From Saag to Pumpkin Halwa: Inside India’s modern winter food revolution

With crisp blue skies, pillowy clouds, misty mornings, warm afternoons, and a sharp chill in the air; the winters usher in a sense of gratitude for the year gone by and a flurry of excitement for the Christmas-New Year season to come. It’s also the time when amidst all the festivities in the air, one is nudged to slow down, and spend quality time with family and friends with a cup of hot cocoa in hand, which becomes all the more comforting with an additional whiff of red carrots being caramelised into a halwa! 

But Indian winters today offer flavours far richer than the season’s beloved gajar ka halwa alone. Indian chefs now are reimagining traditional winter staples such as tender green peas, fresh leafy greens, cauliflower, radish, guava, pumpkin, custard apples, oranges, strawberries, fenugreek, and root vegetables to make hearty soups, flavourful curries and inventive desserts. “The season invites you to cook slower and eat slower,” observes Chef Priyank Chouhan, Director of Culinary and Operations at the Pan Asian restaurant Shiro. “Root vegetables like beets and carrots bring natural sweetness and nourishment, while leafy greens such as kale and spinach add minerals and antioxidants. Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and cauliflower round out the season with fibre and immune-boosting nutrients.”

Avarekai risotto and sagu

For Altamsh Patel, Director of Culinary, Hilton Mumbai International Airport, sarson or mustard greens takes the centre-stage during winters. “Its warmth and earthiness make saag an essential part of every wedding menu in our banquets.”

Some of the other winter ingredients he enjoys cooking with are strawberries, groundnuts and avarekalu or avarekai. “We use strawberries extensively in artisanal desserts, and seasonal specials across the restaurants while fresh groundnuts add richness and texture to our thalis, curries, and winter chutneys. Avarekai, with its creamy sweetness, features in everything from traditional sagu to modern risottos and stuffed breads.”

Riwash Sharma, Executive Chef, Firewater Neo Bar & Kitchen, loves to dish out interesting cross-cultural creations such as red carrot–guava chutney with apple crisp, and gajar ka paratha with spiced fruity compote. “I also love tossing up a winter harvest salad — roasted pumpkin, crisp apples, and julienned red carrots tossed with toasted pumpkin seeds and a lemon-tahini dressing. It’s a dish that bridges Indian and Mediterranean sensibilities with ease,” he mentions. 

At the Omakase-style Crackle Kitchen, Chef Vivek Salunkhe, Partner & Head Chef, too loves to fuse the East and the West with one of his flavourful compositions which includes the traditional, gut-loving beetroot and mustard kanji.

The tangy, fermented, probiotic Rajasthani drink — served in a delicate Singaporean pie tee cup — aligns with Ayurveda’s focus on strong digestion or agni, points out the chef. “We also integrate heart-healthy ingredients like apples and cinnamon in savoury chutneys to aid digestion of richer mains. Fresh ginger finds its way into broths not only for its flavour but also for its warming, digestive benefits,” he notes. 

The popular pumpkin

Thanks to the Western pop culture, the Instagrammable pumpkin pies and spiced pumpkin lattes have become synonymous with cosy autumn weather in India, a trend that spills into the winters as well. But the humble kaddu can be just as delightful in halwas, sabzis and parathas. “It is subtly sweet, earthy flavour is grounding and deeply satisfying. Its nutrients support immune function and skin health — which are vital as the weather gets colder. Even its seeds are nutritional powerhouses, packed with healthy fats, magnesium, zinc, and fibre,” explains Chef Chouhan. Just roasting slices of pumpkin, he says, can feel like a meditative ritual — “slicing, scooping, seasoning, and watching them caramelise in the oven.” While Chef Salunkhe transforms pumpkin into a warming soup with a celeriac mash and a hint of parsley oil; and uses the classic cinnamon–orange zest combination to infuse glazed parsnips; Chef Riwash delights in churning out a nutty, slightly spiced pumpkin and apple halwa. “This fusion dessert blends the sweetness of apples with pumpkin’s earthiness, flavoured with cinnamon, cardamom, and a hint of ginger, garnished with toasted pistachios,” he states. 

A season of balance

So, as you sip on a cup of warm cider, curl up to read ‘A Christmas Carol’, or rewatch ‘The Princess Switch’ this winter, don’t forget to add a touch of home to your little celebrations.

Perhaps a bowl of apple halwa or kaddu ki sabzi, that transports you back to your grandma’s cosy kitchen, would just be the perfect little way to sweeten the season, isn’t it?