Kashmiri Foods
Kashmiri cuisine is rice-based and rich in meat and curd: rogan josh, yakhni and the wazwan feast, alongside everyday haak (collard greens), nadru (lotus stem), dum aloo and modur pulao, with salty pink noon chai and saffron kahwa to drink. The meat and curd curries and greens are low GI; sweet modur pulao, fried potatoes and large rice portions are the high points.
Best picks for blood sugar
Keep these small
Easy swaps
The same kind of food, with a gentler effect on blood sugar.
Kashmiri foods ranked by glycemic index
Lowest GI first. Tap any food for its full nutrition, portion advice and swaps.
| Food | GI | GL | Serving | Calories | Protein | Fiber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haak (Kashmiri Collard Greens) | 15 | 1 | 1 bowl | 90 kcal | 3g | 4g |
| Yakhni (Kashmiri Mutton in Curd Gravy) | 30 | 2 | 1 bowl (2 pieces with gravy) | 330 kcal | 27g | 0.5g |
| Rogan Josh | 35 | 2 | 1 bowl (2 pieces with gravy) | 380 kcal | 28g | 1.5g |
| Noon Chai (Kashmiri Pink Tea) | 35 | 3 | 1 cup | 110 kcal | 5g | 0g |
| Nadru Yakhni (Lotus Stem in Curd) | 40 | 7 | 1 bowl | 180 kcal | 6g | 5g |
| Kashmiri Kahwa | 60 | 4 | 1 cup (lightly sweetened) | 50 kcal | 1g | 0.3g |
| Kashmiri Dum Aloo | 70 | 21 | 1 bowl | 280 kcal | 5g | 3.5g |
| Modur Pulao (Kashmiri Sweet Saffron Rice) | 75 | 51 | 1 plate | 420 kcal | 6g | 1.5g |
GL and nutrition are per serving. How these values are sourced
Low-GI Kashmiri foods
GI 55 or below. These raise blood sugar slowly and make good everyday choices.
GI 15· LowHaak (Kashmiri Collard Greens)
हाक साग · హాక్ సాగ్
Simple Kashmiri dish of collard greens (haak) cooked whole in mustard oil with green chillies, garlic and a pinch of asafoetida, eaten almost daily with rice. Leafy greens with very little carbohydrate.
GI 30· LowYakhni (Kashmiri Mutton in Curd Gravy)
यख़नी · యఖ్నీ
Pale, delicately spiced Kashmiri mutton curry cooked in a curd gravy with fennel, cardamom and dried mint, with no chilli or tomato. High in protein and low in carbohydrate.
GI 35· LowRogan Josh
रोगन जोश · రోగన్ జోష్
Kashmir's famous red mutton curry slow cooked in mustard oil or ghee with Kashmiri chilli, fennel, dry ginger and curd. Mutton and a curd-based gravy contain very little carbohydrate.
GI 35· LowNoon Chai (Kashmiri Pink Tea)
नून चाय · నూన్ చాయ్
Kashmir's everyday pink tea, made by boiling green tea leaves with baking soda until deep red, then adding milk and salt instead of sugar. Milk gives it a little natural sugar and a gentle effect on blood sugar.
GI 40· LowNadru Yakhni (Lotus Stem in Curd)
नदरू यख़नी · నద్రూ యఖ్నీ
Kashmiri dish of lotus stem (nadru) slices simmered in a fennel and cardamom curd gravy. Lotus stem is crunchy, high in fiber and moderate in starch.
Medium-GI Kashmiri foods
GI 56 to 69. Fine in moderate portions, ideally with protein or fiber on the plate.
High-GI Kashmiri foods to keep small
GI 70 or above. These raise blood sugar fastest, so keep portions small and have them with a meal.
GI 70· HighKashmiri Dum Aloo
कश्मीरी दम आलू · కశ్మీరీ దమ్ ఆలూ
Baby potatoes pricked, deep fried and simmered in a spiced curd and Kashmiri-chilli gravy with fennel and dry ginger. The potatoes carry most of the carbohydrate, and frying adds fat.
GI 75· HighModur Pulao (Kashmiri Sweet Saffron Rice)
मोदुर पुलाव · మోదుర్ పులావ్
Festive Kashmiri pulao of basmati rice cooked with ghee, sugar, saffron, milk, cinnamon and plenty of dry fruits. White rice plus sugar gives it a very high glycemic load.
Related guides
Common questions
Is Kashmiri food good for diabetes?
Largely, yes: 5 of the 8 Kashmiri foods in our database are low GI. Foods like Nadru Yakhni (Lotus Stem in Curd) (40), Haak (Kashmiri Collard Greens) (15), Yakhni (Kashmiri Mutton in Curd Gravy) (30) raise blood sugar slowly, while Modur Pulao (Kashmiri Sweet Saffron Rice) (75), Kashmiri Dum Aloo (70), Kashmiri Kahwa (60) raise it fastest and are best kept to small portions.
Which Kashmiri foods have the lowest glycemic index?
The lowest-GI Kashmiri foods in our database are Nadru Yakhni (Lotus Stem in Curd) (40), Haak (Kashmiri Collard Greens) (15), Yakhni (Kashmiri Mutton in Curd Gravy) (30), Rogan Josh (35), Noon Chai (Kashmiri Pink Tea) (35).
Which Kashmiri foods should diabetics limit?
The highest-GI Kashmiri foods are Modur Pulao (Kashmiri Sweet Saffron Rice) (75), Kashmiri Dum Aloo (70), Kashmiri Kahwa (60). You don't have to avoid them entirely — keep portions small and pair them with protein, fiber or curd.
Sugar ke mareez ke liye kaun sa Kashmiri khana sabse accha hai?
Nadru yakhni, haak, yakhni, rogan josh jaise options sabse behtar hain, kyunki inka GI kam hai aur yeh sugar dheere badhate hain. modur pulao, Kashmiri dum aloo, kahwa kam matra mein hi lein, aur dal, sabzi ya dahi ke saath khayein.
Is Kashmiri kahwa good for diabetes?
Yes, if you have it without sugar or honey: then it's essentially green tea with saffron, cardamom and almonds, with almost no carbohydrate. Lightly sweetened, as it is usually served, it has about 6g of carbohydrate per cup. Salted noon chai (8g of carbohydrate, all from milk) is also a better pick than sweet chai.
Building a full meal? Add foods to the meal calculator to see the glycemic load of the whole plate, or browse the complete list of low-GI Indian foods.