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JAMMU & KASHMIR

Popular Dishes of Jammu & Kashmir

Rogan Josh

Indulge in the regal flavors of rogan josh, a symphony of slow-cooked mutton, fragrant Kashmiri spices, and the opulence of saffron. With every spoonful, you'll be transported to the royal kitchens of Jammu and Kashmir, where time-honored techniques yield a curry that's as rich in history as it is in taste.

Kashmiri_Rogan_Josh.jpg

Ingredients :

  • 1 kilograms chopped into cubes mutton

  • 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida

  • 2 cinnamon

  • 5 black cardamom

  • 1 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder

  • 150 gm hung curd

  • salt as required

  • 1 1/2 cup water

  • 2 1/2 tablespoon milk

  • 1/2 cup ghee

  • 1 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

  • 1 teaspoon peppercorns

  • 4 red chilli

  • 1 1/4 tablespoon coriander powder

  • 2 pinch saffron

  • 1 tablespoon red chilli powder

  • 1 1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds powder

  • 1 1/4 tablespoon all purpose flour

  • For Garnishing

  • 2 sprigs coriander leaves

Steps To Follow:

  1. Step 1 Saute the whole spices in ghee and prepare saffron milk

  2. To prepare this delicacy, first, prepare the saffron milk by soaking saffron in milk. Next, put a pressure cooker and heat ghee in it. When the ghee is hot enough, add the whole spices and fry for a few seconds.

  3. Step 2 Cook mutton with the whole spices

  4. Then, add whole red chillies, cumin seeds and asafoetida in the pressure cooker and fry for a few seconds. Afterwards, add the mutton pieces in it and stir well. Cover with the lid but don’t close it and cook the mutton for 5-6 minutes on medium to high flame. You will notice the meat will turn light brown in colour. After 5 minutes, remove the lid and add 1/2 cup of water in it and stir well with the spices. This will help the mutton in soaking the flavours of all the spices. Then, lower the flame and cook the mutton for 10-15 minutes.

  5. Step 3 Mix yoghurt with saffron milk and other spices

  6. Meanwhile, take a small bowl and add all-purpose flour along with yoghurt in it, mix well. In this yoghurt mixture, add saffron milk (step 1), salt, fennel powder, coriander powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder and dry ginger powder (sonth powder). Mix all the spices well in the yoghurt. Once done, add into the pressure cooker. Stir well using a ladle and cook the mutton in yoghurt for at least a minute.

  7. Step 4 Add this yoghurt mixture in pressure cooker and slow cook the mutton for 1-2 hours

  8. Then, add 1 cup of water in the pressure cooker and slow cook the mutton for 1-2 hours. Stir in between so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom. You can also pressure cook the mutton for 5-6 whistles. Once done, garnish and serve hot with chapati or naan. You can also enjoy this dish with rice.

  9. TipsFor those who like a thick gravy, add 2 tbsp all-purpose flour in yoghurt and whisk it well before adding to the gravy. This will also enhance the taste of the dish. 

  10. Rogan Josh is made in a pan over low-flame but you can cook in a pressure cooker to speed up the process.

  11. The characteristic red colour of Rogan Josh can be obtained from Kashmiri red chillies and Ratan jot. It is a herb in the borage family, traditionally used in Indian food.

Gushtaba

Elevate your dining experience with gushtaba, a dish fit for royalty. Meticulously crafted meatballs of minced mutton swim in a luscious yogurt-based gravy, a marriage of textures and flavors that dance on your palate. As you savor the velvety sauce and tender meat, you'll appreciate the culinary craftsmanship that defines Jammu and Kashmir's heritage.

gushtaba.jpg

Ingredients :

  • 1 Kg Boneless meat (from the leg of the lamb)

  • 1 Cup Meat fat

  • 1 Cup Mustard oil

  • 2 Cups Milk

  • 1 Cup Curd

  • 6 Cups Water

  • 5 Pieces Green cardamom

  • 2 Bay leaves

  • 2 Cloves

  • 3 Brown cardamom

  • 1 Large Cinnamon stick

  • 1 tsp Ginger powder

  • 3 tsp Fennel powder

  • 2 tsp Dried mint

  • 1 tsp Asafoetida

  • To taste Salt

Steps To Follow:

  1. 1.Pound the boneless meat on a smooth stone with a wooden mallet. Add the meat fat and pound it well.2.Add brown cardamom powder, ginger powder and salt, keep on pounding till you get the smooth pulp out of it.3.Make round balls 2 to 3 inches in diameter and leave aside.4.Keep them separate from each other.5.Heat oil in a large vessel add a little salt and asafoetida to it.6.Beat curd in a jug, add to the oil and keep on stirring till it really mixes well.7.Add water and rest of the whole and powdered spices and milk together and bring the gravy to boil.8.Add meat balls one by one to the boiling gravy.

Kashmiri Pulao

Immerse yourself in the enchanting aroma of saffron-infused rice with Kashmiri pulao. As you savor each forkful, the sweetness of dried fruits mingles with the earthy warmth of aromatic spices. This dish is an ode to the region's love affair with flavors, where every grain of rice is a canvas for the culinary traditions that have shaped Kashmir's cuisine.

kashmiri-pulao.jpg

Ingredients :

  • 2 cups basmati rice - washed and soaked

  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

  • 3 cloves

  • 1 stick cinnamon

  • 3 cardamom

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 2 cups milk

  • 1/2 cup fresh cream-beaten

  • 1 tsp sugar

  • Salt to taste

  • 2 Tbsp ghee

  • 1/2 cup dried fruits (cahew nuts, almonds, raisins)

  • 2-3 edible rose petals

Steps To Follow:

  1. 1.Mix milk, cream, sugar, salt.2.Drain rice, keep aside.3.Heat ghee in a heavy pan and add cumin seeds, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamoms, cloves.4.When they splutter add rice and fry in ghee for 2 minutes.5.Add milk mixture and 1/2 cup water.6.Bring to a boil,cover, lower the heat and simmer till cooked.7.Mix in dried fruit very gently.8.Serve hot, garnished with rose petals.

Kahwa

Conclude your culinary journey with kahwa, a cup of saffron-infused Kashmiri tea that's a symphony of flavors. As you sip, the fragrant notes of saffron, the comforting embrace of almonds, and the gentle kiss of cardamom come together in perfect harmony. Kahwa is not just a beverage; it's an invitation to experience the warmth and hospitality of Jammu and Kashmir.

Kashmiri-Kahwa-6.jpg

Ingredients :

  • Green tea leaves 

  • Spices 

  • Rose petals

  • Nuts 

  • Sweetener 

  • Ingredient Swaps

  • Sweeteners.

  • Spices (cloves, green cardamoms and cinnamon)

Steps To Follow:

  1. How To Brew A Perfect Cup Of Kahwa

  2. Kahwa is made in copper pots known as samovar in Kashmir. These are large pots where the tea is brewed. In a home kitchen, kahwa is made in a pan. 

  3. Some people prefer to boil the green tea leaves for a couple of minutes. I do not suggest you do this unless you prefer a bitter flavor. 

  4. Instead, steep the green tea leaves for a few minutes in hot – not boiling – water. I have had tea made with green tea leaves boiled in water and it spoils the delicate taste & flavor. If you have a thermometer on hand, aim for around 80 to 82° C (175 to 180° F).

  5. In this kahwa recipe, the spices are lightly crushed to release their flavors and then simmered for 2 to 3 minutes. 

  6. The heat is then turned off, the green tea leaves are added, and then everything is steeped for 2 to 3 minutes in the hot water. After this, the kahwa tea is ready to be strained and served.

  7. Adding Saffron

  8. I personally do not add saffron when brewing the tea, because why waste expensive saffron? The tea leaves and spices are strained, and the saffron goes waste. It makes more sense to me to add the saffron in the cup itself and have the tea and saffron both.

  9. Step-by-Step Guide

  10. How to make Kahwa Tea RecipePreparation

  11. 1. Get all the spices ready before you start making kahwa. You will need the following spices:

  12. 2 inches of cinnamon

  13. 2 green cardamom pods

  14. 2 cloves

  15. 5 to 6 dried rose petals – optional

  16. 10 to 12 strands of saffron

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