Nader
Monje: Delighted Kashmiri Street Food
Nelumbo
nucifera, known as Lotus, its stem called lotus stem is being used in the
preparation of various dishes. Traditional fried lotus stem snacks locally
called ‘Nader Monji’ are very popular in Kashmir. It remains available
throughout the year. The traces of it are found in the long history of
centuries. Nader Monje is prepaired in Kashmir only, and can be found all over
the Kashmir especially on the occasion
of Urs”s. The snack is mostly sold around Sufi shrines, as some residents believe
that the famous Sufi saints have blessed ‘Nader Monje’.
The
popular practice among residents is that on visiting the shrine of a Sufi
saint, the devotees buy 'Nader Monje' as a benediction for family and
friends. The makers of this Kashmir delicacy earn their livelihood by
setting up their shops on carts full of 'Nader Monje' at different shrines on
festive occasions. ‘Nadir Monji’ is the pride of such occasions.
“Ali
Mohammad who has the experience of more than forty years in the preparation of
snacks has learned this art from his father, who from their ancestor. Ali Mohammad
has three sons who too are in their ancestral business, we have put forward our
ancestral art of living, now this is our fifth generation in this field, we
have the experience of more then century” said Parwaiz Ahmed the snack seller
son of Ali Mohammad.
There
are people who are ‘Nader Monje’ lovers eat regularly. “Instead of buying the
packed snacks I prefer to buy ‘Nader Monji’. It is always fresh and hygienic, and
of high quantity as compared to the packaged snacks” says Asif Ahmad who is a
regular Nader Monji eater. “Nadir Monje are served with chatni which adds the
flavor.
“Traditional snack
food of Kashmiris 'Nader Monje' is liked by kids a lot, in fact we also
relish it equally," said Gulzar Ahmad, a customer.
The
ingredients used in the preparation of Nader Monji are Lotus stem, Rice flour
and oil. Lotus stem is the main ingredient of ‘Nader Monje' is cultivated in
the lakes of Kashmir. The Lotus stems are cut into small pieces and are
marinated in rice flour mixed with other ingredients to make the snack colorful and
tasty. The mixture is then deep fried twice in a big oil pan to make it crispier.
The red color ‘Nadir Monji’ are now ready to be displayed on the stall.
The
lotus stems are cultivated in the lakes of Kashmir like Dal Lake, Walur Lake,
Zadibal, and Anchar Lake etc. The Lotus stem of Kashmir are considered as
tastier. “We use only Kashmiri lotus stems, wash them properly and fry in the
hot oil to make them crispy” says Parwaiz ahmad the snack seller in Jamalut
Nawakadal area of Srinagar.
'Nader Monje' is still
mouth watering for the younger generation although their life styles
have changed. This specialty of Kashmir
contains good amount of nutrients. There may be very few people in Kashmir who
would not have enjoyed its taste and are even sent to other parts of the world.
There are so many varieties available in the market like pakoras, paratha,
teli-mattar, aloo chips, monje gaade, peanuts which contain good amounts of
proteins, carbohydrates, calories and vitamins and are thus a good substitute
when you skip your routine meals. But eating them regularly can increase the
weight as they are highly energetic containing a lot of calories. People took the ‘Nader
Monje’ as ‘prasad’.
The person who deals
with this business is locally known as ‘Monji Gour’. From distance one could
essence the smell of snack shop. The vessels decorated with the varieties of
snacks and the bathi on which large frying pane filled with hot oil, fumes of
which are painted on the whole shop, walls turned as painted with oil, the
snake seller sitting in the middle of these vessels with Balance in front of him surrounded by customers, calls
one to taste the hot ‘Nader Monje’.
“It
needs few people to run this business, we have to prepare and sell at the same
time so that people can taste fresh and crisp snacks” Says Asad Ullah the snake
seller.
Kashmir’s have been associated with the
preparation of snacks since generations but now non-Cashmere too is indulging
in this business. “This is our ancestral business, we have been in Kashmir
since last sixteen years, before that we had sweet shop in our state” says
Zulfikar Ahmed of Utter Pradesh.
All the non-Kashmiri are experts in sweet
preparation but seeing the demand of the local snacks they too ventured into
that. “I have learnt the preparation of Nader Monji from Kashmiri, viewing the
association of local people with these snacks we too started its preparation,
as we were always in this business having all other verities it added one more
variety in our business” says Badshah
Khan of Utter Pradesh.
People of Kashmir buy
‘Nader Monji’ it hardly matters for them to buy from a Kashmiri or from
Non-Kashmiri. Nor is it too difficult to prepare, even some people prepare it
at homes. But in any field experience matters so is the case with Kashmiri
‘Monji Gour’ who is with long background of experience, which becomes the
secret ingredient for his ‘Nadir Monji’.
On
festival days, the snack is sold at a premium price. A few of the 'Nader Monje'
vendors at Hazratbal shrine on the outskirts of Srinagar make more
than sixty thousand rupees on festival days. (ANI)
Ahmad Mukhtiyar
Perusing M. A. Convergent Journalism
Center University of Kashmir
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