Fast food and other delicacies prepared in different countries are quickly adapted and get in demand, especially in India. People often look for Chinese and continental dishes and even various sorts of exotic pizzas in different restaurants. All these dishes are delightful and satisfying. However, with all these dishes around, we sometimes forget the authenticity of our traditional dishes.
Every state of our country has unique and delightful traditional food. Most states, especially those with high tourism, have preserved their regional food recipes. Still, some States, like Jammu and Kashmir, have not represented their local dishes to the world. This is why most people still don’t know much about the traditional food of Jammu and Kashmir. Read to know what makes the local food of Jammu and Kashmir so special.
The traditional food of Jammu and Kashmir
Every tourist must try the traditional food of Jammu and Kashmir. The following are the most famous must-try dishes.
1. Goshtaba
Kashmir remains cold for most of the year, which is why delicious non-vegetarian cuisine is prevalent here. Another reason why people of this valley enjoy non-veg is that most of their staple dishes are prepared from chicken and meat.
One of those famous dishes is Goshtaba. Local Kashmiris believe that Goshtaba was made for kings. It’s prepared by cooking meatballs in yoghurt gravy with a combination of different traditional spices. Its splendid taste makes it a perfect fit for meat-loving individuals.
2. Khambir
Bread is a staple in almost every part of the globe. Different types of bread are prepared in different regions of the world, but the one thing that makes any type of bread unique from others is its softness and ingredients. In Kashmir, people love the local bread called khambir.
This bread is generally served with tea and local chutneys. People in Kashmir love to have khambir as their breakfast. Khambir has been very popular among people for decades, which gives it a place in this list.
3. Sheermal
Sheermal is a dish that everyone loves, not just in Kashmir but throughout India. It has gained huge popularity in past years due to an increase in tourism. It is much more popular and loved than any bread, even more than khambir.
It’s a sweet dish that tastes best when garnished with saffron and served hot. Sheermal is believed to be the most delightful dish, loved even by royals and kings. Crafted meticulously, it melts in your mouth, leaving a sweet aftertaste.
4. Thukpa
Thukpa is originally a dish that originated from Tibet. It’s also considered a traditional dish of Kashmir. This is because it’s one of the few dishes that Kashmiris have consumed for decades. Thukpa has become very popular among the entire India recently too, owing to its flavourful taste.
Thukpa is prepared by cooking noodles in vegetable soup. Its creamy texture makes it a delightful dish for every local Kashmiri. Similar to Tibet, it is also traditionally loved and a “must-try” dish from Kashmir.
5. Kashmiri Baingan
Baingan or eggplant can be found in every part of the world; still, everyone enjoys it differently. Even in India, the way of cooking and eating baingan is unique in different states. One of the most popular dishes of baingan is “Kashmiri Baingan.”
Kashmiri baingan is prepared by dipping baingan (eggplants) into dahi (curd) and cooking them on a low flame. The dish uses so many different and traditionally preserved spices that its taste and smell become irresistible.
6. Lyader Tschaman
There are a few vegetarian dishes prepared and relished in Kashmir. One of them is Lyader Tschaman. It is prepared by cooking cottage cheese in creamy gravy. It’s so popular that it can be found in almost every kitchen or local eatery. It can be consumed with bread or with rice.
7. Shab Deg
Kashmir’s culture is distinct and beautiful, and its residents have preserved it. Shab Deg is a dish that holds some cultural importance. Shab in the local language means night, and deg represents a large cooking vessel.
This dish is generally cooked at a get-together or for some celebrations. The dish is also frequently prepared in kitchens, feeding a huge joint family. It’s a very traditional dish that can be forgotten if not preserved and practiced. Shab Deg is prepared by patiently cooking turnips with different spices for an entire night.
8. Modur Pulao
People generally assume that pulao is nothing more than a vegetarian version of biryani. However, pulao, especially Modur pulao, is more than just a simple vegetarian biryani. Its delightful flavour makes it an immensely popular dish. The major spices used in cooking Modur Pulao are saffron, ghee, cinnamon, and milk.
These spices aren’t the only thing that’s special about Modur Pulao. After being cooked, it’s garnished with lots of dry fruits such as almonds, cashews, and dates. This dish is less costly in Kashmir because the prime ingredient, saffron, is harvested in Kashmir itself.
9. Rogan Josh
One dish that deserves to be on the checklist of every traveller visiting Kashmir is its Rogan Josh. The list of local delicacies of Kashmir isn’t complete until we include Rogan Josh. Rogan Josh is a lamb curry, but it’s much more special and delightful than a regular lamb curry.
To prepare this dish, lamb pieces are cooked with brown onions, yoghurt, and different spices. It’s generally served with rice or naan, which makes it even more tasty.
10. Dum Aloo
The importance of Dum Aloo in this list can’t be denied. Even the restaurants in different parts of the country represent Dum Aloo as “Kashmiri Dum Aloo”. However, you can’t just enjoy the proper taste of Kashmiri Dum Aloo anywhere other than Kashmir itself. The aloos(potatoes) used in Kashmiri Dum Aloo are not ordinary; baby potatoes are handpicked for this dish. It is a popular vegetarian delicacy in India, which originated in Kashmir. Even the aroma of this dish makes it stand out from any other vegetarian dishes in Kashmir.
Conclusion
Every state has its unique way of cooking and eating its traditional dishes. You may find similar dishes being prepared in different corners of the nation, but the taste differs from one region to another. Thus, to best enjoy the original dishes of Jammu and Kashmir in authentic taste you need to visit this place. Order any of these dishes on Swiggy to get them delivered to your destination in the least amount of time.
