Vikas Khanna on the unique Jammu and Kashmir dish he’s ‘obsessed’ with
While he’s a globetrotting Michelin-star chef, Vikas Khanna is also a staunch champion of food from India’s hinterland. It was on display recently when he put the spotlight on chhatloyi, a unique festive dish from Bhaderwahi cuisine, where maida batter is laid out in elaborate round patterns on a large griddle. “Our country has everything for inspiration and sometimes that comes in the form of lesser-known fare like Bhaderwahi cuisine from Jammu and Kashmir,” he says.
Khanna, who wrote in his Instagram post, “I am obsessed with the craft and divinity of Chhatloyi from Bhaderwahi cuisine”, reveals that such is his fascination for this regional cuisine that it has also inspired a dish at Bungalow, his New York (USA) restaurant. “The idea for the dahi kebab there came from Chhatloyi threads,” he adds.
‘TRYING TO GET A DUDLI SHIPPED TO ME IN NEW YORK’
Khanna, who shared a video of the snack that features mesh-style dough threads, is leaving no stone unturned to get a ‘dudli’ shipped to him in the States. “It’s a plain, simple mixture of allpurpose flour and water. I experimented with it using a Bhaderwahi cuisine spice mix. I am trying to master it with squeeze bottles. But I want to use dudli (a clay pourer with seven mouths from which the batter is laid on the griddle). I’m trying to buy it but haven’t had any luck so far. Hopefully I’ll be able to get it through post to New York.”
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On what drew him to the
The idea for the dahi kebab there came from chhatloyi threads. I am trying to master making it with squeeze bottles, but I want to use dudli (a clay pourer with seven mouths from which the batter is laid on the griddle). VIKAS KHANNA, Cheffilmmaker
obscure cuisine, Khanna explains, “The cuisine incorporates aromatic spices like cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom, giving it a unique taste profile. Dishes in Bhaderwahi cuisine include rajma, chutneys made from local fruits like apple and plum, and diverse mutton and chicken preparations.”