WAZWAN

Wazwan, a traditional Kashmiri cuisine, is an extravagant multi-course dinner consisting of seven to fourteen to 36 dishes served at weddings, parties, festivals, or any other joyful event in the Kashmir valley. Since its inception in the 14th century, royal food has been the hallmark of all big festivities carried down the generations. Preparing Wazwan is a work of art, as it is powerfully flavorful while still being beautifully textured.

Washing hands at 'Tasht/Naer,' a portable basin that is brought to people by the servers, is the first step in the ritual of digesting the food. A long tablecloth is spread out, and guests are seated in fours. They are then served rice and non-vegetarian delicacies on a trami (a huge copper plate). Waza's, a group of Kashmiri chefs, provide exquisite mutton-based specialties for another hour, each one contending in flavor.

The dinner concludes with a Phirni dessert and a hot steaming beverage called Kehwa to help you digest everything. Wazwan is a one-way path to heaven if the only way to someone's heart is through their stomach. On this divine platter, the usually presented chief seven Kashmiri dishes are:

Tabak Maaz

Tabak Maaz, a popular Kashmiri dish, comes first on the list. Appetizers consist of lamb rib racks flavored with clarified butter. Lamb ribs are cooked in yogurt until the flesh is tender, then deep-fried twice to crisp up the fat. Tabak Maaz gives you the best of both worlds - crispy bites and juicy meat - melting in your mouth.

Risti

Rista is a red gravy-covered hand-ground, hand-beaten meatball. There are four ristas in each trami, one for each passenger. These minced-mutton meatballs are mouth-watering and require a lot of effort to produce. They're full of spices, have a unique texture, are properly smoothened, and are delicately cooked.

Kabab

If you don't have Kababs on your tray, no Kashmiri ceremony would seem complete. These are long lamb skewers roasted to perfection. Kababs, one of Wazwan's starters, is made by mincing lean ground meat on a butcher block and combining it with fresh spices and eggs. The kebabs are smokey and ultra-delicious because the minced beef is wrapped around skewers and barbecued over live charcoal.

Rogan Josh

Wazwan's hallmark dish, Rogan Josh, is found in many Indian restaurants around. Rogan Josh is a combination of two words: 'Rogan,' which means oil, and 'Josh,' which means heat, and refers to the method of preparation, which involves cooking specifically selected lamb meat in oil over high heat.

Rogan Josh's nutritious deep red gravy is the best part of the dish. Mawal (dried cockscomb flower) and Kashmiri red chiles contribute to the dish's brilliant red color. Infused with exotic ingredients and spices that blend so well, Rogan Josh feels like the fragmentation of flowers in one’s mouth.

Aab Ghosht

Aab Ghosht, a huge slice of flesh from a sheep's lower back served with a lightly spicy milk curry famed for its sweetness, is one of Wazwan's most popular dishes and a speciality of Kashmiri food. Saffron, cardamoms, and black pepper cones are used to boil meat in milk. The gravy is mild and sweet as a result of this. Whoever said, "less is more," was most likely thinking of Aab Gosht, which, despite being simpler than other Wazwan dishes, makes one crave it more and more.

Mirchi Korma

Mutton-lovers, assemble! This fiery, extremely spicy dish is made with tiny pieces of meat cooked in flavoured red chilli paste. Oozing with spices and oil, Mirchi Korma is a red hot meat curry that has held a special place in Wazwan and is worth every inch on the waist.

Gushtab Yakhin

Gushtaba Yakhni, often known as a "dish for the kings," is sought after all over the world for its royal flavor. Gushtaba is a large, delicious meatball, and Yakhni is a flavorful yogurt gravy with savory herbs, primarily mint. The tingling, fragrant golden sauce and the fine, velvety-textured meatballs will leave a lasting impression on everyone's taste buds, enticing them to return for more. Gushtaba Yakhin, regarded as the tastiest dish in Wazwan, is the ideal way to round off an adventurous meal.