Royal Kashmiri Wazwan Feast with Phoran Premium Masala Collection
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There are feasts, and then there is Wazwan. Kashmir's multi-course ceremonial meal — traditionally 36 courses, cooked through the night by a master chef called a waza — is one of the most elaborate culinary traditions in the world. It is served at weddings, celebrations, and moments of great significance, and to be invited to a Wazwan is considered an honour.
This post covers what Wazwan actually is, the key dishes that define it, and how to recreate three of its centrepiece preparations at home using the right spices.
What Is Wazwan?
Wazwan is the formal banquet cuisine of Kashmir, cooked exclusively by a waza — a hereditary master cook whose craft is passed down through generations. A full Wazwan can include up to 36 dishes, served sequentially, with rice as the base of every course. The feast is eaten communally, with four guests typically sharing a large copper plate called a traem.
The cuisine is predominantly meat-based — mutton is the centrepiece — with slow cooking, whole spices, yogurt, and Kashmiri red chilli forming the flavour foundation. Saffron, dried ginger (saunth), and fennel are the aromatics that give Kashmiri cooking its distinctive character, setting it apart from the spicier, tomato-forward curries of the rest of North India.
The dishes range from the iconic Rogan Josh and Yakhni (yogurt-braised mutton) to Seekh Kebabs, Tabak Maaz (fried ribs), and Gushtaba — a dish of minced mutton balls in yogurt gravy that is traditionally served last, signalling the end of the feast.
The Key Spices of Kashmiri Cooking
Kashmiri cuisine uses spices differently from most Indian regional cooking. The heat comes from Kashmiri red chilli, which is mild and fruity rather than sharp, and is used in large quantities for colour. The warmth and depth come from whole spices — cinnamon, cloves, black and green cardamom, bay leaf — added to mustard oil at the start of cooking. Garam masala is used as a finishing spice rather than a base.
Two spices are uniquely central to Kashmiri cooking and rarely found in other regional cuisines: dried ginger powder (saunth), which adds an earthy, slightly medicinal warmth; and ratan jot (alkanet root), which gives Rogan Josh its characteristic deep red colour without the heat of chilli.
Recipe 1: Rogan Josh
The most famous Wazwan dish. Rogan Josh is a slow-braised mutton curry with a deep red sauce built from Kashmiri chilli, whole spices, and yogurt — no tomatoes, no onion in the traditional version.
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 1kg mutton, bone-in, cut into large pieces
- 1 cup full-fat yogurt, whisked
- 3 tbsp mustard oil
- 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 tsp dried ginger powder (saunth)
- 1 tsp fennel powder
- 1 tsp Phoran Garam Masala
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 2 black cardamom pods
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt to taste
Method:
- Heat mustard oil in a heavy pot until it just smokes. Reduce to medium heat.
- Add whole spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves). Let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
- Add mutton pieces. Sear on high heat until browned on all sides — about 8 minutes.
- Reduce heat. Add Kashmiri chilli powder, dried ginger, and fennel powder. Stir to coat the meat.
- Add whisked yogurt a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent splitting.
- Add 1 cup water. Cover and cook on low heat for 60–75 minutes until mutton is completely tender and the oil separates.
- Finish with Phoran Garam Masala. Stir and cook for 2 more minutes. Adjust salt.
- Serve with steamed rice.
Recipe 2: Seekh Kebab
Grilled mutton mince kebabs are a fixture of Wazwan, traditionally cooked over charcoal. The spice blend is simpler than Rogan Josh but relies heavily on the quality of the masala.
Ingredients (serves 4, makes 12 kebabs):
- 500g mutton mince (keema), ideally 20% fat
- 1 tbsp Phoran Tandoori Masala
- 1 tsp Phoran Garam Masala
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped (optional)
- Salt to taste
Method:
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix thoroughly — use your hands to ensure even distribution. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Divide into 12 portions. Shape each around a flat skewer into a cylinder, pressing firmly.
- Grill over high heat (charcoal, gas, or oven grill at 220°C) for 10–12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes, until charred at the edges and cooked through.
- Serve with green chutney, sliced onion rings, and a squeeze of lemon.
Recipe 3: Kashmiri Chicken in Yogurt Gravy
A lighter dish in the Wazwan tradition — chicken slow-cooked in a yogurt and saffron gravy, fragrant and pale compared to the deep red of Rogan Josh.
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 1kg chicken, bone-in pieces
- 2 tbsp Phoran Chicken Masala
- 1 tsp Phoran Garam Masala
- 1 cup full-fat yogurt, whisked
- A generous pinch of saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
- 3 tbsp ghee or oil
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander to finish
Method:
- Heat ghee in a heavy pan. Add cardamom and cinnamon. Sizzle for 20 seconds.
- Add chicken pieces. Sear until golden on all sides.
- Add Phoran Chicken Masala. Stir to coat. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add whisked yogurt gradually, stirring constantly. Add saffron milk.
- Cover and simmer on low heat for 30–35 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
- Finish with Phoran Garam Masala and fresh coriander. Serve with rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Kashmiri and Punjabi cooking?
Kashmiri cooking is slower, less onion-forward, and relies more on whole spices, yogurt, and dried ginger than on the tomato-and-onion base common in Punjabi cooking. Heat in Kashmiri food comes from Kashmiri chilli, which is mild and fruity, rather than from green chilli or cayenne. The result is a deeper, more aromatic flavour with less sharpness.
Can Wazwan dishes be made without mutton?
Traditionally, Wazwan is built around mutton. Chicken can be substituted in most dishes, though the cooking time reduces significantly. The yogurt-based gravies work particularly well with chicken. For a vegetarian version, paneer or lotus root (a Kashmiri staple) can replace meat in most preparations.
What makes Kashmiri red chilli different?
Kashmiri red chilli is a variety of dried chilli with very low heat (around 1,000–2,000 Scoville units) but exceptional colour and a mildly fruity aroma. It is used in large quantities to give Kashmiri curries their characteristic deep red colour without making the dish very spicy. It is not interchangeable with regular red chilli powder.
What is the role of garam masala in Wazwan cooking?
Garam masala is a finishing spice in Kashmiri cooking — added in the last few minutes to provide aromatic lift. The warming notes of cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves are essential to the character of Rogan Josh and Yakhni. A high-quality blend with black cardamom and mace makes a noticeable difference.
Shop the Spices
- Phoran Garam Masala — 17-spice, stone-ground
- Phoran Tandoori Masala — for kebabs and grilled dishes
- Phoran Chicken Masala — restaurant-style blend
