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Subtle flavour of saffron

Photos: K. Ananthan

Kashmir connections Cuisine from the valley and chef Suman Kaul

The heavenly aroma of kahva, Kashmiri green tea spiced with green cardamom and flavoured with slices of almond, lifts your spirit before the feast. The kabergas follow. Crunchy and succulent at the same time, the se mutton ribs are first boiled with spices before marinating in hung curd. They’re then deep fried in ghee. This terrific starter is subtly charred and is light on the stomach.

Cut straight to the main course. The damu aloos roll in fiery red gravy. Small potatoes, boiled and peeled, are pricked and tempered in spices and asafoetida. The fiery red is, surprisingly, only mildly spicy and the asafoetida, heady.

Do order the nadur yakhni, i.e. lotus stem in yoghurt. And you thought lotus eaters only existed in Greek mythology. Not to worry, this delicacy is perfectly sober, crunchy and juicy, with a vinegarish taste; perhaps the taste of ‘mild-eyed melancholy’ of a people dispossessed.

Chef Kaul coaches us in making haak, a mildly spiced leafy broth, had with rice. Haak is a staple Kashmiri dish, made of collard greens, rich in minerals and vitamins. It is had all year round and even finds its place in special occasions.

It is something like rasam, but much oilier, and the collard greens, from the same species as cabbage and broccoli is considered a divine leaf in the state.

Here’s how it’s done. Though originally cooked in an earthen vessel called kaleij, haak can be made in any frying pan. Heat mustard oil. Add a bit of Kashmiri asafoetida. Then add water and salt. Drop in a couple of whole red Kashmiri chillies and finally add the greens. Cook it for 15 minutes and voila! Serve with basmati rice. Haak leaves aren’t cut. The whole leaf is cooked. It will also work with spinach, albeit without the herbal flavour of collard. Dip in with Kashmiri breads like kulcha, taelvaru and sheermal.

Finally, sink your teeth into the meat. The chef recommends the kokur yakhni. This is chicken in milky gravy. It is soft, sour and high on calories. Despite all the yoghurt used, you don’t feel weighed down after the meal and there’s still space for the piece de resistance, the shufta. This is a desert of dry fruits and honey, cooked in sugar syrup. It is heaven in your mouth. The various dry fruits are perfectly blended to give a crunchy sweet feast. The degree of sweet is restrained and perfect. Given a choice, I could have this for a meal, with some vanilla ice cream perhaps.

Pandit cuisine is all about yoghurt, saffron, fennel and asafoetida. No onion and garlic is used and everything is delicately simmered. All this subtlety comes with basmati rice and a Rs. 550 tag and for adults and Rs. 300 for kids.

Connoisseurs will have four vegetarian and four meat delicacies, each in varying degrees of spice, to choose from and the menu changes daily, promises Chef Kaul.

The Kashmiri food festival is on till September 6, for dinner on weekdays and lunch too on weekends. For reservations call 0422 2241414 or 9843071777.

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