Wazwan bites

One of the hidden treasures in the Indian gastronomic tradition is the Kashmiri cuisine. Recently, there was a Wazwan festival at the Maya, the Indian restaurant at the Trident, BKC.

This was my first visit to Maya, which is exquisitely designed — a complex melange of traditional gold leaf work and a minimalist modernity in clean lines. Initially I felt that it looked like a coffee shop rather than a fine dining restaurant because of its openness.

But I pondered that this may be a way of making the restaurant more accessible and less intimidating to the young and families who, in the evening, appear to flock to this restaurant. Its forte is meant to be Karnataka cuisine, a world away from Kashmir.

I can see the sense of the Oberoi’s strategy in having food festivals given by specialist chefs in Maya as Ziya is now the platform for Vineet Bhatia, a Michelin star chef and one of the most innovative Indian chefs of his generation.

But to return to the food, it is not as if there are no restaurants offering Kashmiri cuisine in Mumbai. There is a restaurant called Shikara in the suburbs, but that is Kashmiri Pandit cooking, different from the Wazwan.  The Wazwan has now been popularised at many Delhi high society weddings, and it is prepared by special chefs — the chief being the Vasta-Waza or head chef. 

The Trident had on offer an abbreviated version of the Wazwan — the traditional Wazwan consists of as many as 36 courses, many of which are varieties of mutton. I had one in Kashmir and have lived to tell the tale. It was at a wedding feast near Phalgam and was an extraordinary experience.

The chefs the Trident brought in are the great masters, the Ahad brothers, and I must confess the gustaba which I had was quite the most exceptional I have ever eaten. The meat was pounded in the most brutal fashion to create a texture of a kebab which was at once aromatically sophisticated and tender beyond belief. 

We started with a thali consisting of delicately flavoured chicken preparation, fish with the Kashmiri spinach known as haak, the tabak maas, and a rajma in a katori. I was disappointed with the tabak maas. The fried ribs and the spinach and fish, though adventurous, did not quite work. 

However, the rista which is a kind of mega kofta in tomato-based gravy was excellent, but not as fine as the gustaba which was a knock out. The curd sauce gave a certain edge to the aromatics.
We ended the meal with the Kashmiri phirni, more like a kheer in that it was not set, but was ambrosial. 

The Kawah was also a treat.  An Iranian guest of mine pointed out that the term Kahwah or Qawah is the term used for 14th century Arabic coffee. The poor waiter had no answer to this. But what was served was a tea, with cinnamon, almonds and saffron and acted as the perfect digestive. It is, perhaps, an example of the Kashmiris trying to be different.

As I mentioned, this was just a glimpse of a great cuisine, and one which has been sorely neglected. I am grateful for the Trident to provide such a platform, and although the festival is over, hopefully the chef at Maya, would have learnt some of the intricacies of this cuisine.