Season’s delights: Winter yummies
My Article published on January 15, 2011: Yound World
Winter is here and has brought with it many delights along with few hassles such as blocked nose, dry skin and sore throat. Winter in our part of the world is for a shorter time period as compared to other countries but the many blessings associated with the chilly season are too pleasurable that we can enjoy winter to the fullest even during a few weeks of December and January when winter is at its peak!
Besides offering beautiful and stylish sweaters, jackets and other warm clothes to wear, winter also brings with it some very scrumptious food we can have to beat the cold. As we need more calories during winter to keep warm, the food choices too, are many. Some of them that top the list are different kinds of tea, coffee, chocolate milk, soups, halwas, dry fruits and eggs.
Tea
Tea is a commonly used beverage in Pakistan and during winter, its consumption increases. People tend to enjoy tea not only with breakfast but also in the
afternoon, evening and at night too with snacks and dry fruits. Some varieties of tea include Kashmiri tea and green tea.
Kashmiri tea, as its name suggests, comes from Kashmir. It’s a pink-coloured hot tea with milk and is usually served with dry fruits. It keeps the body warm and helps to cure winter ailments such as flu and cough.
Green tea too is a natural remedy for winter ailments and has been used since ages in India, China, Japan and Thailand for treating kidney and bladder problems, heart diseases and different types of cancer. It is also helpful in weight control.
Coffee
Coffee is a widely consumed beverage prepared from the roasted seeds, commonly called “beans”, of the coffee plant. Coffee was first consumed as early as the ninth century when it appeared in the highlands of Ethiopia. From Ethiopia, it spread to Egypt and Yemen, and by the 15th century had reached Persia, Turkey and northern Africa.
From Africa, coffee spread to Italy, then to the rest of Europe and the Americas. Today, coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide. It keeps the body warm and charged up.
Soups
Soups are yet another delectable winter treat which are not only consumed during illness but are also used to keep the body warm in winter. Soup is an amalgamation of water with vegetables, meat, egg or different sauces. There is a long list of soups, all having different flavours.
At home, mom makes mouth-watering chicken soup, but this recipe in fact belongs to the people of northern areas in Pakistan where winter is unbearable and people consume chicken soup (yakhni) to keep themselves warm.
Halwa
The word ‘halwa’ comes from an Arabic word hulw, meaning “sweet”. Some forms of halwa are too sweet and calorie laden so you need to eat them in moderation, while other variations are moderately sweet and you can enjoy them without worry about too many calories.
Halwa is the traditional dessert of the Middle East (and the subcontinent), which is served especially on happy occasions. In winter, people love to eat carrot halwa and egg halwa. Sohan halwa garnished with dry fruits is also adored by many.
Boiled eggs
Boiled eggs sprinkled with salt and black pepper are one of the hot favourites during winter, especially when you are travelling in a train and you buy them from an egg vendor at a station. People also boil eggs at home and the entire family can enjoy them as snacks with the evening tea.
Dry fruits
Peanuts, walnuts, pistachio, figs, dried apricot, raisins, almonds, cashew nuts and dates are the most common and frequently eaten dry fruits in winter. A large quantity of peanuts grows in different areas of Pakistan and a large quantity is also imported from other countries. As a result we get a chance to eat dry fruits of different kinds, each having its own taste.
Dry fruits contain substantial quantities of essential nutrients and are excellent source of minerals, vitamins and enzymes. They are easy to digest and purify the blood as well.
Winter is a beautiful excuse to eat more than usual so enjoy these tasty delights and leave the calorie counting for summer!
Happy winter!
It makes my mouth water : )
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