People throng food outlets for winter delicacies

ISLAMABAD: With the onset of winter the mercury dips considerably and cold waves  grip most parts of the country at the end of chilly December. The biting cold gives rise to the demand of traditional local winter delights available at different food outlets.

In the federal capital the scene is familiar as when the temperature drops food lovers or foodies as is known in modern parlance descend on food outlets to savour the   popular winter delights like chicken corn soup, doodh jalebi, gajar ka halwa, Kashmiri tea, samosas, pakoras, fried fish and dry fruits etc.

A number of stalls selling these delights at various markets including Melody Market, Karachi Company, Jinnah Super Market, Super Market, Abpara Market andF-10 Markaz are attracting a large number of customers.  Sobia Saad, a housewife at a famous fish point, said “Fish is the most selling item of winter season which help reduces impact of cold wave on health by keeping us warm”.

She said, from December till the month of February, they all like to have fish barbeque parties or go for enjoying fried fish, however, my children prefer to eat finger fish.

Ali Akbar, another buyer at the stall of gajar ka halwa, said, “I cannot resist buying when I see gajar ka halwa at a famous sweet shop at Karachi Company while going home from office”.

“Gajar ka halwa is the most liked seasonal delight in my family and I use to buy this almost twice a week as it is difficult to prepare it at home owing to the low gas pressure”, he said.

Murad Khan, a shopkeeper at a famous chicken corn shop at G-9 Markaz said, winter was the perfect time to earn handsome amount through selling chicken corn soup which is our trade mark.

He said most of our customers are youngsters especially students living in hostels who roam around the place with their friends in evening time and visit us to enjoy the soup.

Health experts are also of the view that soup, fish, dry fruits and other such items must be consumed by the citizens as a preventive measure to save them from cold weather.

Especially, children are most vulnerable to influenza, pneumonia and other diseases with fall in temperature and it is essential to include such food items in their regular diet. 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2019.