Chainsoo

Roasted black gram dal — urad dal (whole or split) dry-roasted in an iron pan until darkened and nutty, then ground coarsely and cooked in water with ghee, dried ginger, asafoetida, and minimal spices — no onion, no garlic in the traditional Brahmin preparation. The dry-roasting step is everything: it transforms the raw, starchy dal into something smoky, deeply nutty, and almost chocolatey. Eaten with mandua ki roti as part of the Garhwali Brahmin meal. One of the most distinctive Garhwali preparations.