kashmiri bakery

kashmiri bakery
The bakery tradition of the Kashmir valley is like a gracious pause in an unfolding drama of cuisine

and culture.Jammu & Kashmir, the much disputed land in India is known for its extravagant beauty. The

snow clad mountains, the soothing lakes and valleys, it is a picturesque landmark. If nature has bestowed

tremendous wealth and richness, Kashmiri people are in par with that. They are known for their literature,

music, culture and cuisine. Kashmiri cuisine is known for its unique flavour imparted by whole spices

especially saffron and gracious use of nuts and dry fruits. The Kashmir Valley is noted for its bakery

tradition. On the picturesque Dal Lake in Kashmir or in downtown Srinagar, bakery shops are elaborately

laid out. Bakers sell various kinds of breads with a golden brown crusts topped with sesame and poppy

seeds. tsot and tsochvoru are small round breads topped with poppy and sesame seeds, which are crisp

and flaky, sheermal, baqerkhani (puff pastry), lavas (unleavened bread) and kulcha are also popular.

Girdas and lavas are served with butter.Amidst the love for the famous ultimate banquet wazwan, these

lake valley folks also have a special place in their heart for bakery items. From breads to cakes to

pastries, there is a long line of stalls throughout the valley region, warming the air with their

Tandoor .A native’s day, starts and ends with these warm aromatic flavourful baked goodies and needless

to say with a cup of “Kawah”- a Kashmiri chai. Kashmiri’s are fond of their tea. There are two types

of tea that are enjoyed in every household. Noon chai or Sheer Chai is a pink colour salted tea. Its

speciality is that it is made with green tea, milk, salt and cooking soda. Well, personally that would

not be my cuppa but that’s what helps them to survive the cold weather. Kashmiri bread is very famous

in the kashmiri bakery.There is more then 20 types kashmiri bread which is prepared in the kitchen.

Kashmiri bread has a long history behind it. The cuisine has evolved over hundreds of years and it

has to be remembered that the tradition of bakery is exclusive to the Central Asian culture The cuisine

has been influenced by the cultures which arrived with the invasion the Kashmir region by Timurlung

from the area around modern Uzbekistan. The baker is called a kandur in the Kashmiri language and

bread is tsot.Although kashmiri bakery is also the best part of the kashmiri culture.