The Valley of Kashmir is famous all over the world for its natural beauty, for its salubrious weather, and also for its rich and delectable cuisine. Due to its geographical location and the various dynasties and rulers - the Mughals, the Afghans, the Britishers, et al. - who reigned over it from time to time, the cuisine of this princely state is highly influenced by them. Though the cuisine is dominated by non-vegetarian food, there is also an abundance of vegetarian dishes which are consumed here. Since winters in Kashmir are quite harsh and the weather is not conducive, it takes a toll on the local produce. To offset the dearth of vegetables during winters, the locals resort to the use of dried vegetables and leafy greens (referred to as hokh-syun) – they are dried during summers and are stored for use during the cold weather. This paper is an attempt to delve into the popular winter delicacies - which are gradually getting obsolete due to the invasion of fast foods and frozen foods - of the region. The methodology used is based on the author’s personal experience, referencing books and gathering data from various blogs and websites.

Keywords : Cuisine, Dried Vegetables, Hokh-Syun, Kashmir, Winter Delicacies