Beyond Wazwan: Kashmir’s vegetarian cuisine, Kahwa captivate Gujarat audience
Bhuj (Kutch), Jan 26: As cold weather gripped the Kutch region of Gujarat, traditional Kashmiri vegetarian cuisine—particularly saffron kahwa served in copper samavars—emerged as the star attraction at the five-day LLDC Winter Festival, which concluded here on Sunday night.
The Kashmiri culinary team, led by sustainability and cultural activist Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, introduced festival-goers to lesser-known vegetarian dishes from the Valley, drawing enthusiastic responses from crowds battling temperatures that dipped to 9-10 degrees Celsius.
“We prepared unique dishes—some traditional and some made with value additions and culinary innovations,” Raja Muzaffar Bhat said. “Dishes like Rumah chaat, Chana badam chaat, Bamchoonth halwa (Quince Apple halwa), Rumah Soup, Saffron Shahi Tukda, and Saffron Akhroot Badam Ferni were introduced by me, and these were loved by visitors as people of Kutch, Gujarat like sweet things.”
The saffron kahwa with dry fruits, served in traditional copper samavars, proved particularly popular. “Almost 300 to 400 people enjoyed it over the last five days during the cold weather conditions,” he noted.
The festival, organised by the Living and Learning Design Centre (LLDC), celebrated the organisation’s 10th anniversary with the theme “Unity in Diversity.” The event brought together master artisans, chefs, and performers from across India, attracting an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 visitors over five days.
LLDC, a renowned crafts museum and educational resource centre established a decade ago by the Shrujan Trust—run by the influential Shroff family—aims to preserve and promote traditional crafts of the Kutch region. Its annual winter festival has become a vibrant celebration of India’s crafts, dance, food, music, and cultural heritage.
This year’s edition featured food stalls from Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and other states alongside the Kashmiri contingent, showcasing India’s diverse culinary traditions.
Bhat emphasised the untapped potential of Kashmiri vegetarian cuisine. “Kashmir, in addition to being a hub of non-veg food, has rich vegetarian food as well. Unfortunately, our restaurants serve Punjabi veg food to tourists. We have so much to offer, and very soon I will come up with a detailed recipe book on Kashmiri veg food made with some culinary innovations and value additions.”
“These events help us portray our rich culture and food,” he added.
The Kashmiri food stall team—comprising Raashed Ashraf, Imran Khan Mutwa, Ramesh Mangeria, Rohit, and Zakaria alongside Dr. Bhat—received widespread appreciation from both visitors and festival organisers for their work in showcasing the Valley’s culinary heritage.
