Siddu on a Himachal Menu

Siddu is Himachal's steamed stuffed wheat bread. The dough is left to rise with yeast, wrapped around a filling and steamed rather than baked or fried. Dal, walnuts and poppy seeds are among the fillings you may come across, so it is worth asking what is inside when you order.

In Mandi town, look for dal-filled siddu. The lentil filling is enclosed in the bread before steaming. It is not simply a plain bread served with a bowl of dal.

What goes inside siddu?

Dal-filled siddu has a lentil stuffing inside the risen dough. You can find this version in Mandi town, though the seasoning depends on the cook.

Walnut and poppy-seed fillings are other versions to try. A walnut mixture may include coriander and green chillies. The bread does not have one fixed recipe that every kitchen follows.

Ask what the stuffing contains and how much chilli is in it. The same question is useful if there is an ingredient you do not eat. The name siddu alone will not tell you the full recipe.

Ghee, chutney and the rest of the plate

Siddu is often served with ghee, and chutney can be part of the plate too. Some servings pair the bread with dal. Ask what comes with your order, especially if the menu lists only the bread.

Try a piece with a little ghee, then another with the chutney. You can add more as you go rather than pouring everything over it at once. That leaves you free to enjoy the filling and choose how much of the accompaniment you prefer.

If dal is listed on the menu, ask whether it is the filling or a bowl served alongside the bread. That small distinction helps you understand what you are ordering.

Ordering your first plate

Before ordering several, ask whether a serving means one whole siddu, pieces of a bread, or a plate with sides. Look at the portion if one is being served nearby. Decide whether you want to share a taste or make it part of lunch; there is no reliable single portion size to plan around.

In Manali, siddu gives you a local dish to look for alongside the café food. If you are spending time on the walk from Mall Road to Old Manali, check a menu when you stop to eat. Not every café serves it, so check before sitting down if it is the dish you particularly want to try.

Before ordering, check the filling, the portion and what comes with the plate. If you would like to try the dal-filled version in Mandi, ask for it by that name.

Photograph

Siddu by Gannu03, photographed on 2 November 2024. Cropped, resized and converted to WebP for 2050 XP. The photograph and this adaptation are available under CC BY-SA 4.0.