JAMMU & KASHMIR

Nader Monje is fried lotus stem served with spicy onion chutney. Vendors hurtling nader monje in their carts is a common sight around Sufi shrines in the valley and the Hazratbal shrine in the capital srinagar. The dish is prepared by coating lotus stems with rice or gram flour and then deep frying them in oil.

Who needs a McDonalds aloo wrap when you have masaal? You can find hawkers carrying masaal in a Kashmiri wicker basket, often spotted under the shade of abundant chinar trees outside schools, colleges or the polo ground at Maulana Azad road in Srinagar. The hot and gooey chickpea filling is spread over fresh lavasa and served wrap-style.

Kashmir's romance with all things fried extends to the poori. Almost seven times the size of a North Indian poori, the paratha is a huge flat bread, with no stuffing inside. Have it with yellow halwa and your taste buds will thank you for it.

On your way to the picturesque pahalgam, you can stop at the famous Aishmuqam shrine and enjoy the parathas at various stalls lining the pathway that leads to the shrine. Another reason you might want to drop by the shrine is because Bajrangi Bhaijaan's Qawwali number 'Bhar de Jholi' has been shot here.