Cuisine of Kashmir

Kashmiri cuisine has evolved over hundreds of years. The first major influence was the food of the Kashmiri Buddhists and Pandits, the Hindus who lived in the valley in the middle ages. The cuisine was then influenced by the cultures which arrived with the invasion the Kashmir region by Timur from the area of modern Uzbekistan. Subsequently, it has been heavily influenced by central Asian, Persian, Afghan and Punjabi cultures.

Kashmiri Hindu cuisine

The Kashmiri pandit's food is a very elaborate affair.It forms an important part of his identity.The food usually uses a lot of yoghurt and turmeric, and avoids onion and garlic and does not consist of many minced meat dishes unlike the Kashmiri muslim cuisine.An equal emphasis is laid on vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes although a bias for non-vegetarian dishes certainly exists.

Typical vegetarian dishes include:

* Chamani qaliya
* Veth chaman
* Dama oluv
* Digitaria
* Nadeir yakhean
* Hak (with nadeir/vangan)
* Nadier palak
* Choek vangan
* Muji chetein
* Razmah goagji
* Razmah dal aanchar

Typical non-vegetarian dishes include:

* Rogan josh
* Kaliya
* Kabargah
* Yakhein
* Machh(A rare mincemeat dish)

Desserts

A great deal of emphasis is not laid on desserts .The usual favourite is Phirni,a kind of Kheer.

Kashmiri Mulim Cuisine-Wazwan

This multi-course meal is treated with great respect and the preparation is considered an art. Almost the entire dishes are meat based (lamb, chicken, fish, beef), and it would be a sacrilige to serve any pulses or lentils on this multi-course meal. Considerable time and effort are invested into the preparation of the banquet. The traditional number of courses for the wazwan is thirty-six, though there can be fewer. The preparation is traditionally done by a vasta waza, or head chef, with the assistance of a court of wazas, or chefs.

Wazwan is only restricted to the Muslims of Kashmir and they regard it as the pride of their culture and identity. Guests are grouped into fours for the serving of the wazwan. The meal begins with invoking the name of Allah and the washing of hands as a jug and basin called the tash-t-nari are passed among the guests. A large serving dish piled high with heaps of rice, decorated and quartered by four seekh kababs, four pieces of meth maaz, two tabak maaz, sides of barbecued ribs, one safed kokur, one zafrani kokur, along with other dishes, and Yoghurt(garnished with Kashmiri saffron), salads, kashmiri pickles and dips. The feast ends with an elder leading the thanksgiving to Allah which is heard with rapt attention by everyone.Certain dishes that are considered a requirement for wazwan include:

* Safed Kokur/Zafraan Kokur
* Meth maaze
* Ristae
* Rogan Josh
* Dhani Phul
* Aloo bukhaar
* Gaade kufta
* Tabak Maaz
* Daniwal Korma
* Aab Gosht
* Marcha-wangan Korma
* Shami Kabab
* Sheekh Kabaab
* Gushtaab
* Doodu Phul

Every Kashmiri wishes to organize the royal Wazwan once in his life time for his near and dear ones.

Kashmiri Beverages

Kashmiris are heavy tea drinkers with their favorite drink being a pinkinsh coloured salted tea called Nun Chai(or shir chai), a beverage made with black tea, cardamom, various spices, milk, salt and bicarbonate of soda. The peculiar colour of the tea is due to a unique method of preparation and the addition of soda. This salted tea is very much like the salted tea prevalent in various parts of Central Asia.This is common breakfast tea in Kashmiri households and is taken with special bakery brought fresh from the bakers(Kandur). Generally this tea is served in big Samavars.

At marriage feasts, festivals, religious plases and when guests are welcomed, it is traditional to serve kahwah, a green tea made with saffron, spices and almonds or walnuts. There are 21 varieties of Kahwe made in different households.

Owing to the generally religious sentiments of Kashmiri muslims, alcohol is not served among the muslim community but taken among the Pandits. Alcohol consumption is frowned upon by most of the people.

ee also

* List of topics on the land and the people of Jammu and Kashmir

References

*cite web|title=Chor Bizarre|work=Wazwan|url=http://www.chorbizarrerestaurant.com/wazwan-cbd.asp|accessdate=December 16|accessyear=2005
*cite web|title=Kashmiri Cuisine|work=Kashmiri Cuisine- food and recipes:Mumbai/Bombay pages|url=http://theory.tifr.res.in/bombay/history/people/cuisine/kashmiri.html|accessdate=December 16|accessyear=2005