kashmiri food

Journey to Kashmir food court

    The range of cuisine of Kashmir is truly incredible. Kashmir cuisine noted for its robust flavours and reliance on hot red chillies.

Rice is the stable food balancing the spicy cuisine of this region. Kashmiri food employs a galaxy of spices to give it its characteristically piquant, spicy flavours skillfully blended into a variety of gravies (yakhnis) and dishes made from cumin seeds, red chillies, aniseeds, cardamoms, tamarind and curd. The spices used in the vegetables give special taste and aroma to the food.  

Boiled rice:

Ingredients:

Basmati rice- 1 ½ teacups

Water-3 cups

Method:

Soak rice for 30 minutes in water.

Put it on high flame till the water boils.

Lower the flame and cook till all the water evaporates by covering it with the lid.

Peeli rice (lader rice):

This kind of rice served only on Kashmiri weddings.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice -1 ½ tcps

Bay leaves- 2 tcps

Cinnamon – 2tcps

Cardamoms-2tcps

Cloves- 2 tcps

Turmeric powder- 2 pinch

Ghee -2 tsp

Salt –to taste

For garnishing:

Almonds-6 pcs (blanched)

Raisins-6pcs (soaked in water)

Coconut slices -1 cup

Method:

Heat the ghee and fry the bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves for ½ a minutes.

Add the rice, turmeric powder, salt and 4 cups of water and cook till water evaporates.

Before serving, garnish with almonds, raisins and coconut slices.

Khatte baigan (chouk wangun):

Ingredients:

Long brinjals (baigan)-250 gm

Oil-4tsp

Red chilli powder- 2 tsp

Cumin seeds-1tsp

Asafoetida-1 pinch

Cloves- 2 pcs

Cinnamon-1 small stick (crushed)

Salt- ½ tsp

Garam masala- ½ tsp

Cardamom powder-1 tsp

Aniseed powder-1 tsp

Water- ½ cup

Tamarind paste- 2 tsp

(Thick paste mixed with 4 tsp water)

Method:

Cut the brinjals into long pieces. Fry them till golden in colour. Heat oil in a pan on a low flame, add red chilli powder, cumin seeds, asafoetida, cloves, cinnamon, salt, garam masala, cardamom powder, aniseed powder and water.

Put fried brinjals mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Finally, add tamarind water and cook for 2-3 minutes again. (You may add limejuice instead of tamarind water)

Serve hot.

Mujh chattin:

 Ingredients:

Radish-1 cup (grated)

Thick curd -1 cup

Cumin seeds- ½ tsp

Green chillies-2 nos

Red chilli powder- ¼ tsp

Salt –to taste

Method:

Take beaten curd in a bowl, add grated radish, cumin seeds, green chillies (chopped), red chilli powders and salt.

Mix well.

Serve with rice / parantha.

Lal gobhi(wazul phool):

Ingredients:

Cauliflower- ½ kg

Oil-5 tsp

Asafoetida- a pinch

 Salt – 1 tsp

Cardamom powder- 1 ½ tsp

Garam masala- ½ tsp

Green cardamom-2 pcs

Aniseed powder-2tsp

Cloves-3 pcs

Cinnamon-1 stick

Bay leaves- 2 pcs

Dry ginger power- ¼ tsp

Water- 1 ½ cups

Method:

Cut cauliflower into big pieces.

Fry them till red in colour.

Heat oil in a pan and add asafoetida, cumin seeds, red chilli powder, ginger powder, salt, cardamom powder, garam masala, aniseed powder, cloves, green cardamom, crushed bay leaves, and water. then fried cauliflower.

Cook on a high flame till water evaporates.

Kashmiri dum aloo:

Ingredients:

Small potatoes- ½ kg

Oil- 5 tsp

Asafoetida powder- a pinch

Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Red chilli powder- 2tsp

Salt- to taste

Aniseed powder-1 tsp

Dry ginger power- ¼ tsp

Cardamom powder-1 tsp

Curd-8 tbsp (beaten)

Garam masala-1tap

Cloves-6pcs

Cinnamon-1 small stick

Green cardamom-4 pcs

Bay leaves- 2 pcs

 Water- 1 ½ cup

Method:

Prick the boiled potatoes and fry them till red in colour. Keep them aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add a pinch of asafoetida, potatoes (fried), red chilli powder and a glass of water.

Keep cooking on low flame till water boils.

Add salt, aniseed powder, ginger powder, cardamom powder, garam masala, cloves, crushed cinnamon, green cardamom and bay leave. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Finally, add curd and cook again for 2-3 minutes.

Serve with rice.