The Kashmiri in Me – Part 3

By now you all must be well aware of the fact that I am a lot into cooking at this stage of my life than I was, well any other time before. Anyways so after my usual cooking escapades which by the way can be found here and here I have now officially ventured into the Kashmiri style of cooking.

I was always somehow very apprehensive about venturing into this department, I felt intimidated by the pressure. Being a kashmiri, my kashmiri cooking should be impeccable right? Anyhow my very small dip into this huge sea has managed to raise my confidence level and culinary skill to a very decent level. The best thing about authentic Kashmiri cooking is that it requires no onion no tomatoes no garlic or ginger, just the stuff, a dash of Kashmiri spices and you are good to go!

So my tryst with kashmiri cooking has been for the following three dishes:

1. Roganjosh (Red Mutton) : This dish was brought to Kashmir by Mughals. The dish is very easy to make and heavenly in taste. I will share the simple recipe of preparing. Please note that this is not the authentic recipe of the dish. The authentic dish involves the use of a lot many spices and secret ingredients!

Heat some oil in a pressure cooker. Once the oil is sufficiently hot add some cumin seeds and let them flutter. Then add the mutton pieces and fry them until light brownish in color. Now add some Kashmiri red chilli powder, souf powder and ginger (sonth) powder. Mix it properly and let is cook on medium flame for about 3,4 minutes. Now add about half a cup of water so that all pieces of mutton are sufficiently covered. Now cover the lid and let it cook until two whistles (depends on the meat in question and how you like to eat it: soft or hard!) . The end product should look something like the picture shows below:

This is nothing compared to what it looks like when my mother makes it!

2. Masch (Minced Mutton Keema) : These are delicious koftas prepared from the minced mutton. The layman recipe can be found below:

To the minced mutton, add some  Kashmiri red chilli powder, souf powder and ginger (sonth) powder, roasted cumin and some oil. Mix all the ingredients well and form small round balls which should look somewhat like the picture below:

Once the balls are made keep them aside and in a vessel heat some oil and add little of all the masalas. Do not overheat the oil or the masalas will burn out (like they did for me the first time I tried making it!). Add water to this mixture and slowly add the mutton balls into it taking care not to break them. Cook until the oil starts to separate out and the gravy appears to be thicker.

Both are dishes (Roganjosh & Masch) are savored best with plain white rice:

3. Gogji (Turnips) : Turnips are one of the majorly used vegetables in kashmiri cuisine. They are made as it is, with meat, with lotus stems, with kidney beans and the list is endless. I made my turnips as it. Eaten with curd and curd, this is the simplest and best-est meal ever!

Peel and cut the turnips into thin slices. Heat some oil in a pressure cooker and add some cumin. Now add the sliced turnips and fry until a little brown. Add salt and ginger (sonth) powder. Now add some water so that it covers up the the turnips. Give 2-3 whistles and you are good to go.

Would love to hear about our experiments/experiences with the Kashmiri Cuisine. 

p.s The part 1 & part 2 of this post can be seen here and here