Meals is an natural perishable substance, which is prone to spoilage resulting from microbial, chemical and bodily actions. The preservation and storage of meals, one of many main revolutionary innovations of human civilisation, the very precondition for man to calm down in a single place and to develop a society, dates again to 12,000 BC. Greens of various cultivars seasonally produced in abundance need to be preserved for consumption throughout off seasons for various causes. Solar drying, probably the most continuously used methodology since prehistoric instances, remains to be extensively used for about 20% of the world produce after harvesting. Drying is used to protect meals, enhance their shelf life by decreasing the water content material and water exercise; cut back weight and quantity and consequently house and value necessities for storage and transport; diversify the availability of meals with completely different flavours and textures, thus providing the shoppers a fantastic alternative when shopping for meals. Drying doesn’t enhance meals high quality, nevertheless, to be correct and profitable; meals produced needs to be protected with good flavour, texture, color and dietary properties. Rising shelf lives of meals objects with out compromising unique meals properties remains to be essential and difficult.
Dried greens are generally consumed in most nations of the world. The European Union nations are the key importers with the biggest suppliers being China, USA, Hungary and Poland. Historically, Kashmiris too use sun-dried greens (Hokh Syun) and fish (Hogaade) to offset the vegetable scarcity and to get the additional power wanted to courageous the bone chilling chilly of the tough winter months, particularly throughout Chilli-Kallan. Till a couple of years again the sight of garlands of dried greens hanging on the partitions of homes throughout Kashmir was a typical scene. These garlands (Aaaras) consisted of dried greens akin to brinjal (Wangan Hachi), tomatoes (Ruwangan Hachi), turnip (Gogji Aare), bottle gourd (Al Hachi), lily rhizomes (Bhoombh or Buem) and fish (Hogaard). These days the garlands of Hokhsyun are sighted nowhere even within the distant villages, however markets stay flooded with these things. What does it suggest must be explored.
Use of dried greens, undoubtedly, has dwindled through the years however not ceased in any respect. Spherical-the-year availability of recent greens through all-season freeway improved connectivity with remainder of the nation, all-season native manufacturing of greens by way of profitable scientific modern interventions, higher financial circumstances and enhanced well being consciousness have reportedly brought about discount in consumption of Hokh Syun. Sadly, baseless doubts have been created within the minds of the shoppers relating to the security of dried greens. Little question, publicity of greens to uncontrolled ultraviolet radiations throughout solar drying makes them extra susceptible to aflatoxins and fungi which can be detrimental to human well being. Solar drying alone, although, can’t be the incriminating explanation for unsafety of greens, even whether it is there, as a result of meals security relies on a sequence of occasions ranging from manufacturing to consumption.
Reported presence of carcinogenic substances, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in sundried meals and fish together with highest incidence of gastric most cancers has aroused worrisome suspicions within the minds of Kashmiri folks relating to the security of Hokh Syun. The scenario is additional worsened by the report that peculiar dietary habits of the Kashmiris, like frequent consumption of scorching midday chai, excessive consumption of pickled Haakh (Brassica olerecea), dried and smoked fish (Hogaarde/ Pharegaade), dried greens and additional spice plus purple chilly muffins (Wur) are believed to be one of many causes for the elevated threat of gastric most cancers within the valley. Thorough scientific research must be performed to reach at dependable outcomes, somewhat than relying merely upon some trivial epidemiological investigations, to resolve the destiny of those dried greens. Any tradition developed over a interval of tons of of years in conformity with geo-climatic circumstances is at all times time-tested, and can’t be afforded to be deserted so simply, that too at the price of id.
Diet is a vital a part of each illness prevention and therapy. Nonetheless, the consumption of Hokh Syun continues unabated in valley particularly throughout the interval of Chillai-Kallan regardless of adjustments introduced in by middle-class affluence, modular kitchens, microwave ovens, frozen meals and hi-end eateries. Folks in Kashmir nonetheless want to relish the style of those conventional sun-dried greens and fish even when recent meals is on the market around the yr within the Valley. Dependancy to those winter recipes isn’t unfoundedly embraced. Consumption of a lot of vegetables and fruit containing nutritional vitamins and minerals like calcium, nutritional vitamins A and C is believed to cut back the danger of most cancers within the human physique by defending the mucosa lining towards the results brought on by the carcinogenic compounds. Dehydrated greens are packed stuffed with nutritional vitamins and minerals, thus a superb weapon to combat hidden starvation, a predisposing issue for a lot of morbidities. Lack of some risky vitamins like Vitamin C and beta carotene throughout solar drying of greens will be minimised by dehydrating at decrease temperatures or pre-treating with some protected chemical substances, and compensated to a big extent by making worth addition. Moreover, research-based proof is on the market {that a} excessive fiber-containing weight-reduction plan could also be protecting towards breast, ovary, endometrial, and gastrointestinal most cancers, however with a notice of warning that for most cancers prevention, the emphasis for dietary advice needs to be on a dietary sample somewhat than on an remoted dietary fiber complement.
Kashmiri dried vegetable, stuffed with excessive fiber content material, apart from having different medicinal values, may also relieve constipation: it’s now scientifically proved. Moreover, folks regard dried greens as drugs for different illnesses, too, e.g., dried bottle gourds (alhech) for cough and customary chilly, hooch hand (dried dandelion) for growing hemoglobin ranges in new moms, bumb (dried water lily rhizome) for arthritis, apart from much-needed warmth era within the physique throughout harsh winter. Consuming sun-dried greens freed from any preservative a few times in per week isn’t dangerous for well being, as no scientific proof relating to sun-dried greens inflicting any hurt has been but discovered.
Mouth-watering winter recipes would proceed for use for his or her style, flavour, medicinal values and for countering the sky-rocketing vegetable costs throughout winters, thus preserving our wealthy and distinctive tradition. Native folks ought to make all the required interventions, ranging from growth of extremely nutritious and disease-resistant vegetable cultivars, and modern, cost-effective and well-suited to our geoclimatic circumstances, scientific strategies of drying and preservation to maintain these dried greens safer and extra nutritious for sustaining the sanctity of our tradition and making it cosmopolitan in distribution. Newer strategies of drying like scorching air drying, osmotic dehydration, ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration, microwave-assisted scorching air drying must be launched, popularised and supported for manufacturing of comfort well being merchandise that mimic the properties of recent ones. Quite a few elements akin to sort of uncooked materials, out there equipments, client demand for high-quality end-product, economical, and environmental circumstances are essentially to be thought-about earlier than venturing into any entrepreneurship of this type. Advertising and marketing avenues must be explored and generated throughout the globe to advertise Kashmir’s genuine Hokh Syun. All of the media shops needs to be roped in for growing the recognition among the many lots relating to the utility and security of the forgotten, mouth-watering winter recipes of Kashmir. Revival of the extremely cherished Hukh Syun will be made potential with the concerted efforts of the tourism departments on the central and native ranges by organising Kashmiri meals festivals at common intervals to popularise this delicacies. Meals critics and bloggers may also play a significant function in publicising these delectable and nutritious recipes. Social media with tantalising photographs can depart indelible impression within the minds of the folks.
We might be higher served by the continuation of our traditions. Time will show us wiser, Inshallah.
—The author is Chief scientist and Head, Division of Veterinary Scientific Advanced, F. V. Sc. & A.H., SKUAST-Ok, Shuhuma Alusteng. [email protected]