Originating in Tibet, sha phaley comprises deep-fried bread and meat. Bread stuffed with ground meat and cabbage is moulded into semi-circles to make fritters. It might seem similar to gujiya to a lot of people. While gujiya is typically vegetarian and sweet, sha phaley is crispy on the outside and oozes with succulent meat on the inside. The key to making a firm yet supple pot sticker, which is softer than a momo, is leaving the dough to rest and let it rise for an extra hour. 

A lot of variations have been made to the traditional dish, including additions of cheese and tofu to the stuffing. Thus, vegans too have a chance to enjoy this dish. 

Phagshapa is a pork dish in the most basic terms. Mixed together with radish, ginger, garlic, dry red chillies, and pressure-cooked pork, phagshapa is best had with rice. 

It is tangy and not very spicy, since there is very light use of chillies and oil. It is a particular favourite during summer. The dish is of Nepali origin and though lesser-known amongst tourists, it should definitely be on a foodie's must-try list. 

Gundruk is a vegan dish made by fermenting leafy vegetables like cabbage or radish. Sometimes, mustard leaves are used in its preparation. Traditionally, the dish is made in an earthen pot. Over the years, there has been little variation in its ingredients or cooking process. 

Sinki, another traditional dish, is made with radish tap roots. The chopped roots and bamboo are covered with vegetation and mud for about a month, after which they are sun-dried. Sinki stays fresh for a year, because of its high level of organic acid and low pH. 

Thukpa is a soupy dish that originated in eastern Tibet. It is a combination of Tibetan-style noodles with vegetables or chicken stew in clear soup. There are several varieties of thukpa, the most popular being gyathuk, pathug, drethug, bakhthu, which use cowrie (shaped like macaroni but made from wheat flour), and thenthuk, which is made of flat noodles. When in Gangtok, one can find vegetable thukpa containing almost every locally-grown variety in the soup. Most common ingredients, apart from meat, include carrot, bell pepper, spinach, cauliflower and celery. 

Thukpa is widely available throughout the city and is especially loved by the Monpa community of Sikkim. They have something called putang thukpa, which uses buckwheat noodles with meat or fried fish, flavoured with red chilli, garlic and coriander, as well as seasonal greens and a generous sprinkling of herbs. Spring onions are typically added to the preparation in Gangtok. Here, thukpa is a must in winter – the spiciness helps in warming the body and warding off the cold.