Kashmiri Shallots - Wild Onion (Praan) Direct From Srinagar, J&K

Praan is the shallot of Kashmir, and if you have eaten a proper Kashmiri wedding feast (Wazwan), you have already tasted it. It is a small bulb, bigger than a marble and smaller than a normal onion, with a strong smell and sharp taste. Scientists call it Allium x cornutum and it is treated as a Kashmir speciality. It makes small bulblets on the plant itself, so farmers keep it going from one season to the next, and it is not the same as the small shallots sold in other states.

Praan is planted in the cold months and ripens around June. Many Kashmiri cooks say the best praan comes from Bandipora in North Kashmir, and our praan is from that side.

Why Kashmiri cooks use it: In the Muslim style of Rogan Josh and in many Wazwan dishes, praan is not just a vegetable, it is the base flavour. It is fried until golden, then ground together with the same oil, and this paste goes into the gravy. It gives a deep sweet and savoury taste, and the curry does not turn black the way it does with onion. Without praan, the dish will taste different.

What you will get in the pack: small whole bulbs with dry papery skin, pinkish-red to light purple, not all of the same size. Peeling takes some patience because the bulbs are small. A tip from our kitchen: keep them in warm water for 10 minutes and the skin comes off easily. The smell is strong, so you may cry a little while cutting, that is normal.

How to use: Slice thin and fry slowly in oil or ghee until golden. Then crush or grind with the oil to make praan paste, and add it to Rogan Josh, Yakhni, Kashmiri chicken and mutton curries, or to rice dishes and chutney. You can also use it raw in salad, sparingly because it is strong.

Storage tips: Keep in a dry, airy place, in a basket or open net bag, away from water and sunlight. Do not keep in a closed plastic bag or in the fridge. Check once a week and take out any bulb that turns soft.