A breakfast to warm winter in Kashmir
A lamb dish called Harissa is a winter delicacy in Kashmir, but you have to wake up early to find it.
Manzoor Ahmed serves harissa on a cold morning.
Bridgette Auger
Srinagar, Kashmir
• A local, slice-of-life story from a Monitor correspondent.
Skip to next paragraphRecent posts
-
05.29.12
Russian security firm spots cyber supervirus that tops Stuxnet -
05.29.12
With a mouse click, an expat casts his French vote, from Beijing -
05.24.12
Whose Islands are they? South Korea tries branding in its dispute with Japan -
05.24.12
Report: Russian intelligence suspects US hand in SuperJet crash -
05.24.12
Russia claims new missile can overcome missile defenses
As the car winds through the old city, I worry that I’ll miss breakfast. Harissa, Kashmir’s winter delicacy, is for early risers. The puréed lamb with rice and spices is only served in a few areas of the city and usually only until 7 a.m. Thankfully, Kaka’s Café and House of Breakfast is still open.
RELATED Kashmir 101: Decoding Kashmir's conflict
Manzoor Ahmed, the owner, says his family has been running the tiny restaurant for more than 600 years. Now considered a master, Mr. Ahmed has spent three decades catering to his early-morning customers. Sitting on a stone platform, he reaches chest deep into a huge clay pot in the floor where the lamb has been cooking for hours. His grease-stained hand scoops out a steaming helping of harissa with a silver ladle.
It doesn’t look appetizing, but the aroma is enticing and the taste amazing. Locals say it’s perfect for frigid winter mornings. I find it to be true, too.
Get daily or weekly updates from CSMonitor.com delivered to your inbox. Sign up today.
RELATED Kashmir 101: Decoding Kashmir's conflict
These comments are not screened before publication. Constructive debate about the above story is welcome, but personal attacks are not. Please do not post comments that are commercial in nature or that violate any copyright[s]. Comments that we regard as obscene, defamatory, or intended to incite violence will be removed. If you find a comment offensive, you may flag it.