Demand for winter delights spikes

People throng markets, stalls selling soups, fried fish, ‘gajar ka halwa’

ISLAMABAD:

With showers causing a sudden dip in temperatures, the demand for winter delights such as warm soups, fried fish, teas and other edible items such as ‘gajar ka halwa’ has increased considerably in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Several stalls selling these delights at various markets including in Melody Market, Karachi Company, Jinnah Super Market, Super Market, Abpara Market, Satellite Town, Raja Bazaar, Moti Bazaar, Murree Road and various other markets are attracting a large number of customers.

With the arrival of the winter, the demand for desi cuisine such as 'halwa puri' and 'naan payee' has also spiked as shops and stalls selling these winter delights have started witnessing a horde of customers including families and groups of friends.

“Winter is the best season for sale as with the drop in mercury, a number of customers especially youngsters throng stalls and shops to enjoy desi breakfast outdoor,” said a shopkeeper in the Aabpara market.

“Winter is the best excuse to eat more than usual and enjoy these tasty delights,” said a customer while enjoying halwa puri at the shop.

Sehrish Khan, a housewife at a famous fish point in Islamabad said “Fish is the most selling item of winter season which help reduces the impact of cold wave on health by keeping us warm”.

She said from November till 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 the office”.

A shop owner said that most people are fond of eating payee and come to his shop from far-off areas on weekends, adding, the payee has a long history and is popular in Pakistan. “It is cooked on mild heat for hours (usually overnight) until you get a thick consistency and spices are added to the meat and bones,” he said.

Another shopkeeper selling halwa puri claimed that the traditional breakfast remains the most favorite delight during the winter. With the start of the cold season, many special stalls are offering a variety of hot ‘puri’ with ‘channa’ and different kinds of ‘halwa’ in markets and bazaars which are attracting customers to enjoy the savvy food.

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

He said most of our customers are youngsters, especially students living in hostels who roam around the place with their friends in the 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 a fall in temperatures and it is essential to include such food items in their regular diet.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th, 2022