Food · Almora and Kasar Devi, Kumaon
Lal Bazaar food walk: bal mithai and singori
Walk Almora's stone-paved Lal Bazaar from end to end, tasting bal mithai, singori in its leaf cone and Kumaoni snacks, and looking into copper workshops and old houses. It is the best way to see the town the Chand kings built.
Photo: Ikneet · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsStart at the lower end of the bazaar near the main bus stand, where the best-known bal mithai shops stand. Bal mithai is khoya cooked with cane sugar until dark brown, set, cut into fingers and rolled in sugar-coated poppy-seed balls. It was invented in Lal Bazaar in the early 20th century, and shops still sell it fresh by weight. Buy a little from two or three and compare.
Singori is the other Almora sweet: sweetened khoya shaped into a small cone and wrapped in a maalu leaf, which gives it its flavour. Look also for khechuwa and the Kumaoni snack shops selling bhang ki chutney, made from roasted hemp seeds, which contains no intoxicant. Small eateries serve aloo ke gutke, spiced hill potatoes, with tea.
As you walk up the bazaar, look for the carved wooden doorways and windows on older houses, the Nanda Devi temple, and the copper workshops where Tamta craftsmen hammer pots and water vessels. Shops are closed on some afternoons and festival days. Cars are not allowed on most of the bazaar, which keeps it a walking street.
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Questions
Before you book
Where is the best bal mithai in Almora?
The most famous shops are at the lower end of Lal Bazaar near the bus stand, and several old family shops along the bazaar make their own. Taste from two or three; each has a slightly different roast and sweetness.
How long does bal mithai last?
Bal mithai keeps for about a week at room temperature in cool weather and longer in a fridge. It is a good gift to carry home but tastes best within a few days.
What is singori?
Singori is sweetened khoya shaped into a cone and wrapped in a maalu leaf, which gives it a distinct aroma. It is associated with Almora and Kumaon, and also with old Tehri in Garhwal. Eat it fresh, within a day or two.