In Kashmir, breakfast is incomplete without fresh bread. People often start their day by visiting a local bakery, known as a kandur, to buy freshly baked rotis. These bakeries are a part of everyday life in the Valley.
Faizan Rahman runs a traditional bakery in Srinagar, which was started by his father around 30 years ago. “My name is Faizan Rahman, and we work as kandurs in Srinagar,” he told Humans of Bombay. “My father started this work around 30 years ago, and I have also been working in this business for the past few years. We make different kinds of bread here.”
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He said the work at the bakery starts as early as 3 am. The bakers begin by making lavasa and other rotis. They continue baking them until around 7 am. After that, they prepare ghee roti, followed by tsot, kulcha and bakarkhani.
Rahman stated that each bread has its own taste and texture. These breads are eaten with different meals, but many Kashmiris enjoy them with noon chai, the traditional Kashmiri salted tea.
The bakery makes a large number of rotis every day to meet the demand. “We make around 1,500 rotis during the day. By 5 am, the number can reach 2,000 to 2,500,” Rahman said. One roti costs Rs 10.
The bakers also use different ingredients to prepare their breads. Rahman explained that powdered milk is used in one of the varieties. “This is powdered milk, the dry milk that comes in powder form. It gives the bread its colour,” he said.
Among all the breads made at the bakery, Rahman said his favourite is ghee roti. “I mostly eat that, and people also like it the most,” he said. “If you want to taste Kashmiri bread, come here.”
If you want to try different varieties of Kashmiri bread but don’t know which one tastes like what, here’s all you need to know.
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Lavasa: It is a traditional Kashmiri flatbread that is usually soft and thin. It is commonly eaten for breakfast with tea and is a regular part of meals in many Kashmiri homes.
Gheе roti: It is made with ghee and is a popular choice at the bakery.
Tsot (Chot): It is generally smaller and crispier than some other varieties. It is often eaten with noon chai.
Kulcha: It is usually dry and crisp and is commonly enjoyed with tea and can be eaten as a snack.
Bakarkhani: It is a layered, slightly crisp bread that is known for its rich texture.
From soft lavasa to rich ghee roti and crisp bakarkhani, each bread has its own taste and texture.
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