Kashmiri harissa
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A rich winter breakfast of mutton slow-cooked overnight with rice until smooth, topped with hot oil and eaten with bread.
Region: Kashmir valley (especially Srinagar)Occasion: Winter breakfast, from about November to MarchTime: 6–8 hours (slow cooking)Serves: 6Non-vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 kg mutton on the bone
- ½ cup rice, soaked
- 8 cloves garlic, crushed
- 8 green cardamoms and 1 tsp cloves
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup milk
- 3 tbsp ghee or mustard oil for the topping
- 1 onion, thinly sliced and fried crisp
Method
- Put the mutton, rice, garlic, spices and salt in a heavy pot with water to cover generously.
- Simmer on very low heat for several hours, adding hot water when needed, until the meat falls off the bones.
- Remove the bones and beat the mixture hard with a wooden masher until it becomes a smooth paste.
- Stir in the milk and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring often.
- Serve in a plate, pour sizzling ghee or oil over it, and top with fried onions. Eat with fresh bread from the bakery.
History
Harissa makers in old Srinagar cook it overnight in large copper pots set in clay ovens, a craft passed down in a few families.
Significance
A plate of harissa with bread is the classic Srinagar breakfast in the cold months, and harissa shops open before dawn.