Crossing a district line in India means coming across new traditions, new locales and in particular new food. Every region has its own special dishes, heavily influenced by local produce. In a new series of blog posts we explore the different tastes of India and discover some of the specialities being served by homestays in different regions. We start by exploring the North Indian food being served up by homestays.

With hot summers and cold winters the climate of North India means that plenty of fresh seasonal vegetables are used in recipes. The geographical location means that there are plenty of influences from other Asian countries found in the style of cuisine which includes delicious curries with creamy gravies.

The hosts of The Homestead in Kumaon are proud, self-proclaimed foodies and love a hearty meal. The Indian meals usually comprise of 3-4 curries and a lentil-based dish eaten with Indian bread or rice. Pickles are the perfect complement to every bite. Other than Indian food guests will also fall in love with the home’s Italian, Thai, Continental and Chinese preparations.

Almond Villa is located amidst forty acres of orchards and guests welcome the juicy fresh fruits. The Kashmiri ‘Kavha chai’ (tea leaves brewed and enriched with pounded almonds, cardamom seeds, cinnamon stalks and sugar) is not to be missed.

Wild Side homestay is famous for its Continental and Indian food drawing on influence from the hosts tenure at the British high commission. Roasted chicken made with fresh herbs from her own garden and cream of carrot soup must be enjoyed in the perfect ambience of the flower laden open air dining area.

Near Nainital at the Garden Valley homestay you can enoy the creativity and skill of a michelin chef who prepares Satvik food, Arabic, Thai, French and Italian with effortless panache. Satvik food is simple, cooked using minimal heat without extensive processing. Don’t miss the opportunity to take a cooking lesson from the masterchef himself. The homestay offers food made using mainly organically grown fruits and vegetables from their own garden, which are also used to prepare homemade jams and marmalades.

For a typically Punjabi meal in Delhi the right place is Darshan homestay. Punjabi food is full of rustic flavour and made according to the season. Milk products such as Dahi, Lassi, Paneer and Ghee are important parts of Punjabi cuisine.

Near Palampur is the Darang Tea Estate. Tea, fruits, vegetables are grown on the property and used in the home’s kitchen. Fresh milk from their cow is to make what is possibly the world’s most delicious cottage cheese. Jams and marmalades of all kinds are made by the family and make for an absolutely wonderful breakfast.