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No sunlight? Brighten your day with winter delights in Lucknow

Winter chill is keeping people mostly indoors. Those venturing out are doing their best to stay warm whether it’s with a hot cup of tea or winter street delight

Updated on: Jan 9, 2025, 11:55:42 IST
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Winter chill and a lack of sunlight throughout the day are keeping people mostly indoors. Those venturing out are doing their best to stay warm, whether it’s with a hot cup of tea or by indulging in delicious winter street delights. From water chestnuts and sweet potatoes to samosa-pakora, baati-choka, bun-makkhan, gajak, and groundnuts with makkhan malai, all these treats are finding eager customers, and vendors are experiencing high demand.

A sweet potato makeshift stall in Hazratganj (Mustaq Khan/HT)
A sweet potato makeshift stall in Hazratganj (Mustaq Khan/HT)

Nippy days ahead

With the Met office predicting rain in several parts of West UP and in Northwest UP in coming days, there is no respite for the city folks as the fog continues to get dense, temperatures continue to drop, and the chill factor increases.

“Due to dense fog, no sunshine and temperature dropping to 7-8 degrees celcius, the cold day conditions will continue to prevail for the upcoming days in the city as well as pan state,” said M Danish, senior scientist.

Chai, samosa, bun makkhan

People relishing chai-samosa and bun-makkan at Sharmaji Tea Centre (Mustaq Khan/HT)
People relishing chai-samosa and bun-makkan at Sharmaji Tea Centre (Mustaq Khan/HT)

Piping hot tea with cripsy samosa and white butter bun makkhan at Sharmaji Tea Centre sells well throughout the year but tastes best in winters, says Kaiser Raza, a union leader and staffer at Lucknow Municipal Corporation.

“Multiple rounds happen in such weather as everyone want to savour hot tea and team it with samosa or bun makkhan,” adds Raza.

Similar is the scene at other hubs Globe Bakery on Cantt Road, Janpath, Kewal Tea on Maqbara Road and Gupta Tea at Naval Kishor Road. Several tea-coffee franchise stores dotting the city too are hot spots in this season.

The street treats

Rajma and kadhi-chawal stall in Gomti Nagar (Deep Saxena/HT)
Rajma and kadhi-chawal stall in Gomti Nagar (Deep Saxena/HT)

Litti and Baati Chokha turns out to be another most tempting wintery afternoon meal for many. Santosh K Gupta who runs Palwan Baati Chokha food-truck in Gomti Nagar says, “Jaado mein toh bikri badhti hi hai. Whatever is roasted over hot charcoal does look tempting in winter and is undoubtedly a favourite of many. So, roasted litti and baati with a dash of desi ghee along with green veggie chokha does attract foodies on any chilly day.”

Couple Mukul and Poonam Sharma who run Balaji Food Corner already sold out their kadhi-chalwal and rajma-chawal at their makeshift stall in the same locality at 3 pm. “People love ghar-jaisa-khana and when it’s served fresh hot to them in this cold weather they love it,” says Mukul. Their idli-sambhar and paneer roti combo are also much sought after.

  • Deep Saxena
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Deep Saxena

    Deep Saxena writes on Bollywood, OTT, television, food and culture for the daily Entertainment & Lifestyle supplement, HT City.Read More

  • S Farah Rizvi
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    S Farah Rizvi

    S Farah Rizvi writes on Bollywood, OTT, television and culture for the daily Entertainment & Lifestyle supplement, HT City.Read More