‘Stuffed duck, hokku, nalli-nihari’: Forget ‘harisa’, tease your tastebuds with these ‘new to Kashmir’ winter delicacies

Srinagar: If you thought ‘harisa’ was the only winter speciality available in Kashmir, you should try ‘two-kg stuffed duck’, nalli-nihari or exotic Chinese soups like hokku to keep your body warm.

As the minimum temperatures in the valley have started to plummet, city based restaurants have started serving special and ‘new to Kashmir’ winter delicacies.

Known for its Chinese and Tibetan food, Lhasa Restaurant has started serving stuffed duck that weighs around two kilograms. Interestingly, Lhasa is the only restaurant that serves duck here and it has to be ordered a day in advance.

“Stuffed duck is the staple food of the Chinese as it keeps the body warm in winters and also is an excellent source of protein. This is the ideal time to eat duck but if you want to eat it, you have to place an order the day before. Preparing this dish takes time and our serving of stuffed duck weighs around two kilos. We also have Hokku soup that helps in keeping the body warm,” said Sajad Kamal, co-owner of the Lhasa.

Though several restaurants have of late started serving nihari, the Nizam’s restaurant is offering the famous and ‘authentic’ nalli nihari.

“We have started serving the authentic and famous nalli nihari that is usually found in Old Delhi. As winter has started, it keeps the body warm and also strengthens the bones. It is usually eaten for breakfast but here it is available throughout the day here,” said the chef at the Nizam’s.

Chef Deep at 14th Avenue Cafe and Grill said they too had started serving soups for the first time in view of the winter season in Kashmir.

“As it is getting colder with every passing day, we have for the first time added different Chinese soups to our menu. These soups will help in keeping your body warm. Our varieties like lemon coriander soup, chicken hot and sour and veg manchow are served with dips like chilly vinegar and hot garlic that are ideal for the winter months,” he said.

Omar Rather, popular food blogger of ‘Kashmirfoodgram’ fame, said it was nice to see restaurants ‘going beyond harisa’.

“Harisa is no doubt our ultimate Kashmir winter delicacy but it is good to see restaurants going beyond harisa. Amid growing competition, the restaurants are offering special winter delicacies that are great to eat in plummeting temperatures. The stuffed duck is Lhasa’s exclusive offering. No other restaurant serves duck in Kashmir. Nizam’s nalli nihari is authentic and it will give a Purani Dilli kind of feeling. And now many restaurants have started serving regular nihari. One would not find nihari in Kashmir a few years back. Most of the delicacies served including some soup varieties are new to Kashmir,” he said.