KASHMIRI CUISINE
The food of Jammu and Kashmir differs from region to region. The Hindu Dogras of Jammu being predominantly vegetarian, eat a staple diet of rice, wheat and beans. The Ladakhis eat rice, wheat, millet, locally produced vegetables and fruits, goat meat and dairy products made from yak milk. The most famous cuisine of the state though is Kashmiri. Dishes are cooked for a long time, so the meats may fully absorb the flavours of the accompanying condiments. The seasons and availability of fresh produce dictates the ingredients, some of which are dried for use in the winter months. The Kashmiri cuisine is essentially meat-based. There is a variation in the different eating habits of the Hindu and Muslim Kashmiris that determines which spices are used and which meats too since beef is prohibited for Hindus. The highlight of Kashmiri cuisine is the formal banquet called "wazawan", which includes a spread of over 36 courses cooked all night long by a team of chefs called ‘wazas’ under the supervision of a ‘Vasta waza’ or master chef, descendants of the cooks of Samarkand. The food is characterised by thick gravies which use liberal quantities of yoghurt, spices and dried fruits, and is usually cooked in ghee (clarified butter) or mustard oil. Saffron, the most expensive spice in the world, is grown locally. It is used extensively to flavour pulaos (rice dish) and sweets. The popular dishes include the starter yakhni, tabaq naat made of fried ribs, dum aloo (steam cooked potato curry), rogan josh made with mutton, gushtaba, a meatball curry, and haleem made from meat and pounded wheat. A Kashmiri meal must end with a cup of ‘Kahva’, green tea flavoured with cardamom and almonds.
Cuisine-I-LazeezKashmir, the land of fruits and nuts is also famous for its well known for flavoursome Kashmiri Cuisines, more for the non-vegetarian dishes. Traditional Kashmiri form of cooking is known as Wazhawan and consists of mostly non-vegetarian dishes. Kashmir serves the choicest selection of vegetarian and non vegetarian food in multiple flavours to suit every pocket. Multihued restaurants are available all along the major spots of Kashmir. The rich and aromatic flavour of the foods suites all the tastes and tongues unique to Kashmiri cuisine. Most Kashmiris including the Brahmins (Kashmiri Pundits) are meat eaters.The foodstuff of the state is characterized by three different styles of cooking ­ the Kashmiri Pundit, the Muslims and the Rajput styles. Though they eat meat, surprisingly, many traditional Kashmiri Pundits don't include garlic and onion to their cooking. One of the distinct characteristics of Kashmiri cuisine is the use of curds in the cooking, giving the dishes a creamy consistency. Kashmiris also use asafetida (Hing) to add flavour to their meat dishes.Saunf (aniseed) and dry ginger are other additive spices used tastefully to enhance the taste of the cuisines. For example some dishes become pungent not because of the use of chillies, but because of dry gingers.

Few other dishes have no spice except a little saunf added to them for flavour. Being the home of saffron, the colourful flavouring agent is used in the pulaos and sweets.Dry fruits are often used in the Kashmiri curries. Walnuts, almonds and raisins are also added to the curries. Ghee is the medium of cooking, probably because the fat is required to impart heat to the body, though mustard oil is also used. Some of the better known dishes are yakhni tabaq naat, which is an exotic dish made of fried ribs and decorated with silver varq, dum aloo, rogan josh, gaustaba which is a light meatball, haleem which is meat pounded with wheat, etcKashmir has developed its own specialties in cooking - its cuisine is unique. Locally grown varieties of rice are sweetly fragrant and very light. All the dishes are built around the main course of rice. The delicious saag, is made from thick-leafed green leafy vegetable called 'hak' that grows throughout the year. Lotus root is also an important produce for boat dwelling people and makes a very good substitute for meat. Fresh vegetables are used in season. Morel mushrooms called as 'guhchi' are harvested and consumed fresh in summer. They are expensive therefore used only for specific occasions such as religious and wedding feasts. Their hearty flavor enlivens pilafs and other meatless dishes. Corn bread is an alternative for rice. The tea in Kashmir is not the one taken by most Indians; rather it is spice scented green tea called "Kahva" poured from a samovar, a large metal kettle.Streams and lakes have influenced the Kashmiri cuisine. Fresh fish is a favorite. Myriad meat dishes are served during the traditional feasts. Lamb and poultry are served as accompaniments. Smoked meat, dried fish and vegetables are stored for use in winter. A special masala 'cake' is made from spice-blends, onions and locally grown chilies that can be stored for longer period of time and used in flavoring curries. Sauces are made from dairy rich products. Kashmiri fare is also influenced by the Mughlai cooking. The fruits and nuts grown from the valley are used lavishly in daily menus.
MENU
Kabargha
Haak
Chuk Nadur / Kamal Kakdi (Lotus Root)
Buza Wangun / Baingan Raita
Dum Aloo / Rumali roti
Razmi gogji (rajma)
Kashmiri Pulao
Mutton Roganjosh
Phirnee



KABARGHA

Ingredients:
Lamb rib chops 4 kg
Ginger powder 100 g
Cayenne pepper 250 g
Black cardamoms 20 g
Green cardamoms 10 g
Cinnamon sticks 20 g
Cloves 10 g
Bay leaves 10 g
Grated nutmeg 10 g
Fennel seeds 100g
Milk 2 litres
Thick, beaten yoghurt 2 litres
Gram flour ½ kg
Oil 1 ½ kg
Salt to taste

Method:
Flatten chops.
Tie spices in a muslin/cheesecloth bag.
Heat the milk.
Add meat, raw papaya paste (optional) and the bag of spices and simmer until liquid evaporates and chops are tender.
Dip each chop in beaten yoghurt, then dip in batter, then fry on both sides in oil.
Serve hot with varq on each chop (Some like to rub garlic on the chops before dipping)
Haak (Kashmiri Spinach)
Ingredients :
Spinach 4 kg
Mustard oil 100 g
Kashmiri garam masala 50 g
Yellow mustard seeds 50 g
Sliced spring onions 1 bunch
Salt to taste

Method
· Remove the tough stalks from the spinach.
· Heat mustard oil in a pan. Season mustard seeds and add Garam masala, spring onion and stir in the spinach until wilted.
· Cook spinach over a medium heat for 10-15 minutes until most of the water has evaporated.
· Do not cover the pan until cooking. Serve hot with phulkas.
DUM ALOO
Ingredients:

Small potatoes 3 kg
Onions ½ kg
Corriander leaves 1 big bunch
Coriander seeds 200 g
Cardamoms (black) 20 g
Cloves 10 g
Black pepper corns 50 g
Cinnamon 20 g
Caraway seeds 50 g
Cardamoms (green) 10 g
Asafetida 10 g
Bay Leaves 10 g
Ginger garlic paste 200 g
Turmeric Powder 15 g
Chilli powder 30 g
Yogurt (curd) 2 litres
Milk 750 g
Ghee/oil 300 ml
Salt to taste

Method:

Take coriander seeds, cardamoms, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, caraway seeds, cardamom green and grind it in a blender to make fine powder.
Peel off the potatoes and prick it.
Heat oil in pressure pan for about one minute. Fry the potatoes in oil over medium heat till they change the color from white to light brown. Set aside.
Add bay leaves, asafetida, ginger-garlic paste, grated onion to the remaining oil. Fry till the paste becomes reddish brown and the mixture starts separating from the oil.
Add the garam masala prepared in step1 to this mixture and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Fry it about a minute.
Now add milk to make the gravy. Then add beaten smooth yogurt and continuously stir it.
Add little water if the gravy is too thick and boil for 5 minutes
Finally add pricked fried potatoes to the gravy and cook till done.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.
MUTTON ROGANJOSH
Ingredients:
Mutton 4 kg
Onions 1 ½ kg
Ghee ½ kg
Curds 1 ½ litre
Coriander leaves 1 big bunch
Ripe tomatoes 2 kg
Rattanjog 50 g
Chillie powder 100 g
Coriander powder 200 g
Cumin powder 30 g
Garam masala powder 100 g
Saunth and somph powder 50 g each
Poppy seeds 100 g
Cloves 20 g
Cardamoms – green & black 20 g
Cinnamon sticks 20 g
Peppercorns 30 g
Ginger & garlic paste 250 g
Nutmeg 10 g
Blades of mace 10 g
almonds 200 g
Salt to taste
Method:
· Wash and cut the meat into cubes and marinate with half of the yoghurt and little ginger and garlic paste and leave it aside for an hour
· Chop the onions, boil for 10 min, grind and keep it aside
Heat ghee, sauté the rattanjog till the color bleeds, then add the whole garam masala, then add the ginger, garlic, onion paste until brown. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, fry for some time and then add all the spices and fry for 10 minutes.
Add the marinated mutton, fry till brown in color and then add the remaining curds, add salt and fry till ghee floats on the surface.
Lower the fire, put a lid on the dekchi, simmer till mutton is cooked to the desired tenderness and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve the mutton rogan josh hot with pulao or with phulkas.
Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve hot either with parathas phulkas or Jeera rice.

Razmi gogji (rajma)
Ingredients:
Rajma 1 ½ kg
Onion ½ kg
Tomato 750 g
Green chilli 50 g
Ginger & garlic paste 150 g
Bayleaves 10 g
Whole garam masala 50 g
Kashmiri chilli powder 150 g
Coriander powder 150 g
Garam masala powder 100 g
Vegetable oil 250 ml
Coriander leaves 1 big bunch
Salt to taste
Method:
Soak rajma in water overnight.
Pressure cook rajma until tender.
Chop onion, tomato and green chilli. Grind ginger and garlic and make a paste.
Heat oil in a pan. Add the bay leaves, cloves, black cardamoms and cinnamon sticks, then add the chopped onions and ginger& garlic paste and fry on medium heat until golden brown (The oil starts separating from the mixture) and then add the chopped tomatoes and sauté well.
Add kasmiri chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well and fry for 2-3 minutes.
· Add water enough to make thick gravy. Bring the gravy to boil.
Add cooked rajma, keeping aside some (along with the water in which it was cooked). Stir well and cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
Grind the rajma which is kept aside to a fine paste and add to the gravy and boil till the oil floats
Garnish with chopped green coriander leaves and serve hot with garam masala


Roomali Roti
Ingredients
Wheat flour 3 kgPlain flour ½ kgSalt 25 gms Oil 150 ml
Method
Sift flours, salt together.
Rub in oil till flour is crumbly.
Add water, knead into soft, pliable dough.
Cover and keep aside for 45 minutes.
Knead again till smooth, divide into required parts.
Shape into rounds.
Roll as thin as possible using dry flour for dusting.
Place one on back of palm.
With circular movement in one direction, flip and rotate roti.
This procedure will make the roti very thin.
Invert deep tawa or heavy cast iron pan, and heat over gas.
When hot, spread roti over inverted griddle and allow to cook.
Tiny black spots will appear on it when done.
This roti cooks very fast. Approx. 45- 50 seconds each.
Fold like a handkerchief (roomal) before serving.
Chuk Nadur / Kamal Kakdi (Lotus Root)
Ingredients
Lotus root/Nadur 1 kg
Tomatoes 250 g
Chili powder 50 g
Saunth 30 g
Asafoetida 5 g
Oil. 100 ml
Method:
Take 2 ½” long pieces of Nadur and cut in center;
Put little oil in pressure cooker.
Add Nadur to oil and a pinch of heeng.
Fry till Nadur becomes little brown; add chili powder; shonth and salt. Stir well. Add little water and stir.
Add little water and boil.
Pressure cook for 5-10 minutes.
Turn off the stove.
Open the lid when pressure in cooker drops down.
Add chopped tomatoes to Nadur.
Boil for 5 minutes.
Check Nadur is crunchy soft.
Serve with white boiled rice.
Note:If you are cooking with tomatoes, follow the same method as above. Add only 2 tomatoes to Nadur while frying. Please note that before adding spices, put less water as tomatoes give water out.
Buza Wangun / Baingan Raita
Buz Wangun is usually cooked as a side dish. However, this dish, too, has a cultural background. It is cooked on the occasion of 'Pan', a religious function held in the month of September to propitiate Lord Ganesha during Ganapati festival in Maharashtra. On this day, 'Roth' (sweet puri type) is prepared and offered to God. A folk tale on the significance of the Puja is often recited on the occasion by the elderly lady of the house and prayers held for prosperity of the household.
With 'Roath, people make regular roti or 'duwari phulka,' and Buza Wangun is served with 'duwari phulka.'
IngredientsWangun / Baingan , 1 kg
Yoghurt, 2 kg
Cumin seeds. 50 g
Method:
Apply oil and prick wangun with fork all over and broil in oven at 350 degrees or over the live charcoal for 10 minutes.
Immerse in cold water and peel the skin of wangun, mash it in a big bowl and let the wangun cool .
When cool, add yoghurt, salt, temper with cumin seeds to it and mix well .
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve chilled

Kashmiri pulao

Ingredients:
Long grain rice (basmati) 4 kg
Milk 1 litre
Cream beaten smooth 400 g
Sugar 100 g
Cumin seeds 50 g
Cloves 10 g
Cinnamon 10 g
Cardamoms 10 g
Bay leaf 5 g
Ghee 1 kg
Mixed fruit 2 tins
Edible rose petals 50 g
Salt to taste
Method:
Wash and soak rice for 15-20 minutes.
Mix milk, cream, sugar and salt. Drain rice, keep aside.
Heat ghee in a heavy pan.
Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamoms, cloves.
Allow to splutter. Add rice and fry in ghee for 2 minutes.
Add milk, cream, mixture.
Add 2 ½ litres of boiled water, cover and simmer till cooked.
Each grain should be cooked, but separate.
Mix in drained fruit very gently.
Garnish by sprinkling finely broken rose petals.
Serve hot with a curry or tadka dal.
Roomali Roti
Ingredients
Wheat flour 3 kgPlain flour ½ kgSalt 25 gms Oil 150 ml
Method
Sift flours, salt together.
Rub in oil till flour is crumbly.
Add water, knead into soft, pliable dough.
Cover and keep aside for 45 minutes.
Knead again till smooth, divide into required parts.
Shape into rounds.
Roll as thin as possible using dry flour for dusting.
Place one on back of palm.
With circular movement in one direction, flip and rotate roti.
This procedure will make the roti very thin.
Invert deep tawa or heavy cast iron pan, and heat over gas.
When hot, spread roti over inverted griddle and allow to cook.
Tiny black spots will appear on it when done.
This roti cooks very fast. Approx. 45- 50 seconds each.
Fold like a handkerchief (roomal) before serving
Mutton roganjosh
Ingredients:
Mutton 4 kg
Onions 1 ½ kg
Ginger & garlic paste 250 g
Coriander leaves 1 big bunch
Ripe tomatoes 2 kg
Rattanjog 50 g
Chillie powder 100 g
Coriander powder 200 g
Cumin powder 30 g
Garam masala powder 100 g
Saunth and somph powder 50 g each
Poppy seeds 100 g
Cloves 20 g
Cardamoms – green & black 20 g
Cinnamon sticks 20 g
Peppercorns 30 g
Ghee ½ kg
Curds 1 ½ litre
Nutmeg 10 g
Blades of mace 10 g
Almonds (optional) 200 g
Salt to taste
Method:
· Wash and cut the meat into cubes and marinate with half of the yoghurt and little ginger and garlic paste and leave it aside for an hour
· Chop the onions, boil for 10 min, grind and keep it aside
Heat ghee, sauté the rattanjog till the color bleeds, then add the whole garam masala, the ginger, garlic, onion paste and sauté until brown. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, fry for some time and then add all the spices and fry for 10 minutes.
Add the marinated mutton, fry till brown in color and then add the remaining curds, add salt and fry till ghee floats on the surface.
Lower the fire, put a lid on the dekchi, simmer till mutton is cooked to the desired tenderness and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve the mutton rogan josh hot with pulao or with phulkas.
Phirnee:
Ingredients:
Rice flour (approx.) 300 g
Sugar 750 g
Milk 3 litres
Milkmaid tin 3 tins
Almonds 150 g
Pistachio nuts 150 g
Cardamom 15 g
Saffron 2 g
Method:
Mix rice flour with a little cold milk
Boil remaining milk, reduce, add to rice flour mixture.
Cook on a slow fire, till it becomes fairly thick
Add the condensed milk and check for the sugar
Draw the pan to the side of the fire, sprinkle sugar and boil for five minutes
Pour into a flat dish, cool quickly, garnish with shredded nuts and varq and serve chilled