Kashmiri women break the harissa glass ceiling

Kashmiri women are breaking the male monopoly on making the labour-intensive mutton breakfast dish, Harissa, this winter, powered by online sales both within and beyond the Valley

For centuries, it was men who monopolised the culinary skills required to make harissa, a mutton dish which is a sought-after winter breakfast delicacy in Kashmir, copied from a popular Armenian dish. Prepared overnight using the slow heat of firewood in a utensil buried in a tandoor or clay oven, the dish required muscle power, night-long patience and knowledge of spices.

However, women in Kashmir are giving a tough competition to the harissa-goaer or special harissa cooks this winter, with online platforms emerging as a game changer.

Sheikh Hirra is an engineering graduate and a mother from Srinagar’s Hyderpora area. She started the trend of capturing the otherwise male-dominated market for harissa. “Earlier, people would stand outside harissa shops in queues very early in the morning in the old city. My idea was to make harissa available just a click away. The idea did pick up and the sales are going up,” said Ms. Hirra, who now sells in all major districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

Using the internet power of online platforms such as Gatoes and FastBettle, Ms. Hirra has even been able to ship harissa beyond J&K. “It’s getting popular outside. I receive orders from all corners of the country. In Kashmir, harissa is also an emotion. Many Non-Resident Indians place orders for their old parents in Srinagar, so that they don’t have to come out early in the cold mornings to buy. Customer reviews have helped a lot,” said Ms. Hirra, who owns the Fall Winter Harissa brand.

Harissa is a breakfast dish only available in the peak winter months of November to February in Kashmir. People queue up at the crack of dawn to buy harissa in the city, as it finishes fast due to growing demand. This high-protein diet keeps people warm and helps them brave the sub-zero temperatures of Valley winters. Until a few years ago, only men dominated the cooking of harissa at a small number of outlets in the city as it required overnight cooking and constant grinding with a huge wooden pestle.

Armed with technology, women are equal competitors now. Shahida Fazili, 58, a former school principal from the Pampore area, said that her annual shipments of home-made harissa to her two sons in Dubai became a runaway hit among their friends and colleagues.

“Earlier only relatives and friends would approach me. This year, I received an order for 15 kg of harissa from Delhi. People are liking it outside. I am energetic and ensure that my harissa has all the qualities of a professional harissa-maker,” Ms. Fazili said.