The lotus eaters

It’s the season fornadurin Srinagar. Glide down theDal in ashikaraand join the jolly lotus stem diggers,perched on boats and foraging for dinner this season is all about the lotus stem, known as nadur or nadroo in local parlance. It has an enviable place in the otherwise meat-rich Kashmiri cuisine. I’m out on these waters foraging for nadur that will be put to good use for dinner.

Of all the dishes prepared with the lotus stem (it is not the root) nadur yakhni is the star. Slices of it are cooked in curd with a hint of aromatic spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, clove and fennel. The pot remains on the fire till thenadur gets tender, but retains a bite, and the curd surrenders its tartness to transform it into a smooth curry. A flavoursome dish that’s subtle and full-bodied, it’s become a favourite ever since I savoured it at a Kashmiri friend’s place. Served simply with small-grain steamed rice, it spells celebration on the plate. The nadur is also tossed into spinach ( palak nadur ), deep-fried as fritters (nadur monji ) and cooked with fish ( gaad nadur ).

When we cross the halfway mark, Nabi speeds up towards a group of men perched on the edge of their boats. “The lotus-stem diggers,” he exclaims triumphantly. This is a set of jolly old men who make their craft appear effortless, as they plunge a hooked staff into swampy waters, dig around with it for a bit, give it a tug and pull it up with a lotus stem securely held by the hook. To me, it seems as thrilling as angling. I attempt it, but realise there are more chances of me toppling into the water than a nadur popping out.

After a gap of three years, there is an abundance of nadur again, which was wiped out from the Dal Lake following the floods of 2014. “I’m back at collecting around 200 stems a day,” smiles Ali Mohammad, one of the diggers, adding, “The texture, size and flavour of the Dal nadur is unmatchable. There arewazas (cooks) who will only use this nadur and nothing else.”

I pick up a whole lot. Some will go into a yakhni tonight and the rest I’ll take home.