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Amir commented, “You can never get the taste of kashmiri food in Delhi”. I used to be zapped and sought after to grasp the rationale in the back of it. I heard the parents from the Valley reminding me over and over that Kashmiri greens and dishes can by no means be discovered any place else instead of Kashmir. I all the time introspected in this and sought after to grasp extra concerning the Kashmir meals. This led me to grasp quite a lot of issues concerning the Kashmiri delicacies, recipes, dishes, greens, spices, and so on.
The authentic delicacies from Kashmir is identified throughout the other spices which might be added to quite a lot of dishes. I by no means knew this reality although I tasted lot of kashmiri dishes. One fantastic day, the lady-my visitor my Kashmir-exhibited the contents of the bag. She mentioned, “These are the spices or masalas from the land of Kashmir. They are unique in themselves-in taste and flavor. When I would be cooking in your kitchen, I want you to perceive it very carefully”. “Hmmm”, I assumed.
She passed me other packets in order that they could be crammed in jars and saved correctly. She opened the primary packet and mentioned, “This is called PUDINI”. She poured them in her palm and sought after me to sniff them. It used to be dried mint leaves. They had very sturdy odor. She added, “I purchased these leaves in summer season and dry them in the sun. Once they are dried, I use them in few dishes during the winter months”. Awesome and I used to be curious to grasp the dishes wherein they’re added.
She picked up the following packet. It used to be known as KOSHUR MARTSIVAGUN OR KOSHUR MARCHWAGAN. It is located in pod shape. It is powdered and applied within the kitchens. It is essential component for many of the dishes during which the chilli powder is added at the side of tomatoes to get obvious and great purple colour. It is not anything however the purple kashmiri chilli powder. It used to be completely purple colour. She mentioned that this chilli powder isn’t very highly spiced, then again, it provides the standard purple colour to the dishes.
The subsequent spice used to be DALCHINI or CINNAMON. It has distinctive odor and is added in some dishes to get this particular taste. It isn’t added in all dishes of the kashmiri delicacies. Only particular dishes and drinks require this spice. I got here to grasp that it’s utilized in other forms-
a) Big items of cinnamon
b) Small items of cinnamon
c) Powdered cinnamon
d) Cinnamon added without delay into the boiling water
e) Cinnamon fried in oil or ghee(saturated butter)
f) Oil is heated and brought out of the fireplace after which the cinnamon piece or powder is added to the oil
g) Sprinkle the cinnamon powder over the dish and the recent oil is poured over it
I used to be inspired via those easy guidelines which actually give other flavors for a similar spice in quite a lot of dishes.
The different spice in line used to be CLOVE. It is known as RONG or LAUNG. One can differentiate it in its measurement and odor. Sometimes even the colour is the principle distinction between KOSHUR RONG and different cloves to be had in India. It may be utilized in other ways identical to the cinnamon.
Turmeric may be used extensively in kashmiri dishes. It is known as LAIDER. I seen the adaptation within the two sun shades of YELLOW colour. The koshur laider is bit extra finer yellow in colour. The turmeric powder to be had in different states of India is deep yellow in colour. The Islamic koshur cuisines don’t use laider in all dishes. However, it’s added to greens, pulses and meat merchandise whilst they’re being boiled in water.
Cumin seeds is known as ZEER or Z’UER in Kashmiri language. There are two forms of it to be had within the markets and they’re
a) Brown skinny and narrow seeds
and
b) Brown and little bit thick seeds
Unlike different North Indian dishes of India, those seeds aren’t added in all koshur curries or biryanis. Their use is proscribed in utilization. Apart from those seeds, yet another selection is provide and is used extensively in Koshur Islamic meals. They are deep black in colour. They possess unique odor and style. They are pricey additionally. These are known as SHAHI ZEERA. In different phrases, they’re confined to wealthy and particular dishes.
One extra spice used to be proven to me. It used to be known as BAED A’EUL. It is black cardamom. It is utilized in many of the Koshur Islamic delicacies. Again there are other ways wherein it’s used. It isn’t utilized in huge numbers. I’ve seen the kashmiri girls the usage of both one or 5 in quantity. It has indisputably bizarre style and taste to the dishes. I understood it as I started cooking increasingly more of Kashmiri dishes at house.
There is yet another spice not unusual to Kashmir and different North Indian states. Yes, it’s KASOORI METHI. It is not anything however the dried fenugreek leaves. I used to be amazed to look their utilization within the koshur islamic dishes. Again those leaves are confined to few dishes simplest. They actually upload the EXCELLENT AROMA to the dish and the instant it’s added, one can odor its standard perfume in all of the area. I acknowledge its odor straight away. One tip that I learnt about using this spice is that the dried leaves will have to be overwhelmed and crumbled between our two fingers and sprinkled frivolously over the curries and canopy the utensil or the casserole in an instant. This provides a distinct odor to the dish.
The girl picked a packet and advised me that the spice could be very particular one. In reality, it’s grown specifically in Kashmir. It is known as SAFFRON or KONG or ZAFRAAN. It is SOUL of the koshur delicacies. It is added in numerous meals dishes and drinks additionally. It has the particular yellow colour. In reality, I got here to grasp to spot its authenticity from Rajoun(one in all my Kashmiri pals). He took few strands of saffron and positioned them in his mouth. After few seconds, he opened his mouth and requested me if I may see some colour or now not. If there may be the colour provide at the tip of the tongue, then the saffron is unique via nature. Otherwise it’s not.
The different packet used to be filled with stack of dried plants. It is known as MAWAL in kashmiri language. These are dried cock’s comb plants. I used to arrange the hen curry. However, I used to be now not satisfied via the colour of the dish. The girl at my position knowledgeable me that one will have to upload mawal to the non-vegetarian dishes to get the standard purple colour within the dish. That’s the name of the game in the back of the purple colour found in some hen or mutton dishes.
The second I noticed the contents of the packet, I shouted on the most sensible of my voice and identified them to be coriander seeds. These are known as DHANIWAL. My visitor advised me that dhaniwal is used within the following ways-
a) Fresh coriander leaves
b) Dried Coriander seeds
c) Dried coriander leaves
d) Coriander powder
The above discussed types are used to arrange other dishes in Kashmir. The contemporary leaves possess extra-ordinary odor. I seen that those leaves aren’t chopped or lower into fantastic items with knife or chopper. They are merely damaged into 3 portions and added to the dishes(clearly after washing the sprigs underneath the operating water).
The contents of the next packet have been gentle brownish powder. I used to be advised that this is known as SONTH or SHOUNT. It is not anything however dried ginger powder. It is often used spice in Kashmir Valley. Again its presence is definitely recognized and added to big dishes simplest. This is exclusive spice discovered and utilized in Kashmiri cuisines. It is utilized by each Kashmiri Islamic and Hindu other folks.
Other spice which is used widely in authentic kashmiri meals is BAEDYN. It is powder of fennel seeds. Kashmiri Hindus use each cast and powdered type of fennel seeds. However, Kashmiri Islamic other folks use it simplest in powdered shape. This indisputably complements the style and odor to the dish.
Green cardamoms are all the time saved and provide within the kashmiri kitchens. The are extensively utilized in many meals dishes and drinks. It is known as A’EUL. I’ve now not seen the powdered type of it being utilized by other folks. It is overwhelmed and seeds are merely added to the curries or rice pieces. Koshur a’eul are somewhat lengthy and narrow in form.
To my marvel, I discovered tamarind utilized in kashmiri dishes. It is known as TAEMBER. It is tangy and provides that more notch to the dishes. It is noticed within the kitchen cabinets. It is most often added in gravies and pulp is extracted from the tamarind.
Praan is different particular spice of Kashmiri Islamic kitchens. They are totally other more or less onions to be had solely in Kashmir. I got here to grasp that they’re very pricey and now not simply to be had within the Valley additionally. It has an excessively unique odor. It is specifically utilized in WAZWAAN. It is also known as shallots.
ZERESHK is any other spice of Kashmir. They are the Currant Berries and utilized in few particular dishes. I do know for sure that those seeds are used widely in persian dishes. Thus, I understood that those are particularly utilized by Islamic other folks of Kashmir relatively than the Hindus. Its utilization is confined to sure dishes simplest.
Apart from those spices of Kashmir, different much less identified spices are indexed below-
a) Sesame seeds
b) Poppy seeds
c) Pomegranate seeds
d) Dried purple coloured pomegranate peel
These aren’t extensively utilized in kitchens. However, their additions to express dishes are provide and identified to just few girls simplest.
