Cooking with a Lepcha family in Dzongu

In a Dzongu home the kitchen is where guests end up. A wood fire burns in the hearth, rice cooks in a heavy pot, and whatever the season offers goes into the curry: young fern shoots in spring, nettle for soup, squash, beans, wild greens collected from the forest edge, and on some days local chicken or pork. Your hosts will show you what each plant is and where it grows.

Many families brew chi, a fermented millet drink that is part of Lepcha hospitality and ritual. If it is offered and you do not drink, it is fine to say so politely. Food is usually eaten together, and portions are generous. Ask about what grows when, how cardamom prices have changed, and what the family thinks about the future of the valley.

This is a family evening, not a demonstration, so let your hosts set the pace and help with small tasks if invited. Tell us in advance about vegetarian, Jain or allergy needs; hosts plan meals with ingredients from their own fields and the Mangan market.