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Cuisine from the Valley
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Sample some of the finest dishes that Kashmir has to offer
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WAZWAN CUISINE A Kashimiri spread
In one word, you can describe authentic Kashmiri cuisine as `rich'. Most people uninitiated to Kashmiri cuisine, would relate to the watered down versions of Kashmiri Naan and Pulao that have a generous sprinkling of dry fruits. But Kashmiri food is much more than that. Beyond dry fruits, the cuisine is synonymous for the use of paneer, saffron, saunf powder and greens.
The ongoing Kashmiri food festival at Utsav lets you get a taste of authentic food from the region. A line of caution before you start: this is no place for weight watchers. Begin with the Yakhni Shorba, which is a mildly spiced soup made from vegetable stock and curd. Paneer lends itself to a variety of starters and curries. The soft textured Kashmiri Paneer Tikka is stuffed with a fine paste of almonds and barbecued. A must try. Also check out the Badami Aloo, again a barbecued delight.
For the main course, there are a variety of breads and rice that you can choose from. The Kashmiri Naan, of course, is mildly sweet thanks to the dry fruits. There's also the Kalongi Kulcha, a kulcha stuffed with onion and topped with kalonji. The Zafrani Sheermal resembles your soft bakery buns and is topped with melon seeds. From the curry platter, Paneer Roganjosh (a traditional Kashmiri favourite), Chamani Qaliya (paneer simmered in a rich gravy with curd), Haaq (a healthy preparation with greens) and of course Rajma.
The rice bowl offers the Kashmiri pulao with dry fruits and saffron, and Paneer Qeema pulao (a modified version of its non-veg counterpart). As chef Kapil Upadhyaya reasons, a lot of Kashmiri cuisine is non-vegetarian and certain dishes have been modified with vegetables.
A fitting finale is the Phirnee. For those who want to end the meal with a Kashmiri chai, there's the Qahwah!
On the whole, the festival keeps its delicacies close to the authentic preparations of the region. An average meal for two would cost about Rs. 450.
SANGEETHA DEVI. K
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