Srinagar has become a well-liked travel destination for food enthusiasts worldwide due to the high quality and variety of its cuisine. Srinagar is known for its cuisine because of the distinctive combination of spices, flavors, and cooking methods that have developed over centuries. Along with the regional Muslim and Kashmiri Pandit cuisines, the Mughal and Persian culinary traditions have significantly impacted Srinagar’s food. The city also has a thriving street food culture with vendors offering a range of snacks and desserts, including samosas, pakoras, and phirni. Overall, Srinagar’s diverse and rich food culture has contributed to its success as a culinary travel destination.
1.Rogan Josh
Popular in Kashmir, Rogan Josh is renowned for its flavourful, aromatic ingredients. Typically, it includes slow-cooked lamb or goat in a hot tomato-based sauce flavored with aromatic herbs like cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. The inclusion of Kashmiri red chili powder gives the dish its vivid red color. Rogan Josh is a warming and filling dish that tastes best when it is served with hot rice or naan bread. The dish is thought to have originated in Srinagar, the capital of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, where it is now a favorite component of the regional cuisine.
2.Wazwan
Wazwan, a multi-course traditional Kashmiri feast, is frequently offered at weddings and other important events. The main course is a meat dish called Rista that is slow-cooked and created with spicy meatballs in a tasty tomato-based sauce. Along with bread and rice, the dinner also includes various meat and vegetarian meals. Anyone visiting Srinagar or other areas of Kashmir must eat wazwan, which is recognized for its rich and varied flavors.
3.Kashmiri Pulao
A rice dish from the Kashmir Valley of India is called Kashmiri Pulao. Saffron, a range of aromatic spices, raisins, cashews, and other dried fruits are all added to the rice as it cooks, along with veggies like peas and carrots. Fried onions and nuts are used as the dish’s garnish, which gives it a sweet and savory taste. It is a well-liked meal on special occasions and festivals and is typically served as a main course.
4.Yakhni
In northern India, a savory and aromatic soup made with yogurt from Kashmir, is known as yakhni. Typically, it’s made using slow-cooked chicken or lamb that has been flavourfully infused with a mix of aromatic spices, including fennel, ginger, and cardamom. Following the removal of the meat, the soup is drained, salted, and spiced with saffron. A tasty and light broth is the result, which is frequently served with rice or in soups. The classic Kashmiri delicacy yakhni is renowned for its delicate and soothing flavors.
5.Dum Aloo
Traditional Kashmiri food called dum is simmered in a sealed pot to let the flavors mingle. It’s created with a mixture of meat, like lamb or chicken, and several spices, like cumin, ginger, and garlic. Steamed rice or naan bread is typically offered as a side of the dish. The rich and complex flavor profile of dum makes it a favorite dish in Srinagar, the capital of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Both locals and visitors appreciate it.
6.Shab Daig
A typical meal from the Kashmir area of India, more notably from the city of Srinagar, is shab daig, which is slow-cooked lamb or goat. Fennel, ginger, bay leaves, yogurt, onions, and other aromatic spices are all added to a big saucepan to cook the meat in. The result is a rich, delicious stew with soft meat that practically falls off the bone. Shab Daig is a popular dish among both residents and tourists and is frequently served with rice and naan bread.
7.Haakh
The traditional Kashmiri meal haakh, which has lush green vegetables, is a mainstay of Srinagar’s regional cuisine. It is prepared by sautéing a mix of aromatic spices, including fennel, ginger, and turmeric, with greens like collard greens or spinach. The meal, which is renowned for being tasty and nutritious, is then served as a side dish with rice and other main dishes. Leafy greens can be included in a dish in a straightforward yet tasty way with haakh.
8.Seekh Kabab
In Srinagar, minced lamb or beef is combined with a variety of herbs and spices, such as coriander, cumin, ginger, and garlic, to make the renowned grilled meat meal known as sheekh kabab. The mixture is then formed onto skewers and roasted to perfection over charcoal. Due to their tenderness, juiciness, and flavor, the resulting kababs are a favorite street snack in Srinagar. For a tasty and filling dinner, they are frequently served with flatbread, chutney, and sliced onions.
9.Nader Monje
A vegetarian meal from Kashmiri cuisine called Nader Monje is made with lotus stem (Nader) and yogurt (dahi). After being cut into slices and boiled until fork-tender, the lotus stems are cooked in a spicy, sour yogurt gravy with a combination of Kashmiri spices. The meal is frequently topped with coriander leaves and served with flatbread or steamed rice. The dish Nader Monje is distinctive and tasty, showcasing the area’s usage of regional products and culinary customs.
10.Kashmiri Naan
A typical side dish for many traditional Kashmiri cuisines is Kashmiri Naan, a kind of bread from the Kashmir region of India. It is produced with a leavened dough flavored with various aromatic spices, including cardamom, nigella, and fennel seeds. The bread is then baked in a tandoor oven until it is light and fluffy inside and crispy and golden on the exterior. A tasty and savory accompaniment to any meal is Kashmiri naan.
11.Bakarkhani
A common flatbread in Kashmir and other parts of South and Central Asia is called bakarkhani. A mixture consisting of flour, sugar, ghee, and milk is used to make it. The dough is smoothed out and shaped into thin rings. After that, the bread is roasted in a tandoor or oven until it becomes crispy and golden brown. Bakarkhani is a versatile and delectable addition to any meal and is frequently served as a snack with tea or as a side to meat meals.
12.Aab Gohst
The Kashmir area of India is known for its traditional lamb or mutton stew, known as Aab Gohst. It is prepared with bone-in lamb or mutton that is slowly simmered with a variety of spices, including yogurt, onions, cloves, fennel seeds, cinnamon, and more. The dish’s name comes from the Kashmiri term for “water,” as the meat is prepared in copious amounts of water until it is succulent and easily falls off the bone. The tasty and warming meal aab Gohst is ideal for a chilly evening.
13.Kashmiri Chicken Biryani
A traditional rice dish from the Kashmir area of India is chicken biryani. Basmati rice is prepared by heating it with marinated chicken pieces, a mixture of flavourful spices, and water flavored with saffron. After that, the biryani is layered and slowly heated until the rice is fluffy and the chicken is aromatic and tender. For a flavourful and filling lunch, the dish is frequently topped with fried onions, raisins, and cashews and served with raita or yogurt on the side.
14.Shab Deg
Like Shab Daig, Shab Deg is a Kashmir-region Indian dish made from slow-cooked lamb or mutton. A mixture of aromatic spices, including fennel, ginger, bay leaves, yogurt, and onions is cooked with bone-in lamb or mutton. Once the meat is tender and slips off the bone, the dish is then slowly simmered for hours. Popular in Kashmiri cuisine, Shab Deg is a filling and savory meal that is frequently eaten with rice or naan bread.
15.Kahwah
Traditional Kashmiri green tea drinks like kahwah can be found in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. It is prepared by adding a mixture of Kashmiri spices, including cardamom, cinnamon, and saffron, to boiled green tea leaves and water. Tea is frequently flavored with honey or sugar and topped with pistachios, almonds, or walnuts that have been chopped. Kahwah is a popular beverage during cold weather and as a digestive after meals because of its aromatic flavor and warming qualities.
16.Nadru Yakhni
Popular Kashmiri vegetarian cuisine Nadru Yakhni is created with lotus stem and simmered in a tasty yogurt-based broth. The lotus stem is first cooked in a spicy broth with yogurt, fennel, ginger, and other aromatic spices until it is fork-tender. The outcome is a delicious yet light meal that is frequently served with rice or naan bread. For vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike, who wish to sample the distinctive flavors of Kashmiri cuisine, Nadru Yakhni is a must-try.
17.Gushtaba
A typical meatball dish from Kashmiri cuisine is called Gushtaba. It is prepared with ground-up lamb mince that has been blended with spices and fashioned into sizable meatballs. After that, the meatballs are cooked in a thick, creamy yogurt gravy with a mixture of flavourful spices, including cinnamon, fennel, and cardamom. The delicacy gushtaba is a staple of Kashmiri celebrations and special occasions. Steamed rice or naan bread is typically served with it for a balanced and delicious dinner.
18.Tabak Maaz
In the well-known Kashmiri cuisine Tabak Maaz, deep-fried lamb ribs are coated in a batter composed of chickpea flour and several aromatic spices before being deep-fried till crispy. The lamb ribs are first cooked in a spicy milk combination. The end product is a tasty, crispy dish with juicy, delicate beef inside. Both residents and tourists alike tabak Maaz, which is frequently served as an appetizer or as a main meal with rice and naan bread.
19.Sheermal
Sheermal is a sort of sweet bread that is part of Pakistani and Indian Mughlai cuisine. It is produced using a dough that includes flour, sugar, milk, and ghee. Saffron and cardamom are then added for flavor. The dough is formed into flat rounds and baked till fluffy and golden brown in a tandoor or oven. Sheermal can be eaten pure or with various toppings, such as butter, jam, or yogurt, and is frequently offered as a dessert or snack.
20.Harissa
Harissa is a typical Kashmiri meal made with rice, a range of aromatic spices, including cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves, and slow-cooked chicken or lamb that has been shredded. To make a tasty and satiating dish, the meat is cooked until it is soft and readily breaks apart, and it is then combined with the rice and seasonings. In Kashmir, harissa is frequently offered at significant events and festivals and is a favorite of both residents and tourists.
