food · Dzongu, North Sikkim
Cook and eat in a Lepcha kitchen
Meals in Dzongu are the centre of a homestay. Kitchens are warm rooms with wood stoves where the family gathers, and guests are often invited to sit and eat with them. Ingredients come from the farm and forest: rice, millet, maize, buckwheat, wild ferns, greens, mushrooms in season, eggs and sometimes local chicken or pork.
Ask your host if you can help. You might grind spices, clean ferns or watch millet being prepared for fermentation. The Lepchas are known for their deep knowledge of plants; one study cited on Wikipedia counts over 370 species of animals, fungi and plants used by Lepchas in Sikkim.
Tell your host in advance if you are vegetarian or avoid certain foods; they will adapt. Many homestays serve home-brewed millet beer, chi, in the evenings. It is part of hospitality, but you may politely refuse. Leave nothing on your plate that you have not tasted; it is a small courtesy that matters.
Good for
Questions people ask
Good to know
What food is served in Dzongu homestays
Simple farm food: rice or millet, dal, seasonal vegetables, wild ferns and greens, eggs, pickles and sometimes chicken or pork. Breakfast may be bread, noodles or porridge. Meals are usually included in the per-person rate. Tell your host in advance about vegetarian or other diets.
Do Dzongu homestays serve vegetarian food
Yes. Most homestays cook vegetarian meals on request, and farm vegetables, ferns, greens and dal make up much of the daily food anyway. Tell your host when you book. Jain or other strict diets are harder to manage in a remote village, so discuss them clearly.
What is chi in Dzongu
Chi is a home-brewed fermented millet drink common among Lepcha and other Himalayan communities, often served warm. It is part of hospitality and ritual. It contains alcohol. You are welcome to try it, but you can decline politely, and you should avoid it if you are heading to high altitude next.
