Cold-weather cooking
When winter arrives in Lahore, Delhi, Istanbul or Amman, kitchens switch to slow-cooked, rich food. Bones simmer overnight into nihari and paya; greens are cooked down into sarson ka saag; carrots become gajar halwa; and soups appear on every table.
Soups around the region
- Turkey: mercimek çorbası, ezogelin and the yogurt soup yayla çorbası.
- The Arab world: shorbat adas and harees.
- South India: peppery rasam, famous as a cold remedy.
- Desi-Chinese: chicken corn soup and hot and sour soup.
Slow food
Winter is the season for dishes that cook for hours: haleem, rogan josh, dal makhani and shalgam gosht. Make a big pot at the weekend; most taste better the next day and freeze well.
Sweets and hot drinks
Winter halwas, such as gajrela, anday ka halwa and sohan halwa, are rich with ghee and nuts. To drink: pink Kashmiri chai, Turkish salep, haldi doodh and badam doodh.
For more, read our guide to Pakistani winter food.