February 17th 2015 was the most important festival for Kashmiri Pandits, it was day of Shiv ratri or Hay-rath as Kashmiri’s call it. That’s one of the day’s (besides Thanksgiving’s) my wife is very excited about cooking. In pictures below Dum Aloo “Potatoes” and Tsman “Paneer” were cooked by her after hours of preparations.
Believe me picture does not do justice to the taste of the “Saal” , this is probably only day I eat rice like a Kashmiri “Jaz-am-tur” the son-in-law .. very close to “Jaz-mu-dudh” which means yogurt!
Here we go..
Walnuts in shell dunked in “Gadava”, the pot filled with water. These walnuts will be taken out after two days and distributed among friends and family.Tsaman- “Paneer” fried and then cooked in light yogurt turmeric sauce. Credit: Neha KachrooDum Aloo, Fried potatoes in fiery gravy made with Kashmiri chilies, bit of yogurt and other spices. Credit: Neha KachrooNadru-Palak: Spinach with fried Lotus roots, dried ginger, fennel power and special “Var” masala.Nadar-Yahani: Fired lotus roots in yogurt base sauce cooled with Black cardamom, Asafoetida and black pepper.
Culinary art by Ankur Sharma 