Kashmir Valley residents savour dry vegetables during winters

SRINAGAR - With the onset of winter, the demand for dried vegetables picks up in Jammu and Kashmir.

Locally known as ‘Hokshuns’, literally meaning dry vegetables, the indigenously dried and preserved vegetables are part of the general diet in the Kashmir Valley.

“There is a lot of demand for these kind of vegetables. Those who do not eat also buy it and eat it because of cold weather. The weather here is cold; that is why eating these vegetables is good,” said Nazir Ahmad, a shopkeeper.

Bottle gourds, tomatoes, aubergines, fenugreek, spinach, and turnips are some of the commonly found dried vegetables.

The requirements of ‘Hokshuns’ were earlier met from domestically dried vegetables, but for the past many years, it has emerged as a full-fledged business with makeshift shops selling dried vegetables coming up during the winters in several cities and towns here.

“The Jammu-Kashmir highway is often closed in the month of January and February due to snowfall. The people here stock these dried vegetables at home because if there are vegetables coming in the market, they are rotten by the time they reach here. And people get rid of them. So people think its better to use these vegetables, instead,” said Javaid Ahmad, a customer. (ANI)