Whenever one thinks of Kashmir, it is mostly about its beautiful landscapes and frozen lakes in the winter season. And then they sort of think about Kashmiri cuisine, which is one of the most diverse yet unexplored cuisines of India. It is known for Rogan Josh, Gushtaba and many rich and robust non-vegetarian curries but very little is spoken about the vegetarian delicacies of the state, which is sure to impress your taste buds equally. Be it Paneer Chaman, Nadru Yakhni or the Meethe Chawal, one is bound to be mesmerized if you sample a vegetarian platter in Kashmir. And that’s just the beginning.
With a rainbow of vegetarian delicacies, Kashmiri cuisine is as vibrant as you can imagine it to be. Sure, Rista, Mutton Yakhni and Mutsch are delightful non-vegetarian treats, but dig more and you’ll explore some of the most heavenly vegetarian treats of your life. Lyodur Tschaman, for instance, is one delicacy that is sure to leave you craving more. Lyodur means yellow, which is due to the presence of turmeric, and tschaman is cottage cheese. The delicacy is laden with cream, a host of light spices, and heavily infused with turmeric. Lyodur Tschaman is delightful paneer dish that is cooked very often in Kashmiri households. I recently had the pleasure of sampling the delicacy at a Kashmiri food festival. While I went there only to sample the best of non-vegetarian treats, considering I too came for the meaty fare, owing to my pre-conceived notions about Kashmiri food is essentially non-vegetarian (okay, guilty), one look at the vegetarian fare and I was hooked.
While the dish has certain differences in different households, the basic recipe remains the same. It is bright yellow in colour, turmeric plays a vital role in the recipe and gives a distinct tinge to the cottage cheese. Besides, it has to be rich and creamy, therefore cream and curd is primary and is used generously. While you might feel it looks somewhat like a regular Kadhai or Shahi paneer, Lyodur Tschaman begs to differ, and one bite into it and you’ll realise why.
This isn’t something you’ll find at a lot of Kashmiri restaurants outside of the region, but if you wish to try at home, we’ve got you a perfect recipe right here.
Find the full recipe of Lyodur Tschaman here. Try it at home and share your experience with us.