Harissa – Only In The Winter
Posted on 28. Jan, 2010 by David in Blog, Food/Drink, Kashmir, Winter
Winter in Kashmir provides an opportunity to enjoy harissa, a unique Kashmiri dish. Harissa is only made during the cold winter months, and it usually is found early in the morning in little cafes packed with men enjoying this special food. Women also enjoy it as families occasionally prepare and serve it in their homes.
Harissa is somewhat hard to describe. It’s basically meat (mutton) cooked for a long time and then pulled off the bone. This very soft meat is then mixed with some uncooked rice, water, and spices. The mixture is stirred and stirred until it becomes mushy and smooth. To serve, hot oil is poured on top and then you scoop it up with fresh bread from the bakery.
If you’re visiting Kashmir in the wintertime you should definitely ask a local to take you to a harissa shop as it’s a fun experience only found in this time of year.
Earlier this month I went with a Kashmiri friend to a popular harissa shop in the old city near the shrine of Shah Hamdan. My photos didn’t turn out too great as the shop was a little steamy and my camera lens got fogged up, but here are some pics plus an extra one I took a while back at a neighbor’s house.
