Kalari

What makes it kalari

• A fresh, pressed cheese of full-fat milk.
• Fried dry, in its own fat, until browned and bubbling.
• Eaten hot, often in a kulcha with onion and chilli.

Where it comes from

Kalari is made in the hills around Udhampur and Ramnagar from full-fat milk, curdled, pressed into flat discs and dried. It's often compared to mozzarella for its stretch, and it keeps without a fridge.

In Jammu it's street food: fried on a griddle in the fat it gives off, then tucked into a soft kulcha with onion, tomato and green chilli. It belongs to the Dogra kitchen, a long way in taste from the valley's.