Winter Season is here and so are the cravings!

The much awaited winter food season is here. Be it the south of Pakistan or the north, everyone, everywhere, of all ages, waits for this season. The winds get chilly, nights get cold and amongst all this, one thing is bound to increase – our winter munching Cravings!

With winter, as with all seasons, comes the food that can be best enjoyed in the chilly breeze or from the warm comforts of your home. We compiled a list of roadside snacks guaranteed to light up your winters to the best of its potential and help you stay warm while keeping your taste-buds satisfied.

Moong-Phalli

Flag down your local thailay-waala for a bag of toasty warm peanuts (moong-phalli) and you’re set for the night. Breaking the shells and working to get to the tasty (and warm!) peanuts inside can be a hassle, but a little manual labor never hurt anybody. The satisfaction of toasty warm peanuts is well worth the effort.

Winters probably are incomplete without munching on moong phalli while you stand along the roadside appreciating the weather or while you sit tucked in a blanket watching your favorite show. And while we are at it, let’s not neglect rest of the roasted goodies that tempt you with the peanuts, including roasted channa and makai. Undoubtedly, these are some of the most in-demand warm munchies during winters.

Steamed and Roasted Shakarqandi

Winters are nothing without shakarqandi. Sweet potatoes roasted, peeled and cubed, served with chaat masala and sprinkled with lime juice are offered throughout the winters. Not only is it delicious, it is also very filling and easy on the pocket. Trust me there must be no-one who tried it and didn’t like it. Just thinking of it makes our mouth water.

GAAJAR KA HALWA

No one can ignore a steaming hot plate of freshly cooked Gaajar ka Halwa, topped with your favorite dry fruits in this season. This is something one should have at least once in winter.  And for those with a knack for the traditional, granted a bit eccentric, gaajar ka halwa garnished with sliced boiled eggs is also offered.

Soup

Roadside hawkers in most parts of Pakistan serve soups, aka yakhni, along with boiled eggs or as we call it garam anday, which apart from being nutritional, are also packed with amazing desi flavours to tantalise your taste buds. Street venders offer you a variety of yakhnis that will give you the much needed warmth during these winters. If yakhni isn’t your thing, a timeless classic, soup – chicken or otherwise – is always good for the soul, and for the stomach. It can be basic chicken or vegetable soup, or hot and sour soup from your favourite Chinese restaurant.

Grilled Bhutta/Makai

At times, in the chilly winter all you really need is grilled corn. Nothing tastes like a warm salty grilled corn, sprinkled generously with some chaat masala and lemon. It’s tasty, filling, easily available and priced cheap to make it one of the most sought roadside snacks, especially during winters.

Samosa Chaat

Those foggy, rainy winters are nothing but a waste if not for a hot plate of samosa chaat topped with sweet and savoury chutneys. Filled with potatoes and served with chickpeas, yoghurt and topped with a dash of onion and lettuce, this chaat is simply irresistible.

As long as it’s sweater weather, these snacks are all you will need to satisfy your cravings and remember to keep yourself hydrated with a fresh glass of Neemopani 😉