Kashmiri Saag Haddar Yakhni /Kashmiri Style Mushroom in Spinach -Yogurt Sauce

Kashmiri cuisine is still quite a unknown cuisine for me. Actually i rarely cooked from this cuisine, however blogsphere pulled me to explore this cuisine. I have already two - three dishes from this cuisine. However for this month's Shh Cooking Secretly, a monthly event started by me, which is now hosted by Mayuri Patel we are cooking from Kashmiri Cuisine. Every month we are exploring different regional cuisine of India. After Himachali cuisine, this month's event goes for Kashmiri cuisine. You might know about the concept of this event, actually every month the members of this Facebook group get paired with an another member. Both discuss together secretly to get their two secret ingredients and cook with. Obviously we cook with those two ingredients and share our picture in the group, so that the other members pariticpate to guess the ingredients. Its quite an interesting play and this concept works awesome. We love to find out the ingredients though sometimes its quite a hard task.

Mong Khetchir - Kashmiri Special

Kashmiri food makes an extensive use of turmeric and yoghurt. Superb preparation and fabulous aromatic flavor of the Kashmiri food is so alluring that even those who are not feeling hungry end up yearning for more. In Kashmiri dishes, garlic and onion are not used much as in the case of other Indian cuisines. Absolutely rich in taste and exotic in flavor, Kashmiri cuisine has become a popular choice. The strong influence of Kashmiri pandits, who are predominantly meat eaters, explains the reason why the cuisine of Kashmir has more of non vegetarian dishes. Kashmiri thali is preferred mainly for its non vegetarian dishes. However, there are some real mouthwatering vegetarian dishes too, which are relished by all.Kashmiris use ghee to cook meals, though in urban areas, well educated families have started using mustard oil as an alternative, to avoid the intake of high fat in ghee.The cuisine of Kashmir is truly unique and has absolutely no comparison.

Barith Marchavangun/Kashmiri Stuffed Chillies - Jammu & Kashmir Special

After Himachal Pradesh, now we are travelling towards to the 'Switzerland of the East'aka Kashmir. Kashmir is a land of natural beauty situated in the Northwestern region of India.Inspite of talking about its natural gifts, we are going to explore their cuisine. Kashmiri cuisine is very much influenced by the invaders from Central Asia,obviously ita a fusion of several cultures. We can divide Kashmiri cuisine as two, one is Pundit cuisine and the other one is Muslim cuisine. Traditional Pundit cuisine is dominated by whole spices and the muslim cuisine is well known for its delectable non vegetarian slow cooking dishes.Kashmiri cuisine is well known for its spices like cinnamon,cloves, cardamom though saffron is a prominent spice.Most of their cooking is done in mustard oil or with ghee. Unlike in most parts of India, Kashmiri brahmins are allowed to eat lamb,fish and duck.

I cooked this Kashmiri stuffed chillies from a cook book i bought during my trip to India in Chennai, this dish falls under Pundit cuisine of Kashmir.Traditionally Pundit cuisine is not difficult to cook.Foods plays an important role in their rituals, and the most important festival celebrated by the Pundits is Herat or Shivratri.A festive dinner of this Pundit cuisine goes for a sumptuous dinner which includes Roganjosh,Yakhni,Kalia and kofta.Curd is extensively used in Kashmiri cuisines which gives a creamy touch to their food. Rice is their staple food and their grand banquet is called Wazawan where you can see thirty six course of foods. This wazawan is prepared during special functions or marriages, sweets dont have their importance in this cuisine.Kashmiri cuisine is a rich, exotic cuisine with many mouth watering rich dishes with wonderful aromatic flavors.

Zarda - Sweet Saffron Rice

I need to give a break to my traditional Rajasthani dishes i have been showcasing since a week in my space for  blogging marathon. For the last day of blogging marathon with traditional dishes as theme, am posting here a delicious traditional Kashmiri sweet dish with rice. This Zarda is a sweet saffron rice dessert in which rice is cooked with sugar syrup,milk,saffron and nuts. Muslim community named it as Zarda eventhough this dish is well known as Meethe chawal in North India.

Obviously this dish is a fantabulous and royal treat for peoples whoever loves sweet rice.Srivalli challenged this Zarda for this month's Indian Cooking Challenge and this dish is suggested by Vaishali.Thanks to both, seriously i loved this flavourful dessert and a prefect feast for my sweet tooth. If you are bored of usual sweet rice, dont forget to give a trial to this rich Zarda, am sure you will definitely love this.Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#27.

2cup Basmati rice (even long grain rice works wonder)
1cup Sugar
1/2cup Milk
3nos Cloves
2inch Cinnamon stick
3nos Green cardamoms
3tsp Ghee
6nos Pistachios
6nos Almonds
Saffron strands (few)
Pinch yellow food colour
Handful of tutti fruity (i skipped it)

Wash and soak the rice for 15minutes..

In a pan,make a sugar syrup with sugar covered with enough water.

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the ghee, add the cinnamon,cloves and cardamom, fry for few minutes.

Add immediately the drained rice and 2cups of water..

Once the water starts drying add the sugar syrup,milk,yellow food colour and saffron strands, cover and cook in simmer.

Heat a tsp of ghee and roast half of the nuts, add it to the cooking rice.

Once the rice is cooked, put off the stove.

Garnish it with remaining nuts and serve.