Kashmir, which is also called heaven on earth for its spectacular scenic beauty, is also a haven for the most sumptuous gastronomic delights. Be it the Kahwah (a green tea flavoured with cinnamon stick and saffron), the kadam saag or the wazwan, the cuisine of Kashmir is based on ancient traditions and has its own unique stamp. This cuisine is also prevalent amongst the Kashmiri diaspora living in Pakistan.
The Spices & Ingredients Used
Kashmiri cuisine is renowned for the gracious use of spices to spruce up a dish, and with a distinctive flavour of its own because of influence of Central Asia, Persia, China, and the Indian subcontinent. As with all regional food in India, the ingredients include the local produce. The following is a comprehensive list of ingredients that feature in Kashmiri cuisine:
- The dishes are flavoured with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, poppy seeds and fennel seeds giving them a special taste and a spectacular aroma.
- The Kashmiri chilli, mild and yet full of flavour and colour is another core ingredient.
- The stem of the lotus flower – abundant in the lakes and other water bodies of Kashmir – is eaten in a variety of preparations.
- Black mushrooms found on the mountains, and the flowers and leaves of pumpkin are also used.
- Pampore, the “Saffron Town of Kashmir’ produces one of the best quality saffron, second to Spain, and thus saffron finds a key role in most of the dishes of Kashmir.
- With a wealth of dry fruits like walnuts and almonds available in the region, these also are used in ample quantities, especially in the preparation of gravy.
- Unlike the Mughlai cuisine, garlic and onion are not used much.
- Kashmiri food makes an extensive use of turmeric and yoghurt.
- A unique ingredient used at the time of winter is dehydrated vegetables. Kashmir is snow clad during winters. In the summer months some key vegetables like tomatoes, brinjal, turnips and zucchini etc are dried in the sun and stored. In the winter months, when vegetables are not available, these are immersed in hot water and used in dishes.
- Patties and pastries
- ‘Sheermal' and 'baqerkhani' are integral part of Kashmiri breakfast.
- Tsot and tsochvoru, small roundbreads, topped with poppy and sesame seeds.
- Lavas, a cream coloured unleavened bread
- Baqerkhani, a puff pastry
- Kulcha, a short bread, sweet or savoury, topped with poppy seeds.
- Service begins with rice along with Seekh Kebab and Methi Korma (chicken or lamb spices with dried fenugreek leaves)
- This is followed by tabak maaz (twice-cooked lamb ribs, initially braised with ground spices and milk, then browned in butter), safed kokur (chicken with white sauce), zafran kokur (chicken with saffron sauce).
- Yogurt and chutney are served separately.
- Nearly 20 other items follow the aforesaid dishes and include:
