Wazwan is a multi-course meal in Kashmiri cuisine, the preparation of which is considered an art and a point of pride in Kashmiri culture and identity. Almost all the dishes are meat-based (lamb, chicken). It is popular throughout Kashmir and served internationally at Kashmiri food festivals
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The ultimate formal banquet in Kashmir is the royal Wazwan. Of its thirty-six courses, between fifteen and thirty can be preparations of meat, cooked overnight by a master chef.
Guests are seated in groups of four and share the meal out of a large metal plate called the traem. For Kashmiri Muslims the meal begins with invoking the name of Allah and a ritual washing of hands in a basin called the Tash-t-naer, which is taken around by attendants. Then the traem arrive, heaped with rice, quartered by two seekh kababs and contains four pieces of methi korma (chicken or mutton flavored with a spice mixture containing dried fenugreek (methi) leaves), two tabak maaz (twice-cooked lamb ribs, initially braised with ground spices and milk, then browned in butter), one safed kokur (chicken with white sauce), one zafran kokur (chicken with saffron sauce), and the first few courses. Yogurt and chutney are served separately in small earthen pots. As each traem is completed, it is removed, and a new one brought in, until the dinner has run its course. Seven dishes are a must for these occasions — tabakh maaz, rista (meatballs in a red, paprika-saffron-fennel spice gravy colored with alkanna tinctoria), rogan josh, daniwal korma (lamb roasted with yoghurt, spices and onion puree, topped with cilantro leaves), aab gosh (lamb chunks cooked with a fennel-based spice mixture, cardamom and partially evaporated milk), marchhwangan korma (chicken legs/thighs cooked in a spicy browned-onion sauce) and gushtaba (meatballs cooked in a spicy yoghurt gravy). The meal ends with the Gushtaba. Nowadays the count for serving the dishes has reached 40.
