Kashmir is not just defined by its snow-clad mountains and astonishing beauty, but also its exquisite cuisines that attract food lovers across the world.
The food in Kashmir is renowned for burst of flavours which are soothing and yet hits all the taste buds. The rich dishes have evolved through several generations and have two distinct styles — that of Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits.
A signature dish in the Kashmiri cuisine is “rogan josh”, also called “rogan ghosht”. It is a heavenly aromatic curried meat dish of Persian or Kashmiri origin. It is made with red meat, traditionally lamb or goat. The delicacy is coloured and flavoured primarily by alkanet flower or root and Kashmiri chillies.
The dish is cooked with onions, garlic and cardamom, and is prepared on special occasions in the Kashmir Valley.
An alternative to the regular Indian tea, “Kaahwa”, is one beverage no Kashmiri can live without. Kashmiri “Kahwa” or “Kehwa Chai” is a traditional Kashmiri tea flavoured with cardamom and infused with cloves, cinnamon and saffron.
This aromatic drink is prepared by boiling green Kashmiri tea in water for a few minutes.
Another dish one can enjoy in the Valley is Kashmiri “Chaman” (paneer). This yellow paneer curry is among the few Kashmiri delicacies that uses turmeric. The golden fried cottage cheese cubes are boiled in a pot of water consisting of different spices such as cloves, cardamom, fennel powder and ‘sonth’ or dried ginger powder.
This lip-smacking curry can be relished with a platter of steaming basmati rice and served on special occasions as well on a daily basis.
“Tabak maaz” is considered to be the royal food in Kashmir. It is prepared on special occasions.
This redolent dish has deep-fried mutton chunks that are flavoured with salt and a generous amount of Kashmiri red chilli powder. It is locally known as “marxchwangan korma”. Eaten as a side dish, this rich delicacy has the potential enough to become the main course.
Another heavenly offering from the “Paradise of Earth” is the traditional “Mutton Yakhni”. If you are craving for an appetising lunch or dinner, then this dish is perfect for you.
This authentic Kashmiri recipe is made by using mutton, curd, cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon. Mostly prepared during celebrations, this delicacy has a wonderful aroma of spices which gives it a taste that will make you crave for more.
Kashmiri Pulao is another authentic Kashmiri dish. It has an unforgettable sweet taste and this is what differentiates it from other pulaos and biryanis. The ingredients of this delicacy are basmati rice, thinly sliced onion, green chilli, ginger, mint leaves, cumin powder, saffron, almonds, cashews, walnuts and bay leaf.
Advertisement
Author
