Taste of Tradition: Kashmir's Best Non-Vegetarian Dishes

One of the most popular dishes of Kashmir, Rogan Josh was introduced in India by the Mughals. It is a slow-cooked lamb curry made with yogurt and spices among other ingredients. The preparation of the dish commences with the browning of onions, which is followed by adding spices like cardamom, pepper, cloves, and ginger. The addition of yogurt balances the flavor of the spices, giving the curry a rich and creamy consistency. In an authentic Kashmiri recipe, the root of a herb called rattan jot is added to the gravy to give it that color. But since it is hard to find, Kashmiri chili powder can be added instead. Rogan Josh is best enjoyed with rice, naan, or paratha. 

A lip-smacking mutton dish from Kashmir, Matschgand is a flavorful fusion that will make your taste buds happy. It is essentially minced meatballs cooked in spicy red gravy. Spices like cumin, fennel powder, black cardamom, and ginger powder add rich aromatic flavor to the mutton. Curd adds a rich creaminess to the gravy and amplifies the taste as well. Once the meatballs are perfectly cooked and the gravy reaches the right consistency, it is garnished with coriander leaves and ghee which infuses more flavor. The dish is served with plain steamed rice and is an absolute must-try when you are in Kashmir. 

Goshtaba is a traditional dish of Kashmir, served as part of the Kashmiri Wazwan, a grand feast comprising an enormous 36 courses. Goshtaba is usually served before dessert and is deemed disrespectful to the host if one refuses the dish. It is essentially minced mutton cooked in a gravy made from yogurt and a blend of various spices like cloves, cardamom, cumin, and fennel. The meat is pounded finely and made into spheres which are tossed into the gravy. The meatballs are cooked in low heat to absorb maximum flavor from the gravy. The gravy is garnished with coriander or mint leaves and can be served with steamed rice. Goshtaba originated as a dish for the kings and is prepared during royal occasions by Kashmiris.  

Yakhni lamb curry is an authentic delicacy in Kashmir and is quite a popular one as well. A common theme with Kashmiri dishes is the infusion of yogurt in meat-based dishes, and this dish is no exception. But what makes this dish unique is the addition of mawal flowers, which is a traditional ingredient in Kashmiri cuisine. It enhances the flavor of the dish by adding that touch of spice and also acts as a coloring agent. Apart from mawal flowers, aromatic spices like cinnamon, cardamom, fennel seeds, and turmeric are also added to the curry. Saffron milk is infused into the curry, which makes the dish even more delectable. Enjoy this delicious dish with rice. 

A popular dish in Kashmiri cuisine, Aab Gosht is a unique combination of mutton and milk. Don’t let this scare you though as the dish is lip-smacking, to say the least. It is derived from the Punjabi word Aab, meaning water, and the Urdu word Gosht, meaning meat. The meat, which is mutton in this case, is cooked in a blend of spices like black peppercorn, cardamom, garlic, and aniseed powder. Onion paste and ghee are added to the gravy for additional flavoring. Aab Gosht is a celebratory dish prepared during festivals and get-togethers. It is best savored with freshly cooked saffron rice. 

Rista is a meat-based dish that is similar to Goshtaba. It is essentially meatballs in delicious gravy. But what makes Rista different from Goshtaba is the fact that there is no addition of yogurt in the dish. The gravy in Rista is instead red in color, which is obtained from spices like chili powder and dried mawal flowers. To prepare the meatballs, small cubes of meat are ponded and minced until they reach the perfect consistency. The minced meat is then made into spheres and clarified butter or Ghee is added to them to enhance their flavor. Spices like aniseed powder, cloves, Kashmiri red chili powder, cardamom, and saffron are added in the preparation of the dish. A combination of all these spices adds an excellent taste to the final dish. The liquid derived from dried cockscomb or Mawal flowers gives a nice red hue to the gravy. 

As you know by now, Kashmir is famous for its meat-based dishes. But Kashmiri cuisine also offers some delectable seafood recipes for all the seafood lovers out there. Muji Gaad is a nice break from all the lamb and mutton gravies. The dish is prepared using freshwater fish like Rohu, which is marinated in spices like Kashmiri chili powder, salt, turmeric, and ginger-garlic paste. The fish is then pan-fried in oil until it turns golden brown. The gravy is prepared using a blend of tomato puree, tamarind paste, and garam masala. The cooked fish is added to the gravy along with chopped radish and lotus stem or nadru. Garnish it with coriander and serve with steamed rice or naan. 

There you go! That was a list of all our recommendations for non-vegetarian dishes that you have got to try when you visit Kashmir. If you love cooking and would love to try out a new cuisine, you should definitely consider them. They are simple dishes that pack a flavorful punch, so get ready to go on a culinary journey and don’t forget to savor every bite.

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