My father’s best friend was a Kashmiri, and from him I had heard tales of Kashmiri hospitality, but I only experienced it after befriending a Kashmiri girl myself. I remember so well the mehek (aroma), the wazwan (explanation given below), the love and the laughter.

Lizzie Collingham in her book Curry, Tale of Cooks and Conquerors says: “One of the Mughals’ favourite destinations during the hot summer was the mountainous province of Kashmir. There they escaped from the unrelenting heat of the plains in enchanting lakeside gardens, and the presence of the Mughals encouraged a blossoming of Kashmiri cuisine.”

Cultural Sociology of the Middle East, Asia and Africa: An Encyclopedia edited by Andrea L. Stanton says: “Even though some foods have been made since antiquity, many features of the modern subcontinental cuisine developed in the middle ages. Mughlai cuisine developed during the period when Central Asian conquerors introduced saffron, nuts and sealed-pot cooking. The Mughals were heavily influenced by the Persians, and introduced many features of the Persian culture to the subcontinent. Mughlai food is usually served as an elaborate buffet including dishes such as [Kashmiri murgh], pulao, kebabs and roghan josh.”

How a chilli pepper cultivated in Karnataka lends crimson hues and delicate flavours to traditional Kashmiri food

I recently happened to read up on the delectable Marchwangan Korma, while researching for foods and their origins, and it was interesting to read how the crimson hues of the Kashmiri mirch play a role in this lamb/murgh recipe. Needless to say that many subcontinental spicy and savoury dishes are made using red chillies, where green chilli, black pepper powder or ginger may also be a part of the ingredients, but the Kashmiri lal mirch is the signature ingredient of Kashmiri dishes, used more for the colour than spice content.

Kashmiri mirch is vibrant in colour, much like paprika, and also mild in heat; however, it has a particular flavour, different from the conventional spicy red chilli powder, or Szechuan. Kashmiri lal mirch is cultivated in Karnataka, India, and is used to add crimson colour hues to chicken and roghan josh dishes.

In Kashmir most dishes are flavoured with regional spices and these vary according to the religion of the cook. Kashmiri Brahmans are unusual in that they eat meat without any qualms but they do avoid onions and garlic, so their version of cuisine would use fennel seeds (commonly used in Kashmir) and asafoetida to flavour the meat. The Muslim version uses lots of garlic and onion and the dried flower of the cockscomb plant (maval). This is a plant indigenous to Kashmir that produces a furry red flower shaped like a cockscomb. Kashmiri Muslims have a particular liking for this herb and it imparts a bright red colour to the food. Some food historians claim that this redness is the source of the dish’s name.

Marchwangan Korma has the honour of being one of the seven permanent dishes in the 36-course wazwan (a ceremonial and traditional Kashmiri feast). The other six delicious gems on the permanent wazwan menu include Rista, Tabak Maaz, Daniwal Korma, Aab Gosht, Roghan Josh and Gushtaba. Wazwan was said to be introduced to Kashmir in the 14th century with the arrival of Timur Lung (Tamerlane) during the reign of the Tughlaq dynasty in the region. History tells us the tale of a large migration of skilled artists and cooks to Kashmir from Samarkand. It is believed that the descendants of those very cooks are the wazas (master chefs) of Kashmir.

Hence when I wanted to make Marchwangan Korma I sought help from my friend Pinky Mir; her in-laws hail from Srinagar and her mother-in-law kindly shared her very authentic Marchwangan Korma recipe with me. The korma is made using lamb or goat meat, but I substituted it using chicken. It turned out deliciously flavourful and fiery red. Here it is, from my kitchen to yours.

MURGH MARCHWANGAN KORMA

Ingredients

Kashmiri red chilli whole 4 or 5
Coriander seeds 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds 2 tsp
Black peppercorns ½ tsp
Fennel seeds 1 tsp
Ginger, fresh or paste 1 tsp
Garlic, fresh or paste 1 tsp
Lemon juice 3 tbs
Yoghurt 1 cup
Pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste
Onion 1, finely chopped
Jaggery ½ tsp
Curry leaves a few Oil 2-3 tbsp

METHOD
Roast and grind Kashmiri red chilli, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns and fennel seeds to fine powder.

Combine the ground ingredients with ginger, garlic, lemon juice, turmeric, yoghurt and salt and marinate one chicken (cut into 14 to 16 pieces) for four to six hours. Store in the refrigerator.

In a heavy-lidded wide pan, fry one finely-chopped onion until golden brown, adding chicken, half teaspoon jaggery and a few curry leaves. Stir on high heat for a few minutes, turn down the heat and let cook until the chicken is tender. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with a side of naan.

Published in Dawn, EOS, May 7th, 2017