Vibe of 25 | Spreading warmth with winter delicacies!

Winter and the chill are refusing to recede and to make the season enjoyable the best way out is to savour the delicacies of the moment. The market is flooded with winter delights that foodies love. Before they start to wrap for the season this year. We find out and list such delicacies.
Piping hot roasted shakarkandi (sweet potato), boiled singhada (water chestnut), stir-fried green peas, groundnuts and list can go on and on. There are several winter delights that are available at various locations in the city.
Celebrity chef Saransh Goila on his visit to Lucknow drooled over many such delicacies. “Makkhan malai and kulfi along with other street food delights were the highlight of my winter visit to the city. Awadhi food is surely there but such fresh delicacies we hardly get in Mumbai,” shares Goila.
Restaurateur Manoj Bachaani says that winter specifics like makke-ki-roti and sarson ka saag are the most asked for cuisine. “In catering, live counters are much in focus as in this season people like piping hot dishes. At events very much in demand is Moradabadi daal, South India and Punjabi dishes, dim sums or Shawarma,” he says.
Chef Shamim from Quraishi Hospitality Services says “Lucknow is known for its seasons and delicacies. If we talk about winter food, then nihari and paya shorba are the most sought for items because the kind of spices added are very helpful for winters as they’re cooked overnight. The warm spices make it best for winter menu. Also, shalgam (turnip) and chukandar (beetroot) gosht with crushed tomatoes too can be listed as these two vegetables are only available in winters and they taste best in this weather.”
He adds, “Also, bajre (pearl millet) ki tikya is not made anywhere except here along with gud chawal for people with sweet tooth.”
Chef Druv from Mashup Cafe has his own set of choices. “Haare matar ki chaat its mushy, soft texture that is only possible when we have seasonal green peas not those packaged ones. Gulabi (Kashmiri) chai has been synonymous with Awadhi winters for years now, crisp khari and layer of malai mak-es a winner for me,” he says.
“In this season, people love to try ‘garisht’ (warm by property)w delicacies as their taste and the characteristics are such that it keeps the body warm and are digested by the body as well. So, items like pista, badam, chironji halwa are made only in winters,” says Ved Prakash of Classic Radhey Sweets.
Matrika Gupta of Ram Asrey Sweets adds, “There is a long list of sweets that we make winter specific including variety of gajaks, rewari and chikki. Then we have kali and lal gajar ka halwa, haare matar ki chaat, khajoor and gud rasgulla. Doodhiya barfi, variants of sohan halwa…the list is long.”