Kashmiri Cookbook by Shyam Rani Kilam and S S Kaul Kilam

I love Kashmiri food. That is an open secret to all those who know me well. Heck, I love food in any style from India, period. In my quest to teach myself cooking new styles of cooking, I came across this wonderful book put across by S S Kaul Kilam and Shyam Rani Kilam called the Kashmiri Cookbook.

The Kilams are Kashmiri Pandits settled in the United States for some time now, and they came out with this book a few years ago. They were in fact gracious enough to share this book with the world by putting it up online on this website and just demand reference in turn. Food secrets should be shared with the world. I strongly endorse this line of thought and ask people to go across this book, for it wonderfully details the nitty gritty of Kashmiri food and also lists out the differences in both the Pandit style and the Muslim style of cooking. I encourage everyone to cherish this treasure as long as you can, and read the book as well. This recipe today is shared from the book and is called Nadeir Yakhean. Nadeir or nadru is Kashmiri for lotus stems, which are a staple in Kashmiri Pandit food. High in vitamins and iron, it also is an interesting vegetable in terms of taste and texture, and reminds many of raw bananas.

INGREDIENTS

1. Lotus Roots, of above 1" diameter	1 kg
2. Mustard oil	1 cup
3. Curd	1 kg
4. Milk	1 cup
5. Cloves	3 nos
6. Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
7. Asafoetida	a pinch
8. Ginger Powder	1 tsp
9. Aniseed Powder	2 tsps
10. Black Pepper Powder	1 tsp
11. Black Cardamom Powder	1/2 tsp
12. Cinnamon Powder	1/2 tsp
13. Caraway seeds	1/2 tsp
14. 'Garam Masala'	1 tsp
15. Salt	about 1 tsp
16. Sugar	1/2 tsp
17. Green Cardamoms	a few

PREPARATION

1. In an earthenware pot, or in a steel or tinned copper or brass, boil, for half an hour, the prepared Lotus Root pieces, in enough water to keep these immersed wholly during boiling. To save time, only 5 to 10 minutes of pressure cooking is enough. Take out with a perforated ladle or strain through a colander, the boiled pieces, and retain the Soup in a steel bowl, and let it cool.

2. Add to the Soup the Curd, Milk, Aniseed and Ginger Powders, Sugar and Salt, and blend the ingredients, by churning with a small churn--stick (or an egg beater) to a Curdy Sauce.

3. Now, in the cooking vessel, heat the oil on a medium flame, till foam disappears. Add the Cloves, Cumin Seeds and Asafoetida. Stir with a steel ladle, and add immediately the prepared Sauce. Continue stirring with the steel ladle, so that Curd does not crack, till the Sauce comes to a boil.

 

4. Add boiled Lotus Root pieces, and let these cook on a low heat, for another 15 to 20 minutes, turning these now and then with the ladle. When the Curdy Gravy thickens, add Caraway Seeds and Cardamom, Cinnamon and Black Pepper Powders, along with the Garam Masala. Mix the Spices by stirring with the ladle. A few crushed Green Cardamoms may be added. Nadier Yakhean is ready for serving

I hope you guys like it. Refer to the book for more recipes. Happy Cooking everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!