Siddu

Siddu belongs to the Kullu and Mandi valleys, where it is steamed over a wood fire and served swimming in melted ghee. It is closer to a soft bun than a bread, and the ghee is not a condiment — the siddu is dipped whole into a bowl of it.

Ingredients

• Dough: 3 cups plain flour or atta
• 1 tsp instant yeast, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt
• About 1 cup warm water
• 1 tbsp Gobind Ghee
• Filling: 1 cup walnuts, coarsely ground
• 3 tbsp poppy seeds (khus khus), lightly roasted
• 1 tsp ajwain, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp Gobind Ghee
• To serve: ½ cup Gobind Ghee, melted

Method

1. Mix the yeast and sugar into the warm water and leave 10 minutes until frothy.
2. Add to the flour with the salt and 1 tbsp ghee. Knead into a soft, smooth dough — about 8 minutes.
3. Cover and leave somewhere warm until doubled. Give it 2 to 3 hours; this is a slow dough and a rushed rise gives dense siddu.
4. Meanwhile, mix the ground walnuts, poppy seeds, ajwain, salt, chilli and 1 tbsp ghee into a coarse paste.
5. Knock back the dough and divide into 6. Roll each into a disc, place a spoonful of filling in the centre, fold over and seal firmly. Shape into a disc (Kullu style) or an oval (Shimla style).
6. Rest the shaped siddu 15 minutes.
7. Steam over rapidly boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes, until firm and springy. Do not lift the lid in the first 10 minutes.
8. Serve hot with a bowl of melted ghee alongside.

The ghee note

There is a spoon in the dough for softness and a spoon in the filling for richness, but the half cup for dipping is the real one. Melt it gently and keep it warm — cold ghee will not coat the bread.

Tips

• Seal the edges properly or the filling escapes into the steamer.
• Line the steamer with a cloth or greased leaf so the base does not go soggy.
• Leftover siddu is excellent sliced and pan-fried in ghee the next morning.

Substitutions

Urad dal soaked and ground makes the common lentil filling. Paneer with herbs is a modern version. Walnut and poppy seed is the traditional one.

Storage

Two days in the fridge. Re-steam for 5 minutes, or slice and fry in ghee.

Serving

Melted ghee, gur, and a coriander or mint chutney.

Nutrition

Approximately 390 kcal per siddu, excluding dipping ghee. Estimated values.