As sun loses warmth, sun-dried vegetables add flavor to Kashmir’s kitchens

Srinagar, Nov 23: As temperatures dip across, Srinagar’s traditional dry vegetable markets have once again sprung to life. In the old quarters of the city, especially in areas like Fateh Kadal, Maharaj Gunj, Nawabazar and Bohri Kadal, long rows of stalls draped with colourful dried produce have returned, marking a centuries-old rhythm of life that continues to thrive even in a fast-changing city.

Along the narrow, strings of dried bottle gourd, bunches of Brinjal, tomatoes, beans, turnips, and red chillies hang from wooden frames. Greater Kashmir spoke to many such vendors in Srinagar’s Downtown who said that many of these vegetables are sun-dried in rural parts of the Valley during autumn, later making their way into these historic markets where generations of families have traded them.

“This stall has been my place of work since 1990. This work has fed my family and given us everything. These dry vegetables are pure; what you see is what you get. Today, there is so much adulteration in packaged spices, but these traditional items remain authentic and true to the real taste of Kashmir,” said Fayaz Ahmad, a vendor at Bohari Kadal.

Fayaz said that the demand remains strong, especially as winter approaches, with many of his customers returning year after year. “People still trust these flavours. They remind them of home and of old times.”

Just a few steps away in Maharaj Gunj, more vendors have lined up their fresh stock brought from different parts of the Valley. Ghulam Nabi, another seasoned trader, said he has regular customers who wait for winter each year to buy these vegetables. “They have been coming to me for decades. They say the taste of these dry vegetables brings back childhood memories when families would dry their own produce on rooftops and in courtyards,” he said.

Beyond the old city, the trade stretches towards central Srinagar and even the Hazratbal outskirts, where roadside stalls too have begun stocking dried tomatoes, beans, Spinach, Turnips, and varieties of chillies.

“People buy them because they know these foods stay good for months and are very comforting in the cold. Many believe they keep the body warm during harsh winters,” said another vendor at Hazratbal.

Buyers wandering through the lanes echoed similar sentiments. “We grew up watching our mothers and grandmothers slice vegetables and lay them out in the sun. Now, with kitchen gardens disappearing, not everyone can dry their own vegetables. These markets keep that tradition alive,” said Sameena, a resident of Habak Hazratbal. “

In the outskirts of Srinagar, where small-scale farming still survives, some families continue to sun-dry vegetables on their fields before the frost sets in. Halima Akhter, a Vegetable gardener from Harwan, said she dries part of her produce every year. “It is our old practice. We dry tomatoes, turnips, beans, and chillies in the autumn sun and mostly use them ourselves,” she added.

To mention, for centuries, Kashmiris have relied on dried vegetables to survive the long and isolating winters when heavy snowfall would cut the Valley off from the outside world for months. While modern transport and markets have eased those challenges, the tradition of preserving and consuming dried vegetables continues to hold its place in Kashmiri cuisine and culture.