Wah Wazwan!

It's a cuisine thats rich,aromatic and seldom available this side of the region,unless of course you have magnanimous Kashmiri friends calling you over for meals!

Written by Jagmeeta Thind Joy
October 27, 2009 03:47 AM IST

3 min read

With specially flown in ingredients from the valley,its time to make the most of traditional Kashmiri cuisine on offer at the ongoing Crafts Mela

It’s a cuisine thats rich,aromatic and seldom available this side of the region,unless of course you have magnanimous Kashmiri friends calling you over for meals! That perhaps explains the winding queue outside Wazwan,the Kashmiri food stall at the ongoing Chandigarh National Crafts Mela. Setup by the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC),Wazwan offers authentic Kashmiri cuisine at affordable prices. We have brought a fixed menu of Kashmiri delicacies and the response has been truly overwhelming, remarked CB Kaul,manager with JKTDC and also the in-charge of Wazwan.

This story requires a subscription

Select a plan and use IE10 code to get 10% extra off

POPULAR

EXPRESS EDGE

Daily ePaper access

Premium stories & archives

UPSC Section + UPSC Essentials Magazine

Premium stories & archives

UPSC Section + UPSC Essentials Magazine

Starts at ₹133/month

Best for UPSC aspirants

This story requires a subscription

Please Select A Plan

POPULAR

EXPRESS EDGE

Daily ePaper access

Premium stories & archives

UPSC Section + UPSC Essentials Magazine

Premium stories & archives

UPSC Section + UPSC Essentials Magazine

Starts at ₹133/month

Best for UPSC aspirants

Bringing with him as many as five seasoned chefs,Kaul informed of the special ingredients that the team has brought with it from Srinagar. Kashmiri cuisine involves the use of traditional spices and we have got special red chillies as well as a unique variety of onions,rice and rajma, informed Kaul. As far as the special dishes go,one can try the Gushtaba thats made from pounded meat in a curd gravy. People confuse pounded meat with keema but thats not the case. The meat for Gushtaba is pounded very fine on a special stone, explained the manager. Another traditional favourite on offer includes the Rista,which is mutton made in a saffron gravy. For vegetarians we have specially brought Badarwa Rajma,that is a speciality of the state. Then theres the popular Dum Aloo, listed out the manager. Preparations for the dishes are on at the Jammu and Kashmir House in Sector 5 and the chefs are hard at work dishing out Seekh Kebabs and Dhania Korma as well.

I have never really had a chance to relish Kashmiri food and this was a pleasant surprise, remarked Gurkirat Singh,a city-based entrepreneur who came to the Crafts Mela along with his parents and wife. Also making the most of the new flavours in town were Dr Dheeraj and his family from Panchkula. I came to try the Rogan Josh and its good outing for the family as well, he quipped.

Wazwan is also offering authentic Kashmiri Kahwa,a green tea flavoured with saffron,cardamom and almonds to be sipped hot along with Sheermal,a special type of bread. Its also the perfect way to wind up a true Wazwan meal!