Kashmiri cuisine can be traced back to the fifteenth-century, with the invasion of India by Timur, and also the migration of 1,700 skilled woodcarvers, weavers, architects, calligraphers and cooks from Samarkand to the valley of Kashmir. The descendants of these cooks, the Wazas, are the master chefs of Kashmir who created the flavour and magic of the cuisine. The culinary variation in Kashmir differs from region to region with the Hindu Dogras of Jammu being predominantly vegetarian; they eat a staple diet of rice, wheat and beans.
The Ladakhis eat rice, wheat, millet, locally produced vegetables and fruits, goat meat and dairy products made from yak milk. The seasons and availability of fresh produce dictate the ingredients, some of which are dried and used in the winter months. Food from Kashmir is a delectable experience that will have you drooling over because of the delicious combination of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.
The cuisine is essentially meat-based while the eating habits of the Hindu and Muslim Kashmiris differ in the use of certain spices and condiments. Kashmiri cuisines are marked with ample use of turmeric and yogurt which are quite rich in flavour and mild in taste. Spices like cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and fennel, generally considered hot, are used widely in different Kashmiri cuisines, while garlic and onion are not used much.
Dry fruits are also used extensively in different Kashmiri dishes, especially in preparing curries. The unique aromatic flavour of Kashmiri rice has garnered much fame with the Kashmiri pulao and has given stiff competition to the various other rice delicacies across the nation. Zaeka-e-Kashmir, particularly authentic non-veg cuisines made of chicken, mutton and fish, some of which has become hugely popular across the nation, and not to miss out Dum Aloo/Dum Olav, Gushtaba and Saag.
Kashmiri Wazwan: The term Wazwan is derived from two words, ‘waz’ meaning cook or cooking and ‘wan’ meaning shop in Kashmiri language. A Kashmiri meal called Wazwan is considered by the community as an essential and fundamental aspect of their very essence and culture. The preparation of the cuisine is regarded as an art and the dish is held with high regards in the region. This multi-course meal traditionally comprises 36 courses of which 15 to 30 can be meat-based.
The different courses of the dish are prepared by and under the supervision of the head chef called a ‘Vasta Waza’ who is assisted by a team of chefs called ‘Wazas’. Some of the items are cooked overnight with great precision. This multi-course dish is usually prepared during special occasions of the Kashmiris. The art of preparing the Wazwan, which is considered with pride, has been passed on hereditarily and is hardly shared with anyone outside blood relations. Thus some ‘Wazas’ have made their names with their rich lineage of such service and remain greatly in demand during special occasions. While the name of Allah is taken by the Kashmiri Muslims prior to consuming the meal, the Kashmiri Brahmins take the name of Lord Rudra.
Some of the signature dishes of Kashmir are Rogan Josh, Aab Gosht, Gushtaba and Tabakhmaaz. The others include Yakhni, a mild dish of yoghurt-based mutton gravy, predominantly seasoned with cardamom seeds, bay leaves and cloves, which is savoured with rice; Shab Deg, prepared out of meat and turnip simmered overnight; Dum Olav or Dum Aloo, a luscious potato dish prepared using yogurt, fennel, different hot spices and ginger powder; and a purely vegetarian dish called Lyodur Tschaman made out of cottage cheese that is prepared in creamy gravy based on turmeric.
The two dishes which describe the culinary expertise of Vasta Waza and his group are: Gusthaba and Dum Olav/Dum Aloo.
Gusthaba: A Waza’s credibility is equal to the quality of Gushtaba he can dish out. In the Waza community, the knowledge of making a good Gushtaba is somewhat of a legacy, which an old, trained hand will only pass to his suitable heir once convinced of his skills. Gushtaba is very labour and technique-intensive. The sheer perfection of Gushtaba, which to date, is considered the best form of meatball-making. Fresh meat is essential for making Gushtaba because it is the heat that makes it easy to pound the meat into a ricotta-kind of consistency. So it is entirely dependent on a Waza’s skill with the wooden hammer and the art of folding the meat while consistently hammering it to break down the tendon and veins to achieve the right consistency. The kind of skill needed for doing this can be ascertained by the fact that a kilo of meat takes anywhere between 60 to 90 minutes to break down — and this is possible for a Waza with at least a dozen-year experience.
Another reason for trusting only a seasoned hand to handle the Gushtaba meat is also the understanding of the meat and fat ratio 70 (meat):30 (fat). Getting the consistency of the meat right is only one part of the interesting story called Gushtaba. The other skill is in the making. It is first cooked in yakhni (broth), which is the first layer of flavours.
Gushtaba then has to be spongy and doubles its size. Done on simmer, this takes about three to four hours and, despite minimal use of spice for the final outcome — delicious meatball. The final finish is done with mildly flavoured curd-stock gravy where a rested Gushtaba is lightly poached. In fact, Gushtaba after being simmered in the curd gravy is so rich that it almost works like a meal finale with a slightly aromatic sweet aftertaste, and hence is served right at the end of a Wazwan.
Dum Olav/Dum Aloo: By the end of eighteenth century, potato was cultivated across the northern hilly areas of India. This amazing crop was born in India and dishes made of potatoes spread to each and every corner of the country. One such dish is the Dum Olav or Kashmiri Dum Aloo which has its origin in Kashmir and has become very popular all over India. With more emphasis on meats in Kashmiri cuisine, there are a few vegetarian dishes that have got their due. Even the Kashmiri Pandits are meat eaters. Mutton is the most popular of them all. Of course, some of them are vegetarians (to the extent they don’t even eat tomatoes or onions). The vegetarian Pandits are referred to as Dal (pulses) Battas.
But Kashmiri vegetarian dishes do deserve a bit of spotlight too. The Dum Olav aka Dum Aloo is one of the most popular Kashmiri vegetarian dishes. It is typically made from baby potatoes only: since its preparation requires the small whole potatoes to be pierced well for the oil to seep in. Kashmiri Dum Aloo is called because of the way it is prepared: under ‘Dum’ or pressure. I had never tasted Kashmiri Dum Aloo till my trekking in the valley. There are lots of restaurants that cook a version of Dum Aloo, but have got it all wrong.
If you see tomatoes, garlic and onions in the dish, that surely isn’t Kashmiri Dum Aloo! Kashmiri Pandit cuisine is less known than the Kashmiri Muslim cuisine — the latter is often referred to as Wazwan. Kashmiri Pandit cuisine has distinct spices and flavours based on traditions thousands of years old, dating back to the Vedic period when no onion and garlic was the norm of Kashmiri cooking. The most common spices used are asafoetida, Kashmiri red chillies, ginger powder, turmeric, garam masala and aniseed. Yoghurt forms a very important part of this type of cooking. Kashmiri Dum Aloo needs lots of patience and skill to cook. It needs to be fried taking care the potato has cooked very well, and then kept on dum for the right amount of time.
The delectable taste is enough to satiate your taste buds but surely leave you hungry and greedy for more. We know you can’t resist yourself from dreaming about the tempting Dum Olav or Dum Aloo and Gushtaba. Though at VITS the spread consists of fourteen dishes out of the typical thirty-six dishes of the Wazwan spread, Chef Jana has lived up to the expectation of a Waza. So, don’t wait any longer visit the “The Melting Pot” at VITS, Bhubaneswar and get a taste of heaven.
For The Road
Wazwan, a multi-course meal in the Kashmiri Muslim tradition, is treated with great respect. 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. The culinary art is learnt through heredity and is rarely passed to outside blood relations. That has made certain Waza/cook families very prominent. The Wazas remain in great demand during the marriage season (May-October).
Wazwan is regarded by the Kashmiri Muslims as a core element of their culture and identity. The Kashmiris usually eat on the floor. A white cloth called dastarkhwan is spread on the floor. Guests are grouped into fours for the serving of the Wazwan. The meal begins with a ritual washing of hands, as a jug and basin called the tash-t-nari are passed among the guests. A large serving dish (Tamri) 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, and one safed kokur, one zafrani kokur, along with other dishes. The meal is accompanied by yoghurt garnished with Kashmiri saffron, salads, Kashmiri pickles and dips. Kashmiri Wazwan is generally prepared in marriages and other special functions.
A typical Wazwan meal consists of not more than one or two vegetarian dishes. Kashmir cuisine does not pay much attention to sweets. Instead, an important part of the meal is Kahwah or green tea, used to wash down a meal. Traditionally, foods in Kashmir are eaten by hands, without any spoons, forks or knives. All this makes ‘Wazwan’ a spectacular and royal repast.
(This is the concluding part of Kashmiri cuisine or Wazwan)
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