Chef Rayees Ahmed Khan, a Wazwan chef from Gulmarg, Kashmir, and his team, have flown in to Chandigarh for his fare of delicacies to stir up your palate with the authentic Kashmiri food here at JW Marriott's Saffron restaurant.
Aromatic, delectable and exotically rich flavours of the Kashmiri cuisine is in offer here as the Chef has brought in all the spices from the valley itself to preserve its original taste.
The Kashmiri Food Festival which will continue till February 4 is known for slow cooking methods and fresh ingredients and meats. The promenent delicacies on offer are Kashmiri Dum Aloo, fried lamb ribs or Tabak Maas, the Haaq Saag besides other dishes.
“The real essence of Kashmiri food lies in the way we prepare and with what we prepare the food. The culinary art of creating a Wazwan is hereditary and is rarely passed outside blood relations. This is what makes certain waza/cook families so sought after. The uniqueness of Kashmiri food lies in the basic premise that it is prepared on slow but continuous heat, which makes the food preserve its nutrients and aroma,” said Chef Rayees.
There is no colour used in the preparations other than natural coloring and flavouring agents like saffron. Moreover, ingredients like Pudina Powder, Cardamom Powder, Kashmiri Mirch and Saunf Powder form the mixture of spices used in Kashmiri Food.
The cooking process of tender meats and gravies is characterised by minimal use of spices so as to enhance that typical meaty flavour, he added.
Tabak Maas, Rogan Josh, Gushtaba, Chicken Kanti is available, besides other dishes. Kashmiri Kahwa, a green tea blended with saffron, spices and almonds or walnuts, and Noon Chai, a salted tea made with black tea, milk, salt and bicarbonate of soda too would be served. Dinner at the Kashmiri food festival can be enjoyed Saffron from 7:30 pm onwards from Monday to Friday and for dinner and lunch between 12.30 pm to 3 pm on weekends. The Kashmiri Wazwan will be served in set menus in two variants, namely Vegetarian and Non Vegetarian Set Menus priced at Rs 1450 and Rs 1850 plus taxes, respectively, for a meal for one.