Cockscomb flowers provide natural crimson colour to Kashmiri cuisine
The dried petals of the cockscomb flower, known locally as mawal, are used to colour traditional wazwan dishes.
The cockscomb flower, or Celosia cristata, is used to provide a signature ruby-red colour to traditional Kashmiri dishes, according to The Hindu.
Cultivated in the valleys of Kashmir, the blossoms are handpicked at peak bloom and sun-dried to preserve their pigments. These dried flowers are locally known as mawal.
Mawal is used in the wazwan, a multi-course royal feast prepared by master chefs called wazas. The dried petals or mawal powder are steeped in hot water to create a ruby extract that is strained into gravies.
The ingredient is used in dishes such as rogan josh, rista, mirchi korma, and dum aloo. It provides colour and a subtle, earthy undertone to these recipes.
In traditional medicine, the flower is valued for its cooling properties, which are said to make meat-heavy wazwan courses easier to digest. Mawal is typically sold in the traditional markets of Srinagar.