The most popular foods in your country?

NEGI RK Wednesday, December 09, 2020

Caution: Vegetarians may find it graphic.

“Waazwaan” (Kashmir)

The king’s feast.

Wazwan is a multi-course meal in Kashmiri Cusine, the preparation of which is considered an art and a point of pride in Kashmiri culture and identity. Almost all the dishes are meat-based using lamb or chicken with few vegetarian dishes. It is popular throughout the Kashmir. Moreover, Wazwan is also served internationally at Kashmiri food festivals and reunions.

List of main dishes:

Maithi maaz.
Rista (meatballs in a fiery red gravy)
Lahabi kabab or Moachi kabab (flattened mutton kababs cooked in yogurt)
Waza kokur (two halves or two full chicken cooked whole)
Daeni phoul (mutton dish)
Doudha ras (mutton cooked in sweet milk gravy)
Rogan Josh (tender lamb cooked with Kashmiri spices)
Tabak maaz (ribs of lamb simmered in yogurt till tender, then fried)
Daniwal Korma (a mutton curry with coriander)
Waza palak (green spinach cooked with small mutton balls known as paliki riste)
Aab gosh (lamb cooked in milk curry)
Marchwangan korma (an extremely spicy lamb dish)
Kabab (minced meat roasted on skewers over hot coals)
Gushtaba (a velvety textured meatball in white yogurt gravy)
Yakh'n (delicately spiced yogurt curry)
Ruwangan chhaman (cheese squares with tomato gravy)

A typical traemi with all dishes combined.

In the Kashmiri language, waz means 'cook' or 'cooking' and wan means 'shop'. The ultimate formal banquet in Kashmir is the royal wazwan. Of its thirty-six courses, between fifteen and thirty can be preparations of meat, cooked overnight under the supervision of a master chef called a “woste waze”. Guests are seated in groups of four and share the meal out of a large copper platter called the traem. The meal begins with a ritual washing of hands in a basin called the Tash-t-naer, which is taken around by attendants. Then the traem arrives, heaped with rice, quartered by two Seekh Kababs and contains four pieces of methi korma (chicken or mutton flavored with a spice mixture containing dried fenugreek (methi) leaves), two tabak maaz (twice-cooked lamb ribs, initially braised with ground spices and milk, then browned in butter), one safed kokur (chicken with white sauce), one zafran kokur (chicken with saffron sauce), and the first few courses. Yogurt and chutney are served separately in small earthen pots. Up to about 20 items are served thereafter by waza (the junior cook). Seven dishes are a must for these occasions—tabakh maaz, rista (meatballs in a red, paprika-saffron-fennel spice gravy), rogan josh, daniwal korma (lamb roasted with yoghurt, spices and onion puree, topped with coriander leaves), aab gosh (lamb chunks cooked with a fennel-based spice mixture, cardamom and partially evaporated milk), marchhwangan korma (chicken legs/thighs cooked in a spicy browned-onion sauce) and gushtaba (meatballs cooked in a spicy yoghurt gravy) The main course usually ends with Gushtaba. Gushtaba is like a big meat ball which means full stop.