Culinary Chronicles
By YASMIN RAHUL BAKSHI
August of 1988 seems like yesterday – A misty rainy dusk in Mussoorie when the flavours of Kashmir were introduced to me. Wazwaan over Dastarkhan!
From roganjosh to yakhni, dum aloo to palak tsaman (chhaman) and an endless array of food at the late Mr Tilak Sethi’s home, who was a prominent resident of the town and a Kashmiri from the core of his heart.
The savours captured my palate forever. Later, life bestowed immense opportunities to reside in the valley, relate to the natives and their culture. Kashmiriyat got embedded in me!
There is a misbelief amongst many that Kashmiri cuisine has no place for garlic and onions. Partially true, only for the Kashmiri Pandits.
Two different styles of preparing food are prevalent in the state – Muslim and Pandit. Both are as good as the other.
Traditionally the Muslims include garlic and onions in their dishes while the pandits eliminate and substitute these ingredients with fennel powder, dry ginger and asafoetida. Though meat is widely popular amongst both the communities.
Mawal or milled cockscomb flower is incorporated for the vibrant ruby hues in preparations along with Kashmiri chili when required.
No frilly garnishes are embellished for it is the aroma that catches the fancy first and then the intense flavours of the dishes.
Ingredients:
- Cottage cheese – ½ kg
- Spinach – 1 kg
- Mustard oil – 2 Tbsp
- Oil (for frying)
- Garlic – 12 to 15 cloves
- Black cardamom – 3 pieces
- Whole dry red chilies – 2 (prefer Kashmiri)
- Cinnamon – 2 inch piece
- Green cardamom – 3 pieces
- Turmeric powder – 2 tsp
- Dry ginger powder – ½ tsp
- Asafoetida – ⅛ tsp
- Fennel powder – 1 tsp
- Kashmiri red chili powder – ½ tsp
- Salt – according to taste
Steps:
- Cut the cottage cheese into one and a half inch cubes approximately.
- In a bowl add a litre of water. Mix in 1 tsp of salt and 2 tsp of turmeric. Keep aside.
- Heat the oil (for deep frying) in a frying pan. Fry the cottage cheese cubes until they turn crisp from all sides.
- Immediately after taking out the fried cottage cheese cubes from the oil, immerse them in the turmeric and salt mixed water. Leave for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Break the spinach leaves from the stems. Use the stems too if they are tender. Wash and drain the excess water.
- Coarsely break the spinach leaves.
- In a pan, heat the mustard oil.
- Add in the black and green cardamoms, cinnamon and whole dry red chilies.
- Now add in the garlic cloves and let them turn brown.
- Add in the spinach leaves. Sauté for two minutes.
- Add asafoetida, fennel powder, dry ginger powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder and salt. Mix well.
- Add a cup of water.
- Cover the pan and cook on low flame until the spinach leaves get tender.
- Take out the fried cottage cheese cubes from the water and add to the cooked spinach leaves.
- Mix gently. Cook on low flame for 5 minutes.
- Serve hot with rice.
(Yasmin Rahul Bakshi is a food historian and an accomplished consultant Chef. A widely travelled Army wife from the Mussoorie hills with exposure to international cuisines & preserving recipes with the medium of food photography and digital content creation in the form of stories.)
