Kashmir is rightly known as the “Heaven on Earth” because of its snow-capped mountains, picturesque valleys, and holy surroundings. Yet the state has far more intriguing qualities than only its heavenly beauty. You did indeed guess correctly. Kashmiri food is the star of the show. Like its people, culture, and geography, Kashmiri cuisine is rich and simple, and distinctly identifiable. Now let’s quickly learn about the different delectable Kashmiri delicacies you must have once.
1. Rogan Josh
Rogan Josh, one of the best foods in Kashmir, is a fragrant lamb curry. This dish is a must-try for everyone, especially mutton aficionados. The finest Mughal recipes are the source of their mouth-melting flavour and rich aroma. Rogan Josh is at the top of the list of best Kashmiri foods and has become more well-known worldwide.
In addition to being incredibly healthful, it also boasts delicious flavours that entice the palate. You can have this Kashmiri speciality with rice, naan, or roti. Only intricate events necessitate its extensive preparation; it is not the kind of Kashmiri food you can find anywhere, anytime. Rogan Josh is a perfect blend of onions, garlic, cardamom, Kashmiri red chilli powder, and a tonne of fragrant ghee that tastes as royal as it looks.
2. Kashmiri Kehwa
Kehwa is a drink that no Kashmiri can live without. It is a fascinating substitute for traditional Indian tea. This stunning golden-brown beverage is created by boiling specific Kashmiri green tea in water for only a few minutes to get the correct colour and flavour. It is lighter and sweeter than its milk-based cousins. This delightful tea is one of the best foods in Kashmir and finds its place on every Kashmiri food menu.
It is the kind of drink that you can enjoy at home. It has a flavour of cardamom and cinnamon and a serving of coarsely ground almonds that give it a royal taste. The ingredients that make Kashmiri Kehwa unique include whole spices, saffron, and nuts like almonds or walnuts. It is a fragrant and warming beverage ideal for Kashmir’s chilly environment because it contains saffron and aromatic spices.
3. Goshtaba
Red meat is a favourite among Kashmiris, and almost all the Kashmiri food menus reflect this. Another traditional Kashmiri mutton dish, Goshtaba, is a need for all royal gatherings. You will drool when you smell or taste spicy meatballs cooked in yoghurt gravy. The use of rare Kashmiri spices and a distinctive cooking technique sets Goshtaba apart. Try Goshtaba, or as they say, “Dish for the Kings,” and you will put Kashmir on your future itineraries for years to come.
It is a Kashmiri delicacy you must not overlook when visiting the valley. It is a meal with a royal flavour and a treat for a king. Goshtaba resembles western meatballs with a desi tadka and a richer flavour. Made with minced meat, a sauce of yoghurt, and the finest Kashmiri spices, Goshtaba is one of the dishes on the list of best Kashmiri foods.
4. Dum Aaloo
Kashmiris rely on these oh-so-yummy comfort foods for celebrations or any day that calls for a decadent indulgence. The well-liked Kashmiri Dum Aaloo recipe is enough to make any home smell heavenly. It is one of Kashmir’s famous veg foods. It calls for boiling the potatoes, frying them to a golden-crisp coating, and then simmering them in a rich crimson sauce. Dum Aaloo is one of the most enticing Kashmiri veg dishes.
There is also a yoghurt gravy option for this Kashmiri dish. Nobody dislikes eating potatoes, Right? The remedy for all your potato desires is Kashmiri Dum Aloo. When baby potatoes dip into the delicious and rich yoghurt gravy, they burst with exquisite flavours that linger on the palate forever. As Oprah Winfrey says, my notion of heaven is potatoes and someone to share it with; you should not miss out on this traditional Kashmiri dish on your journey to Kashmir.
5. Kashmiri Muji and Nadri Gaad
Everyone has a special meal to celebrate, and Kashmiris always prepare Kashmiri Muji Gaad to eat during their local celebrations. The dish finds its specific place in local Kashmiri food menus due to its heavenly taste. This Kashmiri dish’s popularity is because of its excellent combination of vegetarian and non-vegetarian components.
This well-known dish from Kashmir is made with fish and lotus stem/radish and has a distinctive flavour unmatched elsewhere. The flavour of fish and lotus stem blend gives it a rich taste. The hot spices and herbs add to the extraordinary flavour and aroma. Muj Gaad has flavours and fragrances of ginger, fennel, and mustard oil. The food is well-known for its distinctive flavour, which combines spiciness and tanginess. It is one of the best foods in Kashmir.
6. Khatte Baingan
Khatte Baingan, as the name suggests, is a spicy Kashmiri dish that lends zing to celebrations and feasts and is one of the best Kashmiri veg dishes. Those who love aubergines should try this side dish traditionally served in Kashmir. All you require to quell your hunger pangs are golden fried eggplant and thick, sour gravy. For those who enjoy aubergines, this Kashmiri-style meal, typically served as a side dish, is worth trying.
Even though Kashmiri foods use ground ginger and fennel in their preparation, tamarind is the essential ingredient in this meal for the khatta flavour. The fried onion paste gives the curry a great richness and consistency, bringing in a hint of sweetness. Khatte Baingan is one of Kashmir’s famous veg foods.
7. Tabakh Maaz
The Indian equivalent of American or British mutton chops is Tabakh Maaz, a deceptively straightforward yet incredibly delicious dish. This Kashmiri dish consists primarily of salt- and red Kashmiri chilli powder-flavoured deep-fried chunks of mutton.
Made from the rib region of sheep flesh, Tabakh Maaz is a well-known Wazwan dish. After mildly steaming the mutton or lamb ribs, chopping them into small pieces, seasoning them with salt and turmeric, taking out the rib bones, and shallow frying the flesh chunks in desi ghee for a longer length of time, the finished item acquires a crispy texture and is presented as dry bits. Tabakh Maaz is one of the prime dishes in the Kashmiri food menus of Wazwan. It is one of the best foods in Kashmir.
8. Kashmiri Rajma
Kashmiri Rajma, a delicious stew cooked with flavorful spices, is one of the best Kashmiri veg dishes, surely worth trying. Chitra, Kashmiri, and red kidney beans are the three main varieties of rajma available in the Indian market, out of which Kashmiri Rajma is the best and most famous due to its sweet and mouth-watering flavour. Cooking them in a tomato and onion gravy with fragrant spices like cardamom and cinnamon enhances the taste of Kashmiri kidney beans.
Slowly simmering the tomato puree with whole spices like bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and Indian spices like garam masala powder and chilli powder, fills the air with fragrance. The Kashmiri chilli powder only imparts a lovely red colour and a faint undertone of spiciness to the curry. Thus, try this Kashmiri rendition of the same dish if you want to take a break from your standard Rajma recipe. Rajma is one of Kashmir’s famous veg foods.
9. Yakhni
Yakhni, another well-known dish from Kashmir, is cooked with mutton in yoghurt gravy and is a real treat for mutton fans. The exotic flavours of ingredients like mawal flowers, traditional Kashmiri spices, mint leaves, and onion gravy are evident throughout this well-known Kashmiri dish. It is a recipe featuring rich gravy. The delectable mutton Yakhni is prepared in yoghurt. It is another divine delicacy from the outstanding Kashmiri cuisine.
After marinating the pieces of mutton in curd and spices like turmeric, cinnamon, fennel, etc., and then frying them in mustard oil, the taste of the dish doubles. Yakhni has a distinctive recipe. It is a tempting dish and is one of the best foods in Kashmir. You can find this dish on all the Kashmiri food menus.
10. Noon Chai
Noon Chai, also known as Sheer chai, is a distinctive and essential component of the Kashmiri food scene and is another cool beverage from the land of snow. This beverage is created with unique tea leaves and includes milk, water, a dash of baking soda, and dry fruits like pistachios and almonds. The locals enjoy it by dipping special thin noodles called feni in the mixture. Due to the unique flavour of this excellent Kashmiri tea, people have it with so much zeal.
Kashmiri chai is a milk tea known as “Pink Tea,” distinguished by its dusty pink colour and nut garnish. Green tea leaves and baking soda also go into the mixture. Adding milk creates a distinctive pink tint. Because of its lengthy, sometimes laborious preparation process, Kashmiri chai is considered something of a delicacy even within Pakistan. This Tea is a highlight on the Kashmiri food menus and is one of the best foods in Kashmir.
