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Saturday, December 15, 2012

Wari Tikia

"Aizi hayi kari wari taiy aizi hayi gindwai..."
-a famous Kashmiri Shagun song. 


Wari plays an important role in enhancing the flavour and colour of vegetarian as well as non vegetarian dishes especially in hakh (collard green) and monji hakh (kohlrabies). It is a tradition in Kashmiri marriages that on the day of saath / mahurat, wari are prepared at home for the dishes to be prepared on marriage or thread ceremony. Wari are believed to be auspicious that is why they are prepared on auspicious days. Wari tikia (disks) are available in the market. To prepare them at home follow the following steps.


Ingredients
  1. 250 g  red kashmiri mirch powder (red chilly powder).
  2. 250 g  saunf powder (fennel powder).
  3. 100 g  saunth powder (ginger powder).
  4. 100 g  haldi powder (turmeric powder).
  5. 20 g  half crushed laung (cloves).
  6. 1/2 tola (5g)  pure hing dissolved in 50 ml water (asafoetida).
  7. 10 g zeera powder (cumin).
  8. 10 g  saboot kala zeera (black cumin).
  9. 50 g  dhania powder (coriander powder).
  10. 10 g methi powder (fenugreek).
  11. 10 g kali mirch powder (black pepper).
  12. 10 g dalchini powder (cinnamon).
  13. 10 moti elaichi powder (black cardamom powder).
  14. 4 tej patte finely ground (bay leaves).
  15. Mustard oil for kneading.
  16. 2 table spoons salt.
Method
  1. Mix all the ingredients properly in a basin.
  2. Knead the mixture with oil till soft dough of spices is attained.
  3. Pick 10 g chunk and give any shape (round, square, triangle etc.).
  4. Put the tikkis in the basin separately and dry them outside in the sun for one day.
  5. After the first day keep them in the room for 5-6 days till completely dry.
  6. Store in a dry airtight container and use whenever you wish. 
Note:  Do not prepare wari in rainy season as they will perish due to humidity.