I have been enamored by the beauty and mystery of Kashmir for the longest time...I think I fell in love with it the first time I watched a naive yet determined Roja (Madhu) romance and frolick in the snow with her suddenly wedded hubby in the "yeh haseen waadiyaan..ye khula aasmaan...aa gaye hum kahan, aye mere saajana..".
Do you remember the movie...and the songs....Ah!! The magic of A R Rahman...and the lyrics..At the cost of sounding like a real oldie, I am still gonna say it "they just don't make songs like that anymore". Period. There. Call me O.L.D.
The other time was when I watched a young Shammi Kapoor shimmy his way into a ridiculously pretty and young Sharmila Tagore in the flower decked gondolas on Dal Lake...
And yet again when I read the magical book "Shalimar the Clown" by the story teller non-pareil Salman Rushdie..
Everything about Kashmir drew me in.
The fact that Kashmir and paradise are synonymous,wasn't lost on me...
Ever since my love affair with Kashmir began, I have been wanting..nah..dying to cook proper wazwan for my family..
And now I finally have an outlet to do just that!
After my delicious Kashmiri Pulao, http://lapetitchef.blogspot.in/2014/07/kashmiri-pulao.html
,the simple yet delectable rice dish one simple has to have, I decided to try a slightly tougher dish...A staple of Kashmiri wazwan ..a delicious veggie extravaganza thats a must in the long list of princely dishes served!
I wont say its difficult...Its easy...but yes, it does take time...
So here's my piece on what you should do..
Imagine yourself dancing/singing/writing or simply gazing in the heavenly beauty that's Kashmir..
Think of the way you want to feel when you taste this particular dish....
I like to be reminded of my grandmom (my nani) and her loving hands on my head as I lay down on her lap,and clamored for a story, yet again !
I want to feel the warmth I feel spread through me when Dishu comes and gives me a quick "Ma , I want some chocolatey pudding..and kisses me"!
I like to think of how P(thats Dishu's Daddy Long legs to you guys) would feel when he tastes my love in the form of this dish.
And lastly I like to remind myself that "good things come to those who wait..."... and trust me, if I can be patient any one can!! ;)
Lets get about to making it now, shall we??
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 kg tiny round potatoes
2 cups mustard or refined oil
1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup Fresh Cream
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
2 cinnamon stick
3 black cardamom
3 tsp fennel powder
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp ginger powder
2 tsp cumin powder
Kasuri Methi 1 tbsp
Spices for coating potatoes:
Salt, Turmeric, Kashmiri Red Chillie powder, Cumin Powder.dash of oil to make the spices stick to the potatoes...acc to taste.
Kashmiri Garam Masala- 1 tsp
METHOD :
Boil potatoes in a large vessel till the skin of potatoes is half tender or par boiled.
Peel off skin and prick the potatoes across with a toothpick or fork.
Heat oil in a deep vessel and fry the spice coated potatoes till golden brown.
In a separate heavy-bottomed pan, take five Tbsp oil from the already hot oil you have from the fried potatoes.
Then add bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon stick and red chilli powder, a little water, salt and keep on stirring, Whisk curd in a bowl and add to the pan, keep stirring.
Add 2 cups of water and rest of the powdered spices then add fried potatoes and crushed kasuri methi to the gravy and boil on low flame for 50-60 minutes.
Add the cream.
Coarsely grind brown cardamom and sprinkle into the potatoes, simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the kashmiri garam masala on top...and serve with pulao or naan.
For the Kashmiri Garam Masala:
INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup black pepper
1/3 cup dry ginger
1/3 cup cumin seeds
5 gm cinnamon
1/3 cup cardamom
5 gm cloves
METHOD:
Dry roast all till fragrant.
Grind all ingredients at high speed for 3 minutes.
Sieve the fine powder.
Grind all ingredients at high speed for 3 minutes.
Sieve the fine powder.
Store and use!!
The result??
An absolutely melt in your mouth potatoes steeped in a creamy yoghurt gravy redolent with the delicate fragrance of Kashmiri garam masala...
