Tackling veggie shortage, the Kashmir way

Short of vegetables after shops remained close for the 75th day due to ongoing protests, Kashmiris are using tried-and-tested survival techniques to get by. A number of sun-dried vegetables such as tomatoes, turnip, brinjals, gourd, lotus fruit, green beans and red chillies filled the homes and market places alike.

This is the traditional Kashmiri method of tackling vegetable shortfall since the beginning of the militancy in 1980s. Called ‘hukh tsun’,  the traditional method of drying vegetables before the harsh winters had gone out of fashion in recent years.

In the past, the vegetables were strung on a thread like a garland and hung up to dry by a window or sprawled atop Kashmiri terraces overlooking the Himalayas. Women in curfew-bound areas are drying the vegetables sensing  the difficult situation.  “We forgot the traditional trick for the past few years since fresh veggies became available all seasons,” retired lecturer Fehmida Fazili said, adding dried vegetables like brinjal, tomato ((tamatar hachi), green chillies, turnips bottle gourds (ala hachi) are back in the market.