Jose's India Travel Newsletter
 

 K A S H M I R

 

Here are a few Kashmiri recipes that Sofie and Sayida taught me and I enjoyed making.  They are simple but delicious.

 

Kashmiri “Kahwa” Tea

The master chef Sayida making a delicious custard

Pour boiling water into a quart size tea pot

Add your favorite green tea

Add five medium size green cardamom whole seeds

Add three stems of saffron

Add a small peel of a cinnamon stick, about 2.5cm (one inch) long

Let it sit a few minutes

Strain as you pour and serve with friends and loved ones 

 

Kashmiri Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

10 tbsp oil, any oil

9 medium size red onions

1 tsp chili power add more to make it spicier

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp curry power

2 tsp salt, add more to taste

3 cloves of garlic

1 whole skinless chicken

 

Preparation:

Cut the chicken into small pieces, cut the leg at the joint from the thigh, cut the thigh in two if it is large, cut the breast into two of three part again depending on the size of the breast, cut the wing at the joints, cut the back into about four parts and cut the neck into three pieces.  Use the liver, cut the heart and gizzard open and remove and any stones or waste matter.  Wash the chicken thoroughly after cutting.  Cup the onions in half and chop them very very thin. Then place in a bowl of water until ready to use.  Finely cut the garlic and have the spices out and ready.

 

Cooking:

In a heavy five quart pot heat the oil in medium high heat and cook the onions until dark brown, keep stirring the onions with a large wood spoon so they so not burn.  You will have to play with the heat on your stove and be a bit patient.  As you stir the onions, also smash them with the large wooden spoon to thicken the mixture.  Adding the salt at this point and it will absorb some of the moisture given off from the onions.  When the onion turn dark brown add one cup of water and remove from the heat so the onions do not burn.  Add the spices, garlic and return the pot to the heat.  Let some of the moisture evaporate and the mixture will becomes a thicken brownish semi paste.  This is your basic Kashmiri masala curry base. 

 

Add another cup of water and add the chicken pieces.  Stir the mixture and the chicken for about 4 minutes until all the chicken is completely coded.  Reduce the heat as needed to keep the mixture for burning.  Finally, add enough water to cover the chicken about one inch above the chicken.  Bring to a boil for three minutes covered and reduce heat and simmer uncovered over medium heat until the chicken is tender.  Sever over white rice and with Kahwa tea.    

 

Kashmiri Rogan Josh

This is Sayida’s favorite dish

 I only have this recipe for 2kg (4.5lbs) of mutton

Ingredients:

10 tbsp oil, any oil

9 medium red onions

3 pieces of large black cardamom seeds, these are fairly large, about 2cm (¾ of an inch) long

5 pieces of green cardamom seeds

3 pieces peeled off a cinnamon stick, about 2.5 cm (one inch) long

1 small piece of ginger peeled

2 tsp salt, add more to taste

Enough dried long red chilies to fill a normal size blender

2kg (4.5lbs) mutton, cut in small pieces with the bone, one kg (2.5lbs) should yield 16-20 pieces, go to the butcher

2kg of regular yogurt

 

Preparation:

Wash the mutton thoroughly, and set aside.  As I mention, get enough dried long red chilies to fill a normal size blender.  Remove the stems and seeds from the chilies.  I am using the blender as my unit of measurement.  Wash them and put the chilies in a pot.  Fill the blender with water almost to the top and add it to the chilies and bring to a boil.  Once the chilies are soft, pour the mixture back into the blender and blend until the mixture becomes a consistence smooth chili sauce.  Strain into a bowl and set aside.  Peel a small piece of ginger, 3.5 cm (inch and a half) long and cut into three pieces.

 

In a heavy pot large enough to hold the mutton and other ingredients add the 10 tbsp oil, onions and the mutton and grill for about 5 minutes over medium high heat to slightly brown the mutton.  Stir constantly so the onions do not burn.  Add the chili sauce, black and green cardamom seeds, cinnamon, ginger, salt and yogurt and stir the mixture until it comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered until the mutton is soft.

 

Serve over white rice and wash your hands, /cause it's finger- licking good.