Salnari Cuisine

Salnari cuisine is unique because, unlike most, it incorporates potent spices natively -as it is well-known for- making it particularly fiery. But in many of these dishes, there is contrast, as drinks made of honey and cream counterbalance the spice in curries and rice bowls. This balance of sweet and cold, and savory and hot is the defining feature of salnari cuisine, as it uses its spices on roast meats and rice dishes but also includes more floral herbs and vegetables in concert, making it an interesting hybrid.

Components and tools

Salnari cuisine draws on a few key ingredients, the main ones being rice and poultry, generally mixed with sauces and flavorings composed of garlic, tomatoes, and assorted spices. This can be often paired alongside various steamed vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and asparagus or fresh strawberries and or raspberries, making for a delectable spread.
Two of the notable dishes include:

1. Malada: a common drink in salnari cuisine composed of fresh honey mixed with cow's milk. People drink it to calm the fiery spice prevalent in many salnari dishes, often pairing it with fresh fruit and berries also drizzled with honey. The beverage is a staple of salnari cooking, drunk regularly at ceremonial feasts and rites, along with ordinary meals and occasions.
2. Kouwak'pa: a salnari dish composed of steamed vegetables and chicken laid on a bed of rice, topped with assorted spiced sauces. The meal dates far back in history, being a long-standing staple of salnari cuisine for over two thousand years, however in this time, many regional variants have cropped up, giving vast variation from town to town. As it is a simple dish caramelizing the vegetables, searing the meat, and the sauce's heat can all vary dramatically by region and personal palate.

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