Traditionally Rustic

The rustic flavours of Kashmiri Muslim cuisine, especially the exclusive dishes served during formal dinners and marriages are recreated at the fine dining place, Firdaus at Taj Krishna as a part of the Kashmiri Food Festival. With mellifluous ghazals floating in the air, the unique delicacies of the Wazas (the descendants of the master chefs of Kashmiri aristocracy) gladden the heart.

On the menu are the specialties carefully chosen and prepared by Chef Waza Tariq from Vivanta by Taj, Srinagar, who is from the family of chefs, has inherited the centuries old cooking tradition and has been cooking since the age of 12.

Besides starters like Chicken Kanti that is boneless chicken made into home-styled tikkis with crunchy onion and its paneer version, Nadru Malai Tikki (made of lotus stem, one of the often used veggie in the cuisine) and main course dishes like Waza Chicken (Chicken marinated in Kashmiri spices and cooked in tangy gravy),

Dhaniwal Korma (Fresh coriander and saffron flavoured chicken with yoghurt gravy) and Rajma Gogje (Jammu rajma with turnip); the cuisine is dominated by lamb preparations that go through elaborate cooking processes and are spiked by using the bitingly sharp Kashmiri mirchi (Chilli), heady flavours of saffron and saunf and rich gravies made using cashew, almond or yoghurt.

One has to mention the Tabak Maaz that is served as a part of the starter menu. The baby lamb ribs, fried till crunchy and simmered in yoghurt, is chewy and the more you dwell on it, the more hooked you are to this dish of the soil.

The traditional lamb preparation, Mutton Rogan josh may be a pan-India dish, but the Kashmiri one with its chilli flavour minus the ginger garlic paste, is fiery but not oppressively so. Then there is the Gosht Yakhni – the confluence of spice and sour giving a nice tinge to this preparation, where lamb is simmered in yoghurt and dry mint.

There is the Rista and Gustaba that use the soft lamb dumplings – which are the result of hand pounding of baby lamb meat over a stone for a long period to ensure even consistency – while making Rista, the dumplings are simmered with saffron in Kashmiri Chilli curry and for Gustaba, yoghurt and dry mint is used.

Chef Waza Tariq sticks to the age-old tradition and after the desserts (that includes the kesari halwa - the sooji one, flavoured with saffron and served dry and powdery – considered to be good for strengthening back bone if had the first thing in the morning and badami phirnee), he treats his guests to the Kashmiri Kahwa – the chai that will cleanse your palate, yet leaves an after taste of the Kashmiri feast.

Kashmiri Food Festival
Available on Alacarte menu till February 27
Firdaus
Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills
Phone: 6629-3306