India on My Platter

by Saransh Goila

  Guru Bhikkhu Sanhasena, who founded Mahabodhi, was present there when we visited, so I did not want to leave without his blessings. The spot he chose to meet me at was so spectacular that time stood still. I was sitting next to the prayer flags on a small plateau above Mahabodhi which was overlooking the sun. People travel all over the world for beautiful sunsets and I’ve had my fair share of travel too, but I can tell you this, I had never seen a sunset like this before.

  As Guruji arrived he sat down right next to me with his legs folded. Before I could say anything, Guruji spoke, ‘Saransh, we are very happy to know that you are headed on this journey, discovering different parts of our country and we are also very happy to have you in Ladakh, on top of the world. You know Ladakh is also called the Land of Three Ms: mountains, monasteries and monks. We as human beings need spirituality; we need meditation, prayer to keep our mind, heart and soul healthy. So, I believe it is the spiritual values, which bring beauty, fragrance and colour to life.’ These words were still sinking in when I touched his feet and asked for his blessings to complete this dream journey and he prompted, ‘Your whole life is a journey. I wish and pray to the Lord, and give blessings to all of you. May you have all the strength and skills needed to continue the journey and overcome the difficulties you face. There will be ups and downs but it makes you stronger. So I think all parts of your journey will be successful.’

  I am not sure if this trip to Leh made me spiritual, but yes, I could sense some calmness within me. It was now time to head to Kargil.

  DAY 16

  22 August / Kargil

  The first episode of our journey, documented for TV, got telecast all across India today. Five years back, no one would have thought, not even my family, that one day I would be on national TV talking about food. Three years of struggle, perseverance, and endless jibes from various people finally paid off. But this was not going to be easy. It was just the beginning and I had already started getting calls from the channel and creative head that I hadn’t delivered up to their expectations. They said that my connect with the audience was low, I seemed under-confident and definitely camera conscious. Trying to imagine the camera as a friend was perhaps one of the biggest hurdles that any good TV presenter, or actor, had to cross. Living and learning through an experience was a much easier thing to do in comparison to sharing it with people through videos and words. As these thoughts weighed heavy on my head, we started our day in Kargil after a late night drive to this district.

  The road from Leh to Kargil is indeed one of the most fascinating drives as it is a series of high passes and fragile mountainsides. Not only is there a dramatic scenic change but also a cultural one; there’s a shift from a Buddhist region to a Muslim dominated one. Kargil, at 2740 metres above sea level, had been an important trading post many years back and a subject of debate and war between India and Pakistan. So, to pay homage to our soldiers, I had set out for my first destination, Kargil.

  The most recent and significant chapter in terms of war in Indian history was the Kargil War. I was only about 12 when this war took place. As a patriot, reading about it in the newspapers and in magazines everyday, watching it being talked about on television was hard but standing at the border and realising the sacrifices that the Indian Army has made, so that Indian families could sleep every night in peace was a different thing altogether. I had, and always will, salute the courage of our soldiers. While crossing Kargil, one should visit the Tiger Hill and pay homage to the soldiers who have sacrificed their today for our tomorrow.

  After meeting the jawans, it was time to meet the kisaans. We travelled to a small town called Drass. Despite being the second coldest place in India, it was incredibly hot and I was sweating. A lot of barley is harvested in this part of the country and this was the first time I was seeing a crop being harvested. It was very interesting; we helped the farmers and got the barley cleaned and packed. In the ground form, there is a husk or chaff around it, which is removed by the process of threshing, which happens after harvesting but before winnowing. It separates the grain from anything inedible though the bran still remains. All this talk of barley was reminding me of a chilled glass of beer in this hot weather. I wish I had a pint while I was helping the farmers here to pick the right grains. Trust me, it is a lot of hard work, very laborious to be on your feet and keep cutting grains from a sickle.

  I decided to do a small experiment by making khichdi, the regular Indian one, but with the freshly harvested barley. I decided to name the dish Fresh Barley Khichdi. It was a fun moment to cook and share this lunch with these hardworking farmers, especially because Eid was around the corner and it seemed like a mini celebration.

  FRESH BARLEY KHICHDI

  (Popular rice dish made with fresh barley in this case.)

  Ingredients

  1½ tsp cumin (jeera) seeds

  1 whole cinnamon (dalchini) stick

  4 cloves (laung)

  A pinch of asafoetida (hing)

  1 medium-size onion

  1 cup barley (jaun), soaked in water for a minimum of two to three hours

  ½ cup split Bengal gram (chana dal), soaked in water for 30 minutes

  ¼ tsp turmeric (haldi) powder

  1 tsp red chilli powder

  1 tsp black peppercorns (sabut kali mirch), crushed

  Salt to taste

  8-10 fresh coriander leaves (dhania patti) for garnish

  Method

  1. Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker. When heated, add cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves and asafoetida.

  2. Once the cumin seeds release a nutty aroma, add the onion, barley and chana dal. Sauté this for two to three minutes.

  3. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, crushed peppercorns and salt. Mix well.

  4. Now add three cups water and give it a mix and let it come to a boil.

  5. Put the lid on, and cook for three whistles. (Reduce the flame to low after the first whistle.)

  6. Switch the gas off. Open the lid when the pressure reduces completely and serve hot, garnished with coriander.

  ∼

  After the khichdi, I got a chance to join in a special celebration with a local Kashmiri family that does threshing for such crops. As I entered their beautiful house garden I was first greeted by the eldest man in the house, whom I acknowledged as Chacha Jaan. He wished me Eid Mubarak and as per the culture, gave me their traditional hug, right-left-right. It was a heart-warming gesture. Soon the whole family was out, greeting everybody. Chacha Jaan offered me the traditional kahwah (tea). I asked him about the drink and its ingredients, and his instant answer was, ‘After putting 12 different ingredients in a green tea it becomes kahwah. Things like almond, cinnamon, cardamom and other such ingredients go into it. The saffron in it is responsible for its rich colour.’

  They served it in a traditional brass kettle called samovar. It consists of a ‘fire-container,’ running as a central cavity, in which live coals are placed to keep the tea perpetually hot. Around it, there is a space for water to boil and the tea leaves and other ingredients are mixed with the water. This kettle is used mainly for celebrations; it was indeed a celebration of great humility shown by this family for welcoming me and celebrating Eid with me. As I deeply inhaled the kahwah, I was lost in its aroma; the spiciness of cardamom, bittersweet taste of cinnamon, and the nuttiness of the almond. In short, it lived up to its reputation and the hype. After the tea and post-tea discussions I touched Chacha Jaan’s feet, promised to come back someday and bid adieu with a ‘Salaam Alaikum.’

  The car was now headed to Srinagar. It was a long six-hour journey. While passing through some rough, almost barren hills, we saw a small community that was living in tents in the middle of nowhere. It was surprising and made all of us very curious. We stopped and decided to have a word with them to gratify our curiosities. They turned out to be from the Gujjar community. In Kashmir, this community mostly rears sheep. Their head chose to come and speak with me; it was a bit scary and unsettling, to be h
onest. I was surrounded by at least 60 to 70 people now and I was like a well-dressed alien for them. He explained, ‘We rear goats and sheep. We sell them too. There are goats, sheep, horses, and we take them to Punjab, sell them and come back. We mostly walk within these hills; we have our hidden and internal secret routes. We also use the milk from these animals and we make ghee, butter and Kalari cheese.’

  I was quite fascinated to hear that name and also their secret internal passage story. It was a rare cheese to come by for anyone not living in Kashmir. Kalari is a traditionally ripened cheese product indigenous to Jammu and Kashmir; it is a very dense cheese and usually fried in its own fat and salted prior to being eaten. Now I was sure that random moments of joy only come to you when you choose to do random things, which in this case was stopping the car to meet a Gujjar community and being introduced to Kalari cheese!

  DAY 17

  23 August / Srinagar

  Welcome to Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir, the city known for Dal Lake, Lal Chowk, the Old City, and the houseboats. Dal Lake is like a self-contained city in itself and one of the most popular attractions of Srinagar. One of the most exciting things about this lake is that thousands of families are a part of this lake ecosystem where they have their own markets, schools, houses and temples. The most fascinating aspect for me was the floating sabzi bazaar (vegetable market), that takes place two kilometres inside the lake, between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. everyday. The day started very early for me, at 3:45 a.m. to be precise. By now I had given up on looking like a good clean shaven boy for the camera; it wasn’t that easy anymore! At 4:30 a.m. it was still dark and the lake was faintly lit by the dark bluish sky; I had no idea how the person rowing the boat was figuring his way out.

  Soon the dawn broke through the dark blue sky. It was 5 a.m. and the market was flooded with hundreds of boats around it. It looked like a wholesale vegetable and flower market but it was all floating. This market is primarily where farmers bring their produce and vegetable sellers buy them to be sold in the market. If you are wondering where do the vegetables come from, don’t be surprised when I tell you that the lake is fertile enough to produce vegetables. As I was looking around, I noticed that all the vegetables looked very fresh, as it was all organic. While exploring the floating market we also discovered little routes and alleys inside the lake. There was a whole world hidden within the lake, a lot of shops selling wooden artefacts and houses and gardens that you’d not notice from the outside. What an amazing start to the Srinagar trip!

  If the vegetable market is on one side of the Dal Lake, houseboats take up the other side. To enjoy the houseboat experience, I met Javed Bhai. Once we reached the houseboat area on the lake, we noticed hundreds of houseboats in a line. Most of them looked old and weathered from outside, though I was told that a lot of owners had reworked on them and had updated the interiors. Javed Bhai’s houseboat was similar. As I entered, it seemed I had come to a different world; there were exquisite walnut-wood carvings and Kashmiri rugs lining the interior. There was not a single spot that didn’t have carvings. He explained, ‘All this is handmade, the whole inner panel of the boat is made by small pieces that are joined together and it is made of deodar wood. Houseboats are made with a lot of passion; it is a novelty, is supposed to give a unique experience to the guest that includes sampling Kashmir’s traditional food. The best bit was to be able to sit on the porch of the boat and gaze at the floating shikaras (light flat-bottomed boat); all peaceful and serene. Given a choice, I would always stay on a houseboat if I visit Srinagar again; no hotel compares to this experience. Javed Bhai had been an excellent host so it was time to repay him back by cooking in his houseboat kitchen. To remember the sweet memories of Srinagar, I made a sweet dish, Saffron Fruit Cream.

  SAFFRON FRUIT CREAM

  (Fresh fruits served in a smooth saffron flavoured cream.)

  Ingredients

  1 cup or 200 gm vanilla ice cream

  2½ cups or 500 gm heavy cream

  ¼ cup or 50 gm powdered sugar (bhura)

  8-10 strands Kashmiri saffron (laccha kesar)

  1 tbsp warm milk

  1 mango, cubed

  1 banana, cubed

  1 apple, cubed

  15 grapes, slit in half

  2 tbsp almond flakes

  2 tbsp raisins

  Method

  1. Leave the ice cream out in a bowl for it to soften. Start beating chilled cream (very important for it to be chilled, or it might split) with a hand blender or an egg beater. Gradually add sugar in three parts and keep beating till sugar dissolves with the cream. When the cream is just light and fluffy and not totally whipped, set it aside. If you overdo the whipping, it might just curdle.

  2. Soak the Kashmiri saffron strands in warm milk for five minutes. Once saffron gives out its brilliant colour and flavour to the milk, mix it with the softened ice cream.

  3. Gently mix this saffron ice cream with the sugar and cream mix.

  4. Add all the chopped fruits and nuts to this saffron cream mixture. Chill it for 30 minutes.

  5. Enjoy as many cups as you like. Also these are some fruits that I like, you can skip any or add more of your choice.

  ∼

  After this wonderful houseboat journey, it was time to meet a local family who was treating me to the king of all thali meals or the wazwan. This family, that I was supposed to meet, was related to Javed Bhai (from the houseboat) and the head of this family, coincidentally, was also named Javed. As I reached the latter’s house, I noticed that though the house was huge, it was very minimalistic in design and white in colour. He took me straight to his huge kitchen made up of a combination of marble and stone. The whole family was waiting for me so they could start their dinner. It was amazing how in only 20 days of travelling I had been loved by the entire group of families wherever I had visited. As I sat down on the floor in a group of four men facing each other, Javed explained, ‘Wazwan is a unique concept in which "waz" means the chef who has rare culinary skills passed on to him through generations. He is an artist who is passionately involved with his art and carries the great Kashmiri tradition within him, and "wan" is a shop with the abundant supplies of meats and delicacies.’

  These meats are then used for detailed preparation of delicacies and presented traditionally to showcase the charm of the nobility of Kashmiri cuisine. This meal is served on a big copper plate called trami containing the steamed rice on which the varieties of meat, that include methi korma, seekh kebab, tabakh maaz, zafrani murgh and daniphul, are beautifully placed dividing the trami into four, so that four people can eat from one plate itself to enhance the bond of brotherhood. Traditionally, a wazwan has 36 courses out of which 15-16 courses are made from meat, but I was just getting a glimpse of it. What got me worried was the thought of eating so much meat in one go; I doubt I had ever seen so much meat on one plate ever. Now it was time to begin the meal, but, first the lady of the house took me through a ritual washing of hands at a basin called the tash-t-nari. As one trami was finished, a new one was brought in, and then removed, and again a new one brought in, until the dinner was over. Five dishes that I was served on this occasion were rista, rogan josh, tabak maaz, aab gosht and gushtaba. The meal ended with kahwah. My favourite was the gushtaba, also called the king of wazwan. The size itself is so overwhelming on the plate that it does remind you of the king pawn on a chessboard. The meal, though too heavy on the meats for me, was delicious and super filling. The curries and gravies had a different texture and flavour to each of them. A lot of green cardamom was used in various dishes.

  Eating Wazwan in Kashmir was a big check on my bucket list, but the experience of eating from the same plate with three different men changed a lot of notions regarding eating for me, as we have been taught to eat from our own bowls and plates and seldom have the shared plates. At first, I was shy and felt odd but as I shared that trami with them I realised the importance of a family eating together. It gives you more satisfaction and peace
. I couldn’t thank the ladies and Javed enough, so I promised to make them look good on TV and headed to my next destination, which was my bed. Imagine having eaten a kilo of meat all by yourself? A bed is all that you need after that.

  DAY 18

  24 August / Pampur

  It was a hot sunny day and before we started for Jammu there was one thing that was yet to be experienced, and that was the saffron culture in Kashmir. There are very few, only about two or three, places in the whole world where saffron grows and Kashmir has the privilege of being one of these places. We visited one of the plantations on the city outskirts—Pampur, 13 km from Srinagar—for information on saffron, a spice used for its beautiful colour, medicinal properties and fragrance. I met Kedar there who took me through the process of producing saffron. Kedar explained, ‘The saffron plant is very small and its flower is the only part which is seen above the ground. The blooming time of this flower is autumn. There are only three stigmas in it when the flower blooms. This is painstakingly harvested manually.’

  The aroma I got while sorting saffron was enchanting. These strands were also incredibly fat, as big as aloo lachas (potato finger fries) and a deep purple in colour. I just couldn’t miss this opportunity to make something with saffron. So I chose to make a chilled saffron-flavoured milk with it. Meanwhile, the weather turned beautiful, it started raining heavily, both of us raised a toast with our saffron milk and I wrapped up my Kashmir visit with beautiful memories. I will agree with the saying, if there is heaven on earth, it is right here in Kashmir.