A treat from the Valley

Ravi

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Nadru yakhni (lotus stem cooked in yogurt Sauce) is a popular Kashmiri recipe. Until my visit to Kashmir, I had no clue that people actually ate lotus stem and the variety of dishes made from this humble part of lotus flower amazed me. If one intends learning a new recipe it ought to be from the native experts. I learned this recipe from a friend's mother, so this is my version of Kashmiri Nadru Yakhni learnt from a Kashmiri Pandit household.

Kashmiri nadru yakhni

Serves: 5

Preparation time: 40 min

Cooking time: 30 min

Ingredients

Lotus stem 1/2 kg

Yogurt 1/2 kg

Cardamom 2

Fennel powder 1/2 tsp

Ginger powder 1/2 tsp

Mint powder 1/4 tsp

Water 1/2 cup

Onion minced or paste 2 tsp

Powdered cardamom 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Cinnamon 1 stick

Ghee 2 tbsp

Directions

Peel the lotus stems and cut them to small pieces. In a pan heat some ghee, add cardamom powder and cinnamon and then the lotus stems. Add water and cook the stems.

In another pan, heat the remaining ghee and add the mint powder, fennel powder, ginger powder, and cardamom powder and sauté well till the rawness of masala dissipates.

Add the yogurt and let the curry come to a boil. Now, add the cooked lotus stems, salt and cook for 5 minutes and your yakhni is ready.

Check the seasonings.

Garnish with mint sprigs.

Serve it with rice or Kashmiri naan.

(Ravi is Ludhiana-based chef)

—As told to Poonam Bindra