mountains when the fog was terrible – I finally had to pull off the highway and wake my hubby up to drive. We decided to be safe and wait until the fog lifted! Love your recipe too – thanks for sharing all of this interesting info. I wondered what happened to you – glad to see you back 🙂
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Thank you so much dear Judi for missing me and also for liking the post. I was off on a vacation, then had to attend my sons convocation. Then there was a family wedding. So couldn’t be active on the blog.
Driving on smokey mountains can be really scary. I kept telling our cab driver to stop until the fog lifted. But he was confident because he did that every day and the fog doesn’t lift for hours. We met the same fog conditions and zero visibility on our way down too. That particular 3-4 km stretch is supposedly foggy all the time . But thank God for keeping us safe 🙂
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Beautiful photos and info, thanks!
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Thank you so much for liking the post 🙂
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Wow.. What lovely pictures Ana! Loved reading through the post.. It makes me want to go there now.
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Thank you dear Trupti. I am so happy you liked it ☺ You must plan a trip soon
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oooh WOW SKD…what beautiful travel pics👌🏽😍, adding this destination to my #travelbucketlist 😉
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Thank you so much dear Marsay ☺ 👍 💖 You must travel to India some time
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In Sha Allah, ameen
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A fantastic post Ana! Thanks for sharing all of this with us!
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Thank you so much Lynz !
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Wonderful post!
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Such a wonderful post, Ana! Your photos are absolutely stunning. This is one part of the world that I have not been able to visit in person. After gazing upon your photos and reading about your trip, I desperately want to go. It sounds as if you had an amazing time. Delicious recipe too. 🙂
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Thank you so much dear Nancy ☺ 💕 It was an enjoyable experience
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Such an informative post. Thanks for sharing these beautiful pictures!
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Thank you so much Mary for stopping by and liking the post. Have a wonderful weekend 🙂
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A red panda? Never heard of this! 🙂
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What a wonderful adventure and what wonderful images. Thanks so much for sharing.
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Thank you so much . It was a fun trip☺
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Great post
It’s been long I have been there n I was a kid then but yr photos evoke memories. I love the northern most part of bengal, it is so rich naturally with himalaya, teagardens
rivers, national parks and reserve forests. Love it all
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I am so happy this post refreshed your beautiful memories. Thank you so much for liking it ☺ 👍
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Looks and sounds so delicious and some great pictures from your trip 🙂
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Thank you so much ☺
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What a lovely cool trip you made & Thank,you for this lovely info & fabulous photos too, I also love, love your unique recipe! Waw!
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Thank you so much dear Sophie. Your kind words mean a lot to me ☺ 👍 💖
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Xxx Hugs!
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Looks like a great experience! ❤ Lovely!! ❤ ❤
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It really was Manal Alhamdulillah
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Good article, and thanks for the recipe. With Momo, they serve an awesome tested chatni (sauce) , hopefully you have tested it. You can check #DarjeelingPocketGuide for more secrets of Darjeeling http://www.bluguides.com
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Thank you for stopping by. I will hop on to the website for a quick walk down memory lane ☺
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Great pictures and wonderful recipe! Sounds beautiful!
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Thank you so much ☺
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Reblogged this on Life's Top Senses.
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Thank you so much for the reblog 👍
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Reblogged this on Journal Edge and commented:
Article Source: aromasandflavours.com
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great blogpost!
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Thank you. I am glad you liked it ☺ 👍
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Great blog! Thanks for sharing the thupka recipe! Darjeeling is one of my fav destinations too!
https://indianvoyagersguide.wordpress.com/2016/12/09/beautiful-darjeeling/
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Thank you so much for liking it. We really enjoyed the hot spicy thupka to beat the cold.
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