Hokh syun 

A dwindling delicacy of Kashmir

Hokh syun or sun-dried vegetables are known for their use during the harsh winter months in Kashmir. Sun drying extends the shelf-life of vegetables and thus, they can be stored for long and harsh winter months. Until a few years back, one could notice garlands of dried vegetables hanging on the walls of houses across Kashmir. But eventually, this practice started dwindling from Kashmiri's authentic cuisine.

A number of dried vegetables such as brinjal(Wangan hach), tomatoes (Ruwangan Hach), turnip (Gogji Are), and bottle gourd (Al Hach) are sun-dried during summers. Amongst them Gogji Are is an amazing dish, which is a delight to any vegetarians taste buds. In any case, Italian sun-dried tomatoes are sold in the rest of the world at a hefty premium.

The great way of preserving vegetables is through drying.  Drying, or dehydrating, is the process of removing excess water from food. Removing the water not only lengthens vegetables shelf-life, but also prevents microorganisms from growing. Most of the vegetables in Kashmir are dried during summer, so that one can consume it later, in the long extreme winters.

Hokh syun reminds me of the time when I used to see garlands strung from most windows, especially those in downtown areas of Srinagar in my childhood. It used to be an annual practice for rich and poor alike. Today, everything is available in the market now. Why would anyone spend so much time and energy on this?

The major impact of improved connectivity with the plains and better per capita income, greenhouse culture, availability of fresh vegetables across Kashmir led to the reduction in consumption of Hokh Syun. Most shops selling dried food in Jamia Masjid have either closed down or switched to more profitable trade. 

In my opinion, the very best way to promote Kashmir's authentic Hokh syun could be through social media with high-quality, tantalizing photos. Visual content is in high demand nowadays, and having delicious looking photos of Hokh syun across various social media outlets is essential for drawing hungry eyes.

                                                                                                                    Nisha Tariq(M.Sc. Student)

                                                                                                                Faculty of Forestry, SKUAST-K