A samosa is a fried or baked dish that is filled with a savoury filling. However, Rishikesh is known for its oozing chocolate filling that gives samosa a sweet and rich flavour. It can be eaten both as a dessert and as a snack.

Banana Curry is a fruity recipe that has the sweetness of banana and apple. An element of crunch is added with cashew nuts. Sprigs of coriander are used to garnish the dish.

Dal Makhani is an Indian favourite and this rich lentil curry has lots of cream. It is eaten with butter roti (Indian flatbread drenched in butter) and is a culinary indulgence one would be hard pressed to forget. Just like its non-vegetarian counterpart, butter chicken, dal makhani is a much-loved preparation and incidentally, both of these have been concocted by the same man. It is said that Kundan Lal Gujral, who is the founder of the Moti Mahal chain of restaurants, changed the way black lentil dal is made.

The turning point in the recipe came when Gujral mixed cream and tomatoes as a souring agent to the dal. This concept seems to have cropped up when Gujral needed to preserve leftover chicken. To do so, he decided to simmer it in a luscious gravy with cream, butter, tomatoes and spices to help retain the moisture. The same trick seems to have been applied to dal makhani as well.

Pasta tossed in spicy and tangy red sauce and garnished with a host of vegetables should be had piping hot while visiting the cool climes of Rishikesh.

It is a healthy protein-rich breakfast item that is made of Indian lentils. These pancakes are served with applesauce and rose milk and make for a sumptuous spread.