As winter arrives, Kashmiris throng downtown Srinagar to relish centuries-old 'Harissa'

Harissa, the mutton delicacy which is believed to have originated in Iran, is the go to delicacy in the bone chilling winters, report ETV Bharat's Muhammad Zulqarnain Zulfi and Sajad Bhat.

SRINAGAR (JAMMU AND KASHMIR): The Kashmiri people have their own customs for surviving the winter as it draws near and the mercury drops below zero. In the Valley, a must-have breakfast throughout the long winters is the centuries-old delicacy called 'Harissa'. Wintertime popular food, 'harissa', is a delicacy of mutton and spices cooked overnight in an earthen pot set underground.

It is enjoyed for over four months of winter to obtain the extra calories required to fend against the chilly winter air. Historians claim Harissa arrived in Kashmir during the fourteenth century, and the city of Srinagar has been its home for more than two centuries. The harissa makers have been in the business for more than 200 years and continue to do so.

"This shop is 150 years old. Before me, my father and grandfather owned and operated it. I have been handling the business for the last 40 years. Wintertime is an excellent time to enjoy harissa since it keeps your entire body warm. Instead of using goat meat to make harissa, we use lamb meat. It calls for a large amount of spices.

During the winter, we sell it for four months. People who consume harissa never get chest-related health issues. We begin at five in the morning and end at twelve in the afternoon. It's a delicious and healthful meal, "Mohammad Shafi Bhat, a Harissa seller in the Fateh Kadal area of Srinagar, told ETV Bharat. According to Harissa sellers, having the Harissa at breakfast will keep you warm all day, even in below-freezing temperatures.

Moreover, harissa guards against a number of cold-related illnesses. And it's cooked by special chefs who work really hard for eight hours every night. Bhat said that it is rather challenging to cook harissa braving the bone chilling winters. “We are preserving the tradition. Given how much effort it entails, my son might not be able to continue it,” he said.

Over the Harissa recipe, Bhat said that first rice is cooked after which they add meat, spices, and other ingredients, and then steam it in an underground earthen pot for around eight hours. “Additionally, we cover this pot with firewood, leave it there till three in the morning until it softens, and then sell it starting at 5 in the morning.

People from all walks of life visit our shop from all corners of the Valley, and even foreign tourists visit us to enjoy Harissa," he said, adding that it originated in Iran and continues to this day. And when winter arrives, Harissa takes over the majority of the traditional breakfast items that the Kashmiris eat at this time.

"I make sure to get some for my family members when I visit this shop twice a week." Imran, a local of Maharaj Gunj, said adding "I think serving harissa the old-fashioned way is the best. I don't think installing chairs and tables in these traditional shops will serve any purpose."