Kashur khyon or Kashmiri wazwan, you may call it whatever you like, but you can’t forget the intense and royal taste of kashmiri food once you try it. Like, the scenery of Kashmir often leaves a person awestruck we are sure that you will feel fascinated after eating the heavenly kashmiri cuisine. Kashmiri wazwan has evolved through generations and still maintains the legacy of being the feast for kings.
The profuse use of spices like cinnamon, cardamom and cloves make the food mouthwatering. Kashmiri food has yogurt and saffron as primary ingredients to add brilliance to the flavor.
One of the special ingredients found Kashmiri delicacies is the Kashmiri “ver”, a doughnut-shaped cake of ground hard spices with a pungent and strong aroma. To give you the taste of the authentic Kashmiri food we have chosen 20 dishes that will surely tickle your taste buds and will captivate your senses.
1.Dum Olav
One of the signature dishes of Kashmir that is simple to make yet has a rainbow of flavors that unfolds in your mouth with a mordant smell. Made by boiled potatoes, this dish often marks the liberal use of spices and oil. Hot spices add unique taste and aroma to the dish and oil is primarily used for cooking. The potatoes are first boiled, and then use a fork or toothpick to poke few holes and then they are sautéed. Prepare a mixture of spices and then add boiled potatoes to it.
2.Lodur Chasman
Veggie delight! Cooked almost every day in Kashmiri households, this dish is a unique combination of cottage cheese, cloves, and milk. Add fried cottage cheese to a mixture of cloves, turmeric, and salt. Add milk at the last step and then allow concoction to boil slowly. This is the only Kashmiri dish that forbids the use of chili.
3. Veth Chasman
Another delicacy prepared using cottage cheese. Spicy and sinful this dish has an awesome combination of cheese mingled with spices. Add asafoetida in boiling water. Fry cheese on both the sides with mustard oil. Transfer fried cheese into the asafoetida hot water mix. In a pan, add the mustard oil with fried cheese and two tsp of oil. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric powder and red chili powder. Add the fried cheese into the mixture prepared. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the mixture to stand for some time.
4.Nadur Yakhni
Made of lotus stem and yogurt this dish dates back to the Mughal existence in India. This delicacy carves a niche for itself. This dish is difficult to cook yet is a part of the 36-course Kashmiri food. To make this dish boil the peeled lotus stem and add them to a mixture of spices primarily composed of cloves, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom.
5.Razma Goguj
This dish celebrates two loved ingredients of kashmiri food, Red kidney beans (Rajma) and turnip. Since turnip is only available in winters, this dish marks the onset of the month of October in the kashmiri calendar. Boil kidney beans and add spices to it.Allow the mixture to cook for 10 min and then add turnip to generate a colorful feast for all the vegetarians out there!!
6.Choak Wagun
If you like delicacies with sour taste,then this is your dish. This dish has eggplant cooked in tamarind or lemon sauce.
7.Bom Chunt wagon
This delicacy is similar to Choak wagon. Instead of using ordinary eggplant, we use apple green eggplant. This special eggplant not only enhances the flavor but also brings a unique taste to your plate.
8.Al yakhni
Bottle gourd and curd are the main ingredients of this dish. This dish forbids the use of onion and garlic, a simple dish cooked in yogurt based sauce. Fry the small pieces of bottle gourd till they turn brown and then add spices to it. Simmer for some time and then slowly add whisked yogurt to the pan. If you are a bottle gourd lover, this dish is a must to try!!
9.Moonj
Knol Knol also called as moonj is one of the favorite vegetable so kashmiri pandits. Knol Knol can be consumed raw or even cooked with spices. To make moonj, heat oil, add cumin seeds. Finally, add peeled, small pieces of Knol khol and other greens to the pan. Add salt according to your choice. Served best with brown rice and yogurt.
10. Dum Moonj
Prepared just like moonj, just add yogurt while cooking and you are all set!!
11.Nadur Moonj
This dish combines lotus stem and knol knol in the most unusual way. Allow lotus stem to boil in water till it becomes soft. In a separate pan add the boiled lotus stem, some flavors and chopped knol knol. Simmer for some time let it cook for 10 min and serve it will white rice.
12.Haak Saag
One of the inseparable dishes for all the functions, hakh sakh is the most healthy delicacy of Kashmir. Often marked as the poor man’s food, this dish has all the essential proteins needed by your body. Boil water in a pressure cooker, add spices and salt to it as the water starts to boil add the green leafed kashmiri saag to it. Boil for some time till the mixture takes a liquid form.
13.Choak Mooj
Another dish for sour lovers!!! Cooked with plain spices, this dish uses radish and tamarind or lemon sauce. Fry the small pieces of radish and spices to them. Cook for some time and add tamarind sauce. Allow the mixture to boil for some time. Your dish is ready.
14.Tarkari
An aromatic kashmiri dish made using spinach and peas, flavored with an unusual combination of spices. For making this dish, Add boiled spinach to a frying pan; add salt and spices according to the taste. Sprinkle peas on the top of the mixture. Allow the mixture to boil for some time and serve with rice or bread.
15.Modur Pulao
It is a Kashmiri pulavo prepared using nuts and dry fruits. There is a surplus use of ghee and nuts to make this dish unique and aromatic. The use of cloves, cinnamon, and saffron bring pleasurable flavors to the plate. Often prepared on birthdays and other special days. To prepare modur pulao add turmeric to rice and boil for some time. Add sugar, cloves and other ingredients to boiled rice. Serve with a silver plate.
16.Teher
Another type of pulavo celebrated by Kashmiri’s all over the world. This pulao is salty in taste and forbids the use of any other vegetable to this pulavo. What makes teher different from other pulao of the world is the ease of making it. The most simple delicacy ever existed in Kashmir’s history is teher. Simply add salt while boiling rice and your delicacy is ready. Often served with yogurt, this dish brings simplicity to your plate and life
17.Nadur Churma
If you are still reading this article, then you must have noticed that Lotus stem is an integral and a dominant part of Kashmiri delicacy. Nadur churma is yet another delicacy prepared using lotus stem. To make this dish cut the lotus stem in the shape of French fries. Saute the small pieces of lotus stem and sprinkle salt and red chili on the top. Serve with white rice.
18.Aloo Churma
Often marked as the Kashmiri version of potato fries. Prepare them like simple French fries and at the top, you can add homemade masala to enhance the flavor.
19.Mooj Chatin
Since mountains surround Kashmiri on three sides, Kashmiri food is often characterized by dry fruits. Mooj Chatin is liquid chutney type dish made using radish, yogurt and walnut. This dish doesn’t require any type of stove based cooking. Add grated carrot to a bowl containing yogurt, salt, and spices. Stir the mixture and add walnuts to it.
20.Kong Phirni
“Kong” in kashmiri stands for saffron and “Phirin” stands for a dense liquid made of Semolina, Milk, Sugar, Khoya and lots of dry fruits. Often served as a sweet dish in Kashmiri homes. Cook the dense mixture of rice, milk, and sugar for 3-4 minutes. Apply a layer of edible silver and dry fruits on the top.
