Years ago, when my husband and I were asked individually about ‘the one
dish that we could eat daily for the rest of our lives’ our unanimous response
was: ‘Rogan Josh from the Kauls’ home’. And we were not the only ones who felt
so passionately about it! We would typically get to relish this succulent meat
at least once a month, but it was clearly not enough. And now that the family
has finally been persuaded by their friends and family to start catering, I
personally am thrilled!
 |
| Manas Bal Lake |
The Kauls hail from Safapore, a town on the banks of Manas Bal, a pristine
lake that is much cleaner than the touristy Dal. I remember a shikara ride down
Manas Bal a few years ago with the Kauls, while it was abundant with lotuses in
different stages of bloom, and hearing stories of a happy childhood spent
swimming in the lake, catching fish, and enjoying a lifestyle that revolved
around different meals of the day. The stories were steeped in nostalgia and a
vivid recollection of a life before the Kashmiri Pandits left their home-state.
The culture, customs and cuisine, however, have been largely kept alive, no
matter in which part of the world the family scattered to. To this day, traditional
food in their household is cooked with various ingredients and spices sourced
from Kashmir.
 |
| The symbolic lotus enwraps food in neatly labelled boxes. |
Even though I am much too familiar with this food, I decided to taste the experience of having it home delivered. So one Sunday evening, my parcel from Safapore arrived in a beautiful bag designed with the symbolic lotus, containing six boxes neatly labeled with the contents: rogan josh, kabargah, lal masch, peela paneer, dum aloo and tsok wangun. All the dishes can be ordered in packs of 500 g or 1 kg of meat. So the minimum order of Rs 3,000 is sufficient for 4-5 people and could typically include 2 non-vegetarian and 3 vegetarian dishes.
 |
| Non-Vegetarian: Rogan Josh, Kabargah, Lal Masch. |
Other than the kabargah, everything else is ready to eat. Kabargah is essentially mutton chops and
ribs that are simmered in milk and spices and finally deep fried. This last
step of frying is required to be done just before eating. Although the label
clearly states that it should be fried for 5-6 minutes on each side on a slow
flame I ended up frying it on a high flame. So it became darker than it
ideally should, but the flavour was spot on, with the tender meat just melting off
the bone. I can say the same about the Rogan
Josh that is their signature dish. The extremely aromatic curry contains
Kashmiri chillies and saunf amongst other things, and the robust flavour permeates
the meat beautifully. Perhaps that is why the dish doesn’t contain too much
curry and actually pairs very well with steamed rice. However, if you like
maybe you can request for some extra curry to be added to the dish. Although
the pieces are very bony, the meat comes off so easily making it suitable for
people who don’t usually like meat on the bone. But if you still prefer something
boneless, go for the Lal Masch. These
minced mutton kebabs are cooked in a spicier red curry. For something
non-spicy, try the Yakhni Masch which
is cooked in a milk broth made rich with spices like cinnamon.
 |
| Vegetarian: Peela Paneer, Dum Aloo, Khatte Baingan. |
The menu is limited overall, but equal importance is given to
vegetarian fare as well. There is the ubiquitous Dum Aloo and Haaq Saag without
which a Kashmiri meal is never complete. But for those who’d like to venture
further I would highly recommend the Peela
Paneer and Tsok Wangun. While the
former is almost self-explanatory, the latter is popularly known as khatte baingan. These Kashmiri aubergines
are pink in colour with unique flavour and texture that lends itself
beautifully to the spicy, tangy sauce.
As I am sharing this delicious experience with you, I am only glad that
the weekend is here and we can order this gorgeous meal all over again.
Details:
Ph: 099995 16645.
Pricing: Vegetarian: Rs 300 onwards; Non vegetarian: Rs 800 onwards. Minimum Order Rs 3,000.
Timings: Delivery only on weekends, at least a day’s notice
required.
