Food · Gyalshing
Morning market walk in Gyalshing
Walk Gyalshing's market in the morning to see what West Sikkim's villages grow and ferment: greens, chillies, chhurpi cheese, gundruk and seasonal fruit, with a cup of tea at a local stall.
Gyalshing is where villagers from the surrounding hills come to sell and buy. In the morning the market fills with seasonal vegetables, wild and cultivated greens, chillies, beans, squash and, in winter, oranges from the lower valleys.
Look for chhurpi, a cheese made from cow or yak milk, sold soft or hard; gundruk, fermented dried greens; kinema, fermented soybean; and pickles of bamboo shoot or chilli. Ask sellers what things are; most are happy to explain.
Finish with tea and a plate of momos or sel roti, a ring-shaped rice bread, at a local stall. Carry cash in small notes. Photograph produce freely, but ask before photographing sellers.
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Questions travellers ask
Before you book
What is chhurpi?
Chhurpi is a traditional cheese of the Himalaya made from cow or yak milk. Soft chhurpi is used in curries and pickles; hard chhurpi is dried into small blocks and chewed slowly for hours. You will find both in Gyalshing's market.
When is the Gyalshing market busiest?
Mornings, roughly 7–11 am, are busiest, when villagers bring produce and jeeps arrive and leave. Some towns in Sikkim have a weekly haat day with extra stalls; ask locally which day it falls in Gyalshing during your visit.
Can I buy local food to take home?
Yes. Hard chhurpi, dried gundruk, pickles and large cardamom travel well. Buy sealed packets where possible. Check airline rules for liquids and strong-smelling foods, and keep fermented items well wrapped.
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