Kashmir has always been known for its vivid landscapes, earning it the moniker "Heaven on Earth." Here, you cannot miss its prominent destinations like Gulmarg or famed cuisines like "Wazwan," a celebratory feast prepared by Kashmiri Muslims. However, few people know about "Phira Saal," a post-wedding ritual marked by Kashmiri Pandits to welcome the groom with a sumptuous platter. To familiarise people with the unexplored cuisines of Kashmiri Pandits, chefs Rahul Wali and Sunil Mattoo recently concluded a 10-day Kashmiri Food Festival at JW Marriott in Aerocity, New Delhi.
"We are trying to promote the Pandit cuisine because when people talk about Kashmiri cuisine, they talk about Wazwan. We want them to know that the traditional food of Kashmir originates from our region," said chef Rahul Wali.
"Phira Saal is the first ever Kashmiri cuisine tradition, dating back to 326 BCE. Wazwan came in the 17th century, and by then, Kashmiri Pandit food was already in existence," he added.
Steeped in traditions, the diverse Kashmiri cuisine draws influence from regions like Central Asia, Persia, Afghanistan and the North Indian plains. Wali said that most of the Pandit delicacies remain unexplored. "People have savoured a small handful of Kashmiri dishes, while many traditional dishes have still not made it to the travellers' bucket list."
Dedicating the menu to the gastronomic richness of the Pandit cuisine, the food festival in Delhi had a mix of traditional dishes like Rajma Gogji (Kashmiri red beans and turnip), Tsok Tsarvan (mutton liver in tamarind-based sauce), Dal Nadur (green moong dal and Lotus stems) and Tsochael (mallow leaves).
For Kashmir Pandits, Phira Saal is their signature platter, with vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisines. "We don't say Wazwan when discussing the Pandit cuisine. Wazwan only signifies the Kashmiri Muslim feast. It is more meat-based, while our cuisine has a good balance of meat and vegetarian foods," said Wali.
Mattoo added that the food festivals help them spread awareness about their feast, underlining that people should come with an open mind and not think that any cuisine has a hold on any particular region. "India is so vast that food-eating habits change every 10 kilometres. So we cannot admit that one food belongs to a particular region."
What makes the Kashmiri platter unique is the minimal use of spices. These delicacies are cooked with a select number of ingredients. "Majorly, the Pandit cuisine is made of fennel powder, dry ginger powder, turmeric, and asafoetida (hing), while in some dishes, we use curd as the base," said Wali. Interstingly, these dishes are sauteed without onion, tomato, garlic, coriander, and garam masala, primary food ingredients in other parts of India.
With a pan-India approach, the chefs have organised this festival in states like Delhi, Haryana Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Rajasthan, and there is more to cover. "We try to do this every month in different cities and hotels. It is good to meet new people and acquaint them with our cuisine."
The chefs were happy with the response, with their latest edition just concluded in Delhi. What amazed them was the lack of awareness of Kashmir's food history. "People are surprised when they hear that the first Kashmiri cuisine is not Wazwan. They are unaware of the region's food history, and when we tell them, our purpose is fulfilled," said Mattoo.
Their food exhibitions have received equal warmth across the country. However, Kolkata was a unique experience for them. "People appreciated the food, and hundreds of people would come in daily for lunch and dinner," said the duo.
Our purpose is served when people appreciate our efforts, they added. For Kashmiri Pandits, it is essential to bring their traditional cuisine beyond the household kitchens and commercialise it to ensure it is noticed in the rapidly changing food market. "Wazwan has been commercially sold since the 1970s, whereas the Pandit cuisine was never out of the doors for commercial sale. But now we have started promoting it to preserve our food heritage. The idea is to inform people and encourage them to explore Kashmiri food beyond Wazwan."