Kumaon Fruits & Flowers

Kumaoni Fruits

Kaafal- Aao dagdiyo kaafal khe jao..Himalaya ki saugat, Namak, Tel, Or Mirch apke swad ke hisab se laga lena. Agley season main fir pesh karegne. 

Hisalu-Ek aisa fal jo apko school, bachpan ke dino kee yaad to zaroor dilayega. Pata hi nahi chalta thaa khate-khate ki kab school ki chutti ho gayi.

Kirmodi- Bachpan ke din bhee kya din they. Khate khate hont aur jeeb laal, fir ghar pe aakar mammi papa se gaal laal. Aisa hi kuch thaa ham sab kirmodi khane walo kaa haal.

Aadu- Kitne flavor wale aadu apne khaye hain, aur ab kitne khaa paa rahe hain? chota aadu, bada aadu, typical bolte they, aar khanu aar.

Suat-Cheed ke pedo se jab ye gir jaate they, ham ikhatta kar ke laate they, aur fir aag main bhunkar iske andar ke beez khate they. superb

Mel -Dikhne main kala, kare jeebh, honth ko kala, ek paav khaa lo to pet zingalala.

Khumani:- A rich taste fruit, which produces only in uttrakhand.

Naashpati- Naashpati ek aisa fruit jo uttrakhand main paida hota hai, jisko khane ke alawa aur kai tarah se upyog main laayi jati hai.

Pulam (plum)- Kumaon main har district main paya jata hai. waise to kisi bhee uttrakhandi fruit khane ke liye payment nahi karna padta hai. plum aisa fal hai jo khud to khate hi hai aur baat-te usse se bhee jyadaa hain.

Flowers

Buransh- Para bhide maiin buraash phuli go,main jo kuno meri hire agey choo!! वहां उधर पहाड़ शिखर पर बुरूंश का फूल खिल गया और मैं समझी कि मेरी प्यारी बिटिया हीरू आ रही है। अरे फूलों से झकझक लदे हुए बुरूंश के पेड़ को मैने अपनी बिटिया हीरू का रंगीन पिछौड़ा समझ लिया। वह तो बुरूंश का वृक्ष है। मेरी बेटी हीरू को तो राजा का पटवारी सोने-चांदी का लोभ दिखाकर अपने साथ ले गया है। वह अब आने से रही। अब तो वह तभी आएगी जब बूढ़ा पटवारी आएगा उसी के साथ वह आएगी।

Brahmkamal-In Himalayas, it is found at an altitude of around 4500 m.  It is the state flower of Uttarakhand. Saussurea obvallata is a Perennial growing to 0.3 m (1ft). The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. Local name of this flowers is Brahmakamal, Kon and Kapfu.

Dahlia- is a genus of bushy, tuberous, herbaceous perennial plants native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. A member of the Asteraceae or Compositae, dicotyledonous plants, related species include the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum and zinnia. There are at least 36 species of dahlia, with hybrids commonly grown as garden plants.

Famous sweets of kumaon

History

Over the years, the sweet has found home in many Kumaoni stories and folklore, arising from the milieu of Kumaon, as evident from the memoirs of noted Hindi writer, Shivani, wherein she reminiscences, the Almora Bazaar, and the lane filled with smells of locally made sweets, and the shop of Jogalal Shah Halwai,who is said to have invented the sweet, made with milk from nearby Phalsima village, and then wrapped in sugar dipped posta or Khas khas (Opium poppy) seeds. Although it is unknown whether it is ancient. Over the years, rapid commercialization and cost-cutting moves led to local shopkeepers replacing the original khas khas sugar balls with plain sugar balls that look like homeopathic pills. Even a recent version is completely devoid of sugar balls, to suit changing urban and tourist tastes. After, Joga Shah Halwai, Rautela brothers - Khem Singh and Mohan Singh made a name for themselves in sweet preparations.

Recipe

Baal Mithai is made by cooking khoya (evaporated milk cream) with cane sugar, until it becomes dark brown in color, colloquially called "chocolate" for its color resemblance. This is allowed to settle and cool, and cut into cubes which are then garnished with small white sugar balls.

Popularity

Baal Mithai has long been a specialty of the Almora district, and neighbouring Kumaon Hills, along with another local delicacy, Singhauri, which is another preparation of flavoured khoya, and comes wrapped in oak leaves.

Today, Baal Mithai, has become a delicacy in many neighbouring hill stations, like Ranikhet and Nainital, where an old Shop, in Bara Bazaar still sells, both the traditional and modern versions of Baal Mithai, the latter being, the same brown fudge without the white sugar balls.

Geographical Indications Protection for Baal Mithai

There has been a recent move to make local sweet makers aware of Intellectual Property Rights, and Geographical Indications Protection (GI Protection) under, ‘The Geographical Indications of Goods Act, 1999’, which would allow them to patent local delicacies of Baal Mithai and Singhauri, which are symbolic to the region.