SRS FOODS

SRS FOODS

SRS FOODS provides you with the best food, beverages, recipes, drinks etc from different cities of India in this blog.

(1) Jammu & Kashmir 

 The journey of a traveller is essential to the taste of a local food as it gives full experience of local culture and heritage. Diversity is the food of Jammu and Kashmir as its scenario, which can be divided into two categories, i.e.: Jammu food and Kashmiri dishes. Actually, Jammu food is quite vegetarian and is influenced by Dogra Dynasty, which is the 18th Century The region was ruled by the end of the year. On the other hand, Kashmiri dishes can be divided into two different types, namely: Vaja dishes and Kashmiri Pandit dishes. Wajja is made from the Kashmir region, who specializes in multi-curricular food called Vazvan. And finally, Kashmiri Pandits are Hindu Brahmins, which originated from the area of Kashmir. Below, we will highlight the most famous dishes in each region and dishes style.

 Famous Food of Jammu & Kashmir

Jammu Dishes

 For convenience, we will highlight the most famous food of each region. First of all, Jammu, Jammu is famous for food. What sets this dish apart from other dishes is that there is a huge variety of vegetarian dishes which is that. The reason for this is that vegetables are easy to grow in the vicinity of Jammu, unlike the high areas of Kashmir. Apart from this, rice is also a major, because most recipes require rice because it admits the flavour and taste of the food.

1. Rajma Chawal

Rajma Rice is a dish made from Rajma, which produces red kidney bean in many areas around the world. However, it is believed that Jummu's best-tasting red kidney beans come in. There is probably something like this with the climate of this region because red kidney beans are very sweet-tasting here as compared to other varieties grown in different regions. As such, rajma rice is a favourite and main dish in the local people of Jammu. Before cooking on a pressure cooker, rajma beans are soaked throughout the night. After that, it is mixed with the delicious gravy before serving with rice. You can find Rajma Chawla in many local dhabas and eateries in Jammu. Although, for the best taste, try street food stall in the old market, in contrast to the temple in the area. Another place to try this dish is in Zamindara Dhaba, which is a highway Dhaba located on the outskirts of Jammu before you make the proper entry in the city. Both traditional rajma rice, red kidney beans work with authentic savoury-sweet flavour.
 

This dish - Best location for trying the Purani Mandi (near the temple) and Jamindra Dhaba

2. Morel Yakhani  

Ask around for morel or Kawaguchi in Delhi and chances are you might be looking at the whole day and still won't be able to find it. This rare mushroom only grows in the colder regions of Jammu and prices for it are on the higher side. Because of the high nutrient and medicinal content of the mushrooms, they are regarded as special and served only on important events. They can be cooked via different ways but the Morel Yakhani is considered as one of the best dishes for this rare mushroom variety. The mushrooms are simmered in a yoghurt curd, which gives it a tangy but savoury flavour. It's hard to find restaurants that serve this dish though because morels are extremely expensive. There's only one restaurant here that serves morel, the Falak Revolving Restaurant in KC Residency Hotel. However, they serve morels with a twist, through their Morel Mushroom Curry

Best Places to Try This Dish - Falak Revolving Restaurant.

 3. Rajma Ka Madhra

Rajma Ka Madhra utilises the same red kidney beans as above. Much like the former rajma dish, the beans are soaked overnight for about 6 to 8 hours. The dish also has a gravy but it utilises yoghurt which makes it a bit more creamy. The yoghurt is cooked slowly with rice flour and spiced with some powders to give it flavour. The mixture of the rajma and yoghurt-based gravy is quite tasty. The dish is then served with either rice or a bread. You can try out this dish in some dhabas or even in some hotels. Hotel Surya Excellency is one of the best restaurants to try out Rajma Ka Madhra.

 Best Places to Try This Dish - Hotel Surya Excellency

 4. Khatta Meat

Next is Khatta Meat, a mutton curry dish which has its root from the Dogra dynasty as well. If you're thinking whether you'd have non-vegetarian options when in Jammu, well, don't worry because there are some meat-based dishes as well. Kattha Meat is basically just mutton on either an amchur-based gravy or anardana-based gravy. Amchur is a dry mango powder while anardana is sour pomegranate seeds. Both of them gives the mutton its tangy taste and combined with the spices, the dish also has a spicy flavour to it. You can find many dhabas serving this dish but Paras Ram Dhaba in Gandhinagar serves it in the best traditional way. For higher-end restaurants, try out Moti Mahal Restaurant and Fortune Inn Riviera Restaurant.

Best Places to Try This Dish - Paras Ram Dhaba, Moti Mahal Restaurant and Fortune Inn Riviera Restaurant

5. Kachaloo Chaat

Kachaloo Chaat is a favourite snack of the locals of Jammu. It is made from kachaloo, also known as taro root, and various spices like red chilli flakes, tamarind, black-eyed beans and lemon. Sometimes, potatoes are also added into the dish, thereby being called the Aloo Kachaloo Chaat. It is a very tasty and filling snack available in almost every street food area in Jammu. The best food stall selling this delectable dish is the one near the Pacca Danga, known as the Girdhari Ke Kachaloo. This is the oldest street food stall serving Kachaloo Chaat in the region. It started out as a small food stall and has now become a full-blown shop selling various snacks other than Kachaloo Chaat.

Best Places to Try This Dish - Girdhari Ke Kachaloo

Kashmir Dishes 

On the other hand, as mentioned above, Kashmiri cuisine can be divided into two subcategories, Waza cuisine and Kashmiri Pandit cuisine. Of these two cuisines, the former is more popular and more widely available in the region. Waza cuisine is mainly about the Wazwan, a 36-course meal comprised mainly of meat dishes. The Kashmiri Pandit cuisine has a mixture of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes and can be contrasted to the former by its lighter use of flavours.

 1. Seekh Kebab

 One of the starter dishes of the Wazwan is the Seekh Kebab. It is a very simple dish but has that kick of flavour to it. To make the flavours stand out, even more, it requires vigorous preparation. The Finely minced meat of a lamb is mixed with red chilli powder and salt before being left in the fridge. It is then blended with spices such as cardamom, coriander, cumin seeds and much more before being grilled over charcoal. Sometimes, other places fry the kebab in ghee. It also served with a chutney as a side. You would that most restaurants in Kashmir serve this dish but you can try out Mughal Darbar in Srinagar and Nedous Dining Room in Gulmarg. 

Best Places to Try This Dish - Mughal Darbar and Nedous Dining Room

2. Tabakh Maaz 

Tabakh Maaz is simply fried lamb ribs, but preparing it is very vigorous as well. This is perhaps the main feature of most dishes of the Waza cuisine. The lamb ribs are boiled along with other spices like cardamom, cumin seeds, bay leaf, ginger powder and fennel seeds. To make the meat very soft, it is slow-cooked on low to medium heat. After then, it is fried in ghee until it's a golden brown. Served on its own or with rice, the lamb meat has varying savoury flavours that make it a favourite among Kashmiri locals. Most restaurants in the region serve this dish but you can try out Ahdoos or Sunset Boulevard Restaurant, both are in Srinagar.

Best Places to Try This Dish - Ahdoos or Sunset Boulevard Restaurant

3. Methi Maaz 

 Another component of the Wazwan is the Methi Maaz, a dish made of the intestines of a lamb, sometimes even the stomach is used. Some restaurants substitute by using chopped mutton meat instead. The intestines and stomach are chopped then boiled, the stock is then set aside for the gravy. This stock is then mixed with cardamom, fennel powder, turmeric and other spices then boiled again. Then, the meat is fried in ghee before being added into the mixture, along with the boiled fenugreek. Sometimes, milk is added into the dish to give it a creamy taste. The Hotel Grand and Restaurant in Srinagar serves this dish, along with other Waza dishes.

Best Places to Try This Dish - Hotel Grand and Restaurant

4. Kashmiri Pulao

At the end of this section is Kashmiri Pulao, an incredibly tasty rice dish with a mild sweet taste due to its fruit ingredients. It contrasts the heavy meat dishes of the Waza cuisine. It is also very simple to prepare, again quite in contrast to the tedious cooking procedures of the previous dishes. Basmati rice is cleansed before being added into a sautéed mixture of ghee, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf, milk and sugar. This mixture is then boiled until the rice cooks. Sautéed raisins and nuts are added, as well as fruits like pineapple and apple. Sometimes, even carrots, peas and beans are added as well. This rice dish goes well with the previous meat dishes too. Lhasa Restaurant and Batra Hotels and Residences Restaurant, both in Srinagar, serve this dish.

Best Places to Try This Dish - Lhasa Restaurant and Batra Hotels and Residences Restaurant

 5. Haakh 

For the locals residing in the higher regions of Kashmir, sipping a hot cup of soup can be very invigorating. Haakh is thus a necessary dish in the cuisine. This simple dish, made from spinach, cold-pressed mustard oil, salt, red chillies, green chillies and the signature, asafoetida, is sure to warm one's senses. It can be relished on its own, or sometimes, with white rice. Mughal Darbar in Srinagar serves an authentic version of this dish, but so does the Nedou's Hotel Restaurant in Gulmarg.

Best Places to Try This Dish - Mughal Darbar and Nedou's Hotel Restaurant