Rainy weather drives streetside snack sales

Demand for samosas, pakoras, hot soups and Kashmiri tea rises despite higher prices

RAWALPINDI:

The first heavy rainfall of the winter season brought a chill to the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Saturday, prompting a surge in demand for traditional winter delicacies, including samosas, pakoras, soups, yakhni and Kashmiri tea.

As temperatures dropped and cold winds swept through the cities, vendors set up stalls and pushcarts across neighbourhoods, commercial centres, wholesale markets, bus stands and the District Courts area. Meanwhile, stalls selling summer favourites such as sugarcane juice, lemonade and traditional lemon drinks have closed, with demand for these beverages declining.

Small and large markets have witnessed increased sales of freshly fried samosas and pakoras, while steaming cups of chicken corn soup, vegetable soup and yakhni have attracted customers seeking warmth during the chilly weather. Tea accompanied by crispy snacks has become a familiar sight, while pink Kashmiri tea garnished with almonds and pistachios has emerged as another popular winter treat.

Residents say enjoying pink tea topped with nuts during cold, rainy evenings has a distinctive appeal. The aroma of freshly fried snacks and hot beverages has filled markets, drawing customers to roadside stalls and pushcarts, which remain busy late into the night.

However, the rising cost of living has pushed prices of these seasonal favourites to record levels this year. In local markets, potato samosas are being sold for Rs60 each or Rs700 per dozen, while chicken samosas cost Rs70 each. Mixed pakoras are available at Rs600 per kilogram. A serving of plain chicken corn soup costs Rs150, rising to Rs200 with egg. Plain yakhni is priced at Rs100, while a serving with egg costs Rs150.

Unfried, ready-to-cook frozen snacks are also available for households. Plain potato samosas cost Rs1,060 per dozen, while chicken samosas are priced at Rs1,200 per dozen.

Iftikharuddin, Hassan Shah and Feroz Khan, who had visited the District Courts to attend hearings in their cases, said the cold, rainy weather had made tea with pakoras and samosas particularly enjoyable. They remarked that tea now felt incomplete without pakoras, particularly during the winter season.

The seasonal trade has also provided a welcome boost to small vendors and pushcart operators, whose businesses benefit from increased footfall as the weather turns colder.