Paradise on earth.
A lot of nostalgia is linked with this place. If you have read my little bio,you would be able to link my childhood to Jammu and Kashmir. Many days of the summer vacations have been spent in Srinagar and its suburbs.
I have awesome memories of the shikara rides in the Day Lake and the drives to Pahalgam or driving to the Shankracharya temple in Srinagar...
And the fresh almonds and cherries and the fresh bread from the local bakeries.
And the yakhni...
My last visit to Srinagar on a holiday was in 1988, just before the onset of militancy in the beautiful valley.
This and the visits to house boats I remember.
I returned to the valley as a young bride when hubby dear was stationed at the Loc ( That visit was hardly a visit). A crazy ,scary drive to the location and then back to Srinagar Airport. The best part of that trip was the place hubby dear was stationed at -paradise ,with occasional sounds of shelling.I was sent back quite unceremoniously, as the situation was bleak in the summer of 1998.But I will always remember the freshness and pristine beauty of the valley.The food is special to me.And this is one very special relish.
For the
Walnut Chutney in Yogurt (Akhrot Chutney) A taste of Kashmir...
You need
2 cups fresh yogurt1 radish gratedFistful chopped walnutsFistful coriander and green chillies1 tsp Salt plus a little extra
Start by chopping the coriander and green chilies and the walnuts.
To the grated radish add the teaspoon of salt and set aside. Place the yogurt in a fine muslin and allow the whey to drain.
My mom sets her yogurt daily in this cute container. Its like a tiny little casserole dish. Totally cute.
Take a fistful of the salted radish in your hand and squeeze out the liquid as much as possible. Make sure all the radish is dry. Place the squeezed faddish in a bowl with the coriander leaves, the green chilies and the walnuts.
Mix in the drained hung yogurt and mix well.
Spoon onto a pretty dish and garnish with more walnuts. Cool and crunchy,you might need a wee bit more salt.
Serve chilled as a dip ,or a relish with anything like nachos to papads to fried snacks.We,we made missi rotis and had the akhrot chutney as a relish.
Cool and refreshing and nutritious and yummy, this chutney is unlike any you have tried before.It accompanies almost anything, this versatile side dish is absolutely awesome.We go easy on the walnuts in the summers as we don't relish becoming pimply monster's... So you have been warned.Enjoy.So what are you baking today???
