Wednesday, November 7, 2007

let us talk about food

I told my fiance the other day that kashmiri food is better than the American food. Most of my American friends here relish south asian (minus the spices) and middle eastern food. One of them is going to the extent of making a tandoor at his home. My fiance thought I was being emotional since I don't live in Kashmir. She may be right but I don't think I agree with that. I think Kashmiri food is really awesome. Consider harisa, I can't find anything close to that in the whole world. Some say the hyderabadi haleem is close enough. I would respond, not quite. It may be close to "Abdul Haleem" but not harisa.
No matter what people say about wazwaan, I really miss it man. How could you not like it and I don't find any place which has something even remotely similar. And then talk about 'tsochwore'(I hope you understand what I am talking about), the bagel like bakery with sesame seeds that we eat with our evening tea. Remove the extra flour from inside it and replace it with butter( forget about cholesterol), it is wonderful. And now that I talked about this thing which we can't even write in any other language ('tsochwore'), how can I not say a few words about my all time favorite 'nunne chai' (tea with milk and salt. Yes I mean salt. It is not a typo). I travel 50 miles ( one-way) to get a cup of nunne chai sometimes, at a wonderful kashmiri family's home here. And then, shirmaal, kulcha, bagerkhaen. These are all so great with this relishing pink drink, 'nunne chai'.
Even the regular food we eat usually in our homes in Kashmir is really a treat. I have not covered every kind of food and bakery of Kashmir because I want others to add to it. And now that I wrote about food, I guess I am feeling hungry. I am off of this computer to go grab my lunch.
However, before I do that I want to add, Kashmiri food rocks. Go Kashmir.

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