Srinagar (J&K): As one walks by the older part of Srinagar on a winter morning he is likely to be greeted by the enticing smell of mutton curry. But it's not just any mutton dish. It is the Kashmiri delicacy called harissa, the popular choice of morning food in winter in the valley.
As winter tightens its grip on the valley people make a beeline for the harissa shops in the city where the enticing delicacy is served with traditional Kashmiri bread known as Kashmiri Tchot. They prefer to have it before going heading to work as they find it very energizing and it also keeps them warm in the freezing winter.
It's no surprise that Muhammad Shafi Bhat and his son Umar Shafi Bhat who run a 150-year-old harissa shop are busy with customers since morning. They have to start their days very early to prepare the dish. " It is not an easy task. It is almost a day-long hard work," said Bhat.
Harissa, however, is not an everyday staple food in Kashmir but is eaten during winter. One of the customers at the shop said that the dish gives them energy for the day. Traditional Kashmiri harissa is produced in the old city areas of Srinagar, including Zaina Kadal, Aali Kadal, Saraf Kadal, Nawa kadal and Fateh Kadal.
Apart from local people, people from distant areas also flock to the older part of the city to relish harissa. For the old and young Harissa has equal appeal.
