SAVOUR WAZWAN

As the mercury dipped below 10° Celsius, scrumptious plates of wazwan at the all-day dining outlet, WelcomCafe Lolaab, kept me warm. Locally-fished trout fried in lemon butter sauce, kanti (a local delicacy of chicken or mutton prepared in tandoor and then fried with spices and vegetables), biryani dum gosht (mild and sweet preparation of rice with chunks of mutton), and nadru yakhni (lotus stems cooked with mild aromatic spices and yoghurt) are must-try here. But my absolute favourite dish in the valley was the divine walnut pie. On my second night, the hotel lit up a bonfire and barbecue at their garden area, Gulistaan. Here, the gucchi (morel mushroom) with its spongy, honeycomb texture and meatlike flavour was undoubtedly the star of the night.