The chef shares her journey through the region, blending recipes with cultural insights
Romy Gill has delved into the rich culinary heritage of Kashmir for her latest cookbook On The Himalayan Trail: Recipes and Stories from Kashmir to Ladakh, combining vibrant recipes with personal reflections from her travels.
Despite growing up in West Bengal and speaking five Indian languages, Gill admits there’s always more to learn about her homeland. Her passion for Kashmir was sparked by stories from her adventurous husband, who explored the region during his university years in Punjab. “He would show me photographs from his travels, and I always wanted to go there,” she recalls.
Kashmir’s cuisine, deeply influenced by Central Asia, Persia, and British colonial history, captivated Gill, particularly the wazwan—a traditional Kashmiri banquet that incorporates every part of the animal in its preparation, reminiscent of the “nose-to-tail” food movement. “They’ll bring out lots of different dishes, and you share them,” she says. “It’s the best way to experience the food culture here.”
The cuisine features warming spices such as ginger, fennel, cinnamon, and Kashmiri chillies, which Gill describes as having “a beautiful colour, warmth, richness—but not excessive heat.” Her experiences in the region allowed her to explore its connections to saffron production, meeting local farmers and witnessing the saffron crocus bloom amid the challenges of Covid-19 travel restrictions.
For Gill, On The Himalayan Trail is more than just a recipe book—it’s a diary of her journey through Kashmir and Ladakh, capturing the stories of the people she met along the way. “I didn’t just go to learn about food. I went to cook, eat, and connect with the locals,” she explains. She highlights that these experiences allowed her to uncover the history, heritage, and warmth of the Kashmiri people.
The book serves as both a guide for adventurous food lovers and an encouragement to visit Kashmir, a region often deterred by its complex political history. “The people are so nice and welcoming,” she adds. “They’re eager to share their food, their stories, and their culture.”
On The Himalayan Trail: Recipes and Stories from Kashmir to Ladakh is available from Hardie Grant (£27) and offers readers a taste of Kashmiri culture through both its recipes and history.
