What Is The Famous Winter Special Kashmiri Dish ‘Harissa’

Harissa is a heavy and hearty winter breakfast in Kashmir. A lot of people often confuse it with a famous red chilli pepper paste by the same name that is very popular in countries like Algeria, Libya and Morocco. Harissa of Kashmir is extremely popular in Srinagar especially. If you ever happen to visit Srinagar, then you will find multiple shops selling fresh Harissa from the morning onwards. This is a centuries-old delicacy and is eaten first thing in the morning. This dish came to Kashmir in the 14th century and since then has been a staple breakfast in Winter for a lot of people. Srinagar has been serving fresh harissa to tourists for the last 200 years. From November to February, it is brutally cold in Kashmir. People have to eat extremely warm food to keep themselves protected from the outer cold in the freezing temperature. It is also believed that eating Harissa will shoo away any unwanted diseases related to immunity and cold that are prevalent during the winter season. 

Also Read: Flavours Of Kashmir: 5 Irresistible Kashmiri Desserts For Your Sweet Tooth

History Of Harissa

The word Harissa is derived from the Arabic word harasa which means to break into pieces. The dish is believed to have originated in Tunisia where it was a famous street food purchased by shoppers. The simplest version of harissa has chillies, Olive oil and salt. It is prepared in most Arab countries, especially during the Ramadan month. Harissa is also traditionally served on Easter Day. In Armenia, people consider it their national dish because of its delicious taste and layered flavours. It is made in a porridge style and has a very thick consistency. The main ingredient used is dried or roasted wheat grains and very rich meat that has a high fat content. Usually, either chicken or lamb is used as the meat in the dish. Many people also like to substitute chicken or lamb with some special herbs when they do not want to include meat in the dish.

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Harissa is also very famously offered as a charity meal in many countries around the world. It is specially cooked by slow cooking all the ingredients and that is where it gets its unique flavours from. The preparation of this dish requires a lot of patience if you want to get authentic flavours in your dish. Some people also like to make this dish by mixing wheat, millet and rice along with meat and spices. All these ingredients are cooked together in an underground earthen pot. The consistency of this dish has to be like that of a thick porridge. The way that it's made and its consistency varies from country to country. In some countries, it is cooked in a special kind of sport that is known as a ‘mash pan’. 

Cultural Differences 

Harissa is very famously known as Boko Boko in Zanzibar. It is cooked with lamb or chicken and is topped with a lot of meat kebabs. This is a celebratory dish in the country and is cooked only on special occasions like birthdays or Eid. The way that it is prepared in Arab countries and tribes is very different from the rest of the world. In Saudi Arabia, for instance, a lot of cardamom pods are added to the dish to give it a great aroma and flavour. It is then decorated with parsley on the top. 

Earlier Harissa was made only by the wealthy community on special occasions. These people used to distribute this delicious delicacy among the poor of the society on celebrations. The consumption of this dish was only limited in traditional households but now this is a very famous dish in restaurants around the world.

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Kashmiri Harissa

Kashmiri Harissa draws similarities between the West Asian countries and the Harissa cooked in Armenia. It also has a very similar taste to the Hyderabadi Haleem. Many people think that the Kashmiri Harissa and the Hyderabadi Haleem are the same thing. Although both of these are made from meat and wheat, the difference lies in the origin of these dishes and the ratio in which ingredients are used in the preparation of these dishes. Generally, Haleem is always a lot spicier than Harissa. Haleem also has lentils adding it to it. Harissa on the other hand does not have any kind of lentils. 

In Kashmir, people like to eat harissa with the Kashmiri bread that is called girda. Harissa is typically cooked in earthen pots. You will find the best quality Harrisa in downtown Srinagar, which is known as the epicentre of the top quality harissa in the country. Many people believe that Mirza Hyder Duglat from Yarkland brought the contemporary recipe of Harissa to India in 1540. In Kashmir, a 200-year-old shop, Aali Kadal is probably the oldest Harissa shop that you can find. This job has been running through generations and has been serving top-quality harissa to people for many years.

Harissa is undoubtedly a very unconventional breakfast option. Many people might not consider it unhealthy, but considering the climatic conditions of Kashmir, it is an opportune breakfast option for the people in that area during the winter season.