Kashmiri Food Festival at Taj Samudra

Taj Samudra, Colombo 

Chef Sewa (left) and Chef Vijay Singh from Taj Dal View, Sri Nagar 

• Discover the rare flavours of Wazwan cuisine

Kashmiri food originated from the picturesque Kashmir Valley, the “Crown of India” that lies in the lap of the Himalayas. Kashmir not only offers mesmerising locations but also a wide range of lip smacking and exotic delicacies. History of Kashmiri culture and cuisine go hand in hand. Kashmiri cuisine can be traced back to the 15th century invasion of India by Timur, where many workers including cooks migrated to the valley of Samarkand to the valley of Kashmir.

Taj Samudra is set to roll out the enchanting flavours of Kashmir at your favourite restaurant ‘Navratna’ from 22 August to 1 September. Navratna will be open for: lunch from 12:30 p.m. to 2:45 pm and dinner from 7:30 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. Still among the untouched cuisines of India, the A la carte menu will offer 36 Wazwan authentic dishes crafted by master chefs – Chef Vijay Singh, and Chef Sewa from Taj, Dal view, Sri Nagar, who will be exclusively flown in for this most awaited food festival.

It is impossible to mention Indian cuisine without the rich culinary heritage of the Royal Kashmiri feast known as Wazwan. When one talks about Hindustani cuisine, Wazwan scores the top position. The ‘36-dish multi-course meal’ is not meant to satiate your hunger but to indulge you in an out-of-the-world experience. Wazwan cuisine originated to strengthen the bonds with people by binding them together. It’s a time-honoured culinary showmanship which is more like a culinary symphony or culinary extravagansa, wholesome, soulful and enriching.

Soups (shorba), kebabs, vegetarian (shakahari) such as Kashmiri lal mirch ki paneer tikka (hung curd, Kashmiri chili powder and mustard marinated cottage cheese), and under mains, vegetarian (shakahari), Tamatar chaman (paneer cooked in tangy tomato gravy), has a wide range of vegetarian choices with Nadru yakhni (lotus stems cooked with mild aromatic spices and yoghurt) while Dum aloo (potatoes  cooked with Kashmiri spices, yoghurt and tomato gravy) along with mouthwatering  rajma masala, and Chok wangun ( an unique brinjal preparation  from the valley).

Mains includes Lamb Gushtaba (minced lamb dumplings cooked in flavourful yoghurt gravy) and the same main ingredient in a different twist in Lamb Rista (Lamb dumplings simmered in mélange of red spicy gravy), Waza chicken (chicken cooked in spices and garnished with chopped coriander and melon seeds) and Mujh gaad (an authentic Kashmiri fish curry made with green leaves and radish, shallow fried with Kashmir chilli).  To wrap up, desserts (meetha) are prepared with a fine combination of ghee, milk, infused with cardamom, and dried fruits and nuts- await to indulge the sweet tooth of guests. It is truly a bliss!

Although the cuisine is largely 

non-vegetarian, it does not exclude vegetarian delights. Uniquely, Wazwan dishes are subtle in flavours and rich in spices with heavy usage of cardamom, fennel, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and saffron, although spices never overpower the principal ingredient. Its variety of spices and cooking process includes secret recipes which are curated to perfection.

Navratna restaurant is well known for bringing out the distinct flavours of the North Indian regions via food festivals, including the most memorable Rajasthani and Hyderabadi Festivals during the recent years.

An extraordinary culinary experience that you cannot afford to miss. For reservations, please contact Nuzaim on 077 628 0500.