Winters in Pakistan are short lived. They come and go each year with the blink of an eye. Like every other season, winter brings along with craving for a large variety of food items that make the chilly winds and long winter nights liveable.

Winter foods range from fresh and dry fruits to delicacies like soups and halwa. Let’s take a look at some of these winter foods.

Fresh fruits

Many citrus fruits are available in winter, oranges and grapefruits, in particular, remain out of sight all year long, only to be seen during the short winter period. These citrus fruits are high in vitamin C which makes the immune system strong.

Guavas are also found in abundance in winter, while fruits such as apples and chikoos can be seen in summers too, but they are equally popular in winter. These fresh fruits are often eaten to maintain a healthy nutritional diet and are the source of fibre which prevents constipation.

Dry fruits

Winters are incomplete and dry without dry fruits to munch on while snuggled cosily in blankets. Popular dry fruits include almonds, walnuts, peanuts, pistachio, raisins, pine nuts, hazelnuts and cashews, among many others. In addition to their scrumptious taste, dry fruits are also good for health. They are a good source of selenium which is beneficial for mental health.

Dry fruits are also given as gifts and are popular at weddings where they are distributed along with sweets among the guests.

Almond is a very useful dry fruit. It is often used in making cosmetics, medicine and used for hair treatments.

Vegetables

Winter brings along with it an amazing array of vegetables and these include carrots, beetroots, spinach, peas, beans, sweet potatoes, corns and turnips. These vegetables become the main ingredients for many dishes including soups as well as desserts.

The different types of spinach, in particular, is commonly used to make the popular dish ‘mustard greens with maize flour bread’, also called Sarson ka saag aur makkai ki roti in Urdu. These vegetables also have many health benefits. Spinach is high in iron while carrots are high in vitamin A which is good for the eyesight.

Soups

Soups are much loved in winters. Hot soups are especially eaten during chilly nights when they help keep the cold at bay.

Popular soups include chicken corn soup, hot and sour soup, black bean soup, carrot soup and tomato soup.

Soups are also high in demand because of the many health benefits they provide. They control hunger and reduce calorie intake, leading to weight loss. Also, they boost our immune system, helping it to fight against colds and flu.

Desserts

For those with a sweet tooth, winter provides delectable desserts. Halwas are the most popular desserts in winters and they come in a large variety. Gajar ka halwa is perhaps the most sought-after one, with its main ingredient being carrots.

Other winter halwas include walnut halwa, sohan halwa and moog daal halwa. Panjeeri is another popular dessert, consisting of whole wheat flour fried in sugar and ghee, heavily laced with dry fruits and herbal gums. It is known to provide energy and heat to the body and is therefore high in demand in winters.

Beverages

Coffee is what keeps the cold away and even those who are not too fond of drinking tea or coffee find themselves sipping a cup of creamy cappuccino on a cold winter night.

Thus, to enjoy the season of chilly nights and foggy days, there are so many mouth-watering dishes to keep us warm, so do not forget to indulge in these spectacular blessings that are brought along with the freezing temperature!