Craving A Taste Of The Hills? Try This Traditional Garhwali Kafuli Recipe At Home

Last Updated:June 12, 2025, 15:20 IST

Kafuli, a traditional Garhwali dish made using nutritious hill spinach, is packed with the goodness of leafy greens and stands out for its unique flavour and preparation

If you’ve ever travelled to the mountains, the delicious and healthy local dishes have likely won your heart. Among them, Garhwal’s traditional dish Kafuli (also known as Kafli or Kafuli) holds a special place.

This unique dish is not only packed with the goodness of leafy greens, but its flavour and preparation method are also quite different from regular curries. Traditionally made using pahadi (hill) spinach, this wholesome delicacy is both flavourful and full of nutrition.

But did you know you can easily recreate it in the plains using local spinach too? Yes, Kafuli made from native spinach is just as tasty and nutritious. Here’s an easy recipe to bring the taste of the mountains to your plate.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Kafuli

To make this traditional Garhwali dish, you’ll need:

• 500 grams of fresh spinach
• 4–5 garlic cloves
• A small piece of ginger
• 2 green chillies
• ½ cup gram flour (besan)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• red chilli powder
• turmeric
• coriander powder
• salt
• Oil for cooking

The gram flour gives Kafuli its thick, rich texture and adds a rustic depth to the flavour. The garlic, ginger, and chillies ground with the spinach elevate its taste.

Step-by-Step Recipe To Make Kafuli

1. Thoroughly wash the spinach 4–5 times with cold water. Bring water to a boil in a pot, add the garlic and spinach, and cover it. Let it boil for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow it to cool.
2. In a bowl, mix gram flour with a little water to create a smooth batter. It should be neither too thick nor too runny.
3. Grind the boiled spinach along with the garlic, ginger, and green chillies into a fine paste. This paste gives Kafuli its distinct taste and texture.
4. Heat oil in a pan. Saute the onions until golden, then add the tomatoes. Once the tomatoes soften, add turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and salt. Cook the mixture on low heat for about 15 minutes.
5. Pour in the gram flour batter, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Once it blends well, add the spinach paste. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Then add 2 cups of water and stir on high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 2–3 minutes.

Your hot, hearty and nutritious Garhwali Kafuli is now ready! It pairs best with steaming hot bhaat (rice). Cooking this dish at home will bring you closer to the earthy, comforting flavours of the hills.

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