Patnitop To Experience Paradise On A Platter Festival With Flavours Of Jammu And Kashmir
Image Credit: Plateful of Gushtaba/ Pic- Sanjay Raina

Skyview by Empyrean and Celebrity Masterchef Sanjay Raina to showcase a treasure trove of cuisine from J&K at a Food Festival. Skyview By Empyrean along with Sanjay Raina, Celebrity Masterchef and culinary ambassador of Kashmir, is hosting a 10-day food festival to showcase the cuisine of both Jammu and Kashmir from May 20 to 29, 2022. The festival, “Paradise on a Platter” will be open to all visitors from 11 am to 5 pm at the Banana Leaf Restaurant for a complete experience and at the Skyview Cafe for a tasting menu.

Says Celebrity Masterchef Sanjay Raina, “The Jammu & Kashmir region is a melting pot of cultures, food and art where culture and food are deeply intertwined. Paradise on a Platter at Skyview Patnitop will be a sensory experience of Wazwan, Kashmiri Pandit, and Dogra cuisine and will highlight the cultural moorings behind the cuisines of Jammu and Kashmir.”

The festival also sees live counters including the chef’s speciality platter along with live entertainment including sufi music, traditional artisans showcasing the traditional Kashmiri wares.

The menu offers a vast range of mouthwatering non veg specialties from the Kashmir valley like Murg Yakhni, Tabakmaaz, Rista, Roganjosh, Gushtaba, Yakhni Pulao, and vegetarian fare including the freshest Haaq Saag, Nadru Palak, Dum Aloo and Tamatar Paneer along with Kashmiri Naan. Cuisine of Jammu will be represented by the equally unique delicious Dogri fare which include the all time north Indian favourite Rajmah, Khatta Meat and Dal Dogri. To wrap up the meal there is the  Kashmiri dessert “Kesar Phirni'' or a hot cup of the flavourful Kashmiri tea called  Kahwa.

Syed Junaid Altaf, Managing Director, Empyrean Skyview Projects Pvt. Ltd., says: “It’s an honour to partner with the passionate and knowledgeable Chef Raina to showcase the rich cultural and gastronomic legacy of the cuisine from J&K Despite being a part of the Indian subcontinent, like all regional cuisine of the land, - food from this region is unique, as it represents three cultures set in paradise. The famous Wazwan, which literally translates to a feast and  is almost ceremonial to everyday staples, the  cuisine is rich and flavourful.”

Skyview by Empyrean and Celebrity Masterchef Sanjay Raina to showcase a treasure trove of cuisine from J&K at a Food Festival- authentic flavours from Jammu & Kashmir -Wazwan, Kashmiri Pandit, and Dogra cuisine

Recipe of Gushtaba by MasterChef Sanjay Raina

INGREDIENTS

  • Very finely pounded mutton (750gms boneless and 250gms meat fat).
  • 1 table spoon salt.
  • 2.5 tbsp fennel powder
  • 1 tbsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tbsp zeera.
  • 1 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 3 bruised black cardamom
  • 1 tbsp black cardamom seeds
  • 4 bruised elaichi cardamoms
  • 5 crushed cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1-2 ladles mustard oil.
  • 1 tbsp pure ghee.
  • 1tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tbsp kasoori methi
  • One white malmal cloth (washed n clean)
  • 2 large size chopped onions.
  • 2 cups dahi (curd).
  • 1 egg
  • Mint leaves to garnish.(or coriander)

MISC EN PLACE

  • Finely chop onions.
  • Whip the curd.
  • Pound the mutton.
  • Make the spice pouch.

PROCESS:

  • Get boneless mutton done in small pieces.
  • Mince it once at home, just once.
  • Take a mortar pestle and pound it adding fat from time to time in small quantities.
  • Keep turning around the mince regularly as you pound it,dipping your hands in water once in a while.Understand the difference between minced meat and pounded meat. Once pounded well enough, proceed as under:
  • Add moti elaichi seeds, 1/2 table spoons salt, 1/2 ladle mustard oil and egg white in it and mix evenly.
  • Put salt, saunth powder, zeera powder, dalcheeni powder, elaichi and moti elaichi powder, laung, dania powder and methi powder in the cloth and tie it well, making a spice pouch
  • Put one litre of water in a deep pan or patila and add bayleaf.
  • Put the tied spice cloth in it on full heat. Wait for it to boil.
  • Meanwhile make fine mutton balls (about 30 to 40gms each) and put them in the pan when boiling.
  • Turn to  medium heat till half of the liquid disappears.
  • Take out the spice pouch now and put it in a small bowl of water, about a cup of water.
  • Now squeeze it well and
  • Add this water to the pan.
  • Boil for a minute and discard the spice pouch.
  • Set the deep pan aside from heat now.
  • Take a frying pan on full flame ,add a little oil,and add  finely chopped onions and dry them to brown.
  • Once browned,grind the onions.
  • Add zeera in the pan alongwith and whipped curd and ground onions.
  • Mix/stir continuously till it starts boiling. Be careful,curdling should not happen. It won't if u are continuous with the stirring.
  • Add this mixture to the deep pan, alongwith the ghee and cook for 10 minutes on a low heat.
  • Garnish with dried mint leaves.
  • Serve hot with steamed rice.