We are slowly approaching the time when the temperature begins to drop and the temptation starts to rise. Carrots turn brighter, fresh green peas appear in abundance, mustard leaves fill the stalls, and sweet shops begin bringing out sesame and jaggery-based treats. These are foods many of us wait for throughout the year as they are closely tied to the colder months. Across India, winter cooking has long followed what the season makes available. Some dishes make use of newly harvested vegetables, while others depend on ingredients such as sesame, jaggery and fresh peas. Here are six foods that signal the arrival of winter in different parts of the country.
Gajar Ka Halwa
Winter is when the familiar red carrot takes centre stage in North Indian kitchens. Gajar ka halwa is made by cooking grated carrots with milk, sugar, ghee and cardamom, with khoya, almonds or pistachios often added to the preparation. Unlike many desserts that can be made throughout the year, this one is closely associated with the winter carrot season and is generally served warm. The dish is also part of festive cooking, appearing during occasions including Diwali, Holi, Raksha Bandhan and Eid. There are variations in how it is made: some recipes rely on milk, while others use khoya or mava for a richer consistency.
Sarson Ka Saag
If winter has a signature green in northern India, it is sarson ka saag. Made primarily with mustard greens, the dish is closely linked to the winter harvest because mustard is cultivated and harvested during the cooler months. The greens are usually cooked with ingredients such as ginger, garlic, green chilli and ghee or oil, and are often combined with other seasonal greens such as bathua or spinach. In Punjab, sarson ka saag is commonly eaten with makki ki roti, turning a pot of cooked greens into a substantial winter meal. The preparation also reflects the nature of mustard leaves themselves: they are tougher and more bitter than many other greens and therefore benefit from prolonged cooking.
Undhiyu
In Gujarat, winter brings undhiyu, a mixed-vegetable dish particularly associated with the Surat region and the seasonal produce of South Gujarat. Its name comes from undhu, meaning upside-down, referring to the traditional method of cooking the dish upside-down in earthen pots underground. The ingredient list changes according to availability but can include green beans or tender peas, small brinjals, raw banana, potatoes, purple yam and methi-based muthia. These are cooked slowly with a spice mixture containing ingredients such as coriander, ginger, garlic and green chilli. Different versions exist across Gujarat, including Surti and Kathiyawadi preparations, while undhiyu with puri and shrikhand is a familiar winter combination in Gujarati homes.
Nolen Gur
Winter in Bengal has another unmistakable marker: nolen gur, the seasonal jaggery made from date palm sap. As temperatures fall, date palms are tapped for their sap, which is collected overnight and processed into jaggery. Depending on how it is prepared, it becomes jhola gur, a liquid jaggery, or patali gur, a solid form that can be stored for longer. Nolen gur then finds its way into some of Bengal’s most recognisable winter sweets and desserts, including rosogolla, sondesh, payesh and pithe. The seasonality of the ingredient is part of its appeal: the fresh date palm jaggery is available for only part of the year, making sweets prepared with it a distinctly winter experience.
Matar Ka Nimona
Fresh green peas are one of the most anticipated winter vegetables across the northern plains, and matar ka nimona turns them into a thick, spiced stew. Associated particularly with Uttar Pradesh and the Hindi-speaking belt, nimona is made by grinding fresh peas and cooking them with spices, often alongside new potatoes and urad dal wadis. There is no single recipe for nimona. Some versions use onion, garlic and ginger, while others rely on cumin, asafoetida and ghee. The consistency can also change from one region or household to another, from smooth and thick to chunky with whole peas left in the mixture.
Gajak
When winter arrives in north and central India, gajak appears in sweet shops in several forms. The confection is made primarily with sesame seeds and jaggery or sugar, although peanuts, ghee and dry fruits may also feature. It can be shaped into brittle sheets, rolls or small pieces, with the texture determined partly by how far the jaggery is cooked. Gajak is particularly associated with winter and harvest festivals such as Lohri and Makar Sankranti. Morena in Madhya Pradesh is especially known for the sweet, while regional variations use different combinations of sesame, peanuts, sugar and jaggery.
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