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Thursday March 28, 2024

Dried fruit winters delight

By Ishrat Hyatt
December 24, 2018

Islamabad : Winter is the season for cosy evenings in front of the fire – infinitely more soothing and satisfying if it is a log fire, though we can make do with a gas heater, since the burning of wood is more or less a no-no these days, what with concerns for the environment heavy on our minds. Unfortunately with no gas available even for cooking, such pleasures are not to be ours these days!

What used to go well with a cosy fire is the snap, crackle and pop of the dried fruit which is so plentifully available in the markets. There is something so good about chewing nuts or biting into the goodness of dried fruit, it makes your day – or should I say evening?

The variety available in the markets these days is amazing and you can either take your pick of a few which you enjoy or buy a little of the whole range which can be found nearly everywhere – from dried apricots and pistachio nuts; to cashew nuts and walnuts and everything in between - all going beyond the reach of the average family as prices shoot up!

Picking dried fruit from a vendor who has his goods displayed in open containers can be an exercise to delight the taste buds, as well as be satisfied that you are getting fresh stuff and not leftovers from last year, which never quite taste the same.

Packaged in plastic bags, these tend to get an ‘oily’ taste and are unpleasant to eat. Our vendor will happily urge you to sample everything he has in the hope that you will be tempted to purchase more than you intended – it’s part of the salesmanship and you get your money’s worth because you know the stuff is fresh!

The most popular nuts by and large, are peanuts, which used to be considered the common man’s favourite, not only because of the price but because they are available in plenty.

Though they are not that inexpensive these days they are still the least pricey of all the nuts available and can be found in shops and on pushcarts all over the city.

While they are good to eat, most dried fruits are also good for the health. Almonds give you much needed calcium; walnuts have omega 3; the people of Hunza say dried apricots are the secret to their longevity; prunes are good for the stomach and so on - the list is quite interesting and fascinating to study, especially if you are a health freak or like to munch on these goodies and not feel guilty!

— Photograph by Khalid Raja