The prevailing wave of price hikes and high cost of living that affected the lifestyle of people by forcing many to restrict to very basic needs of life fails to dent the fondness of Peshawarities for the centuries-old tradition of ‘Churri’ preparation during the Islamic month of Safar.
‘Churri’, a sweet food composite made up of coarsely ground corn flour bread mixed with raisin, coconut, almond, fennel seeds, cardamom, and peanuts, is a centuries-old traditional delicacy of Peshawar and still enjoys the liking of the city dwellers.
The tradition of preparing and serving sweet ‘Churri’ is strictly confined to the month of `Safar’.
In the prevailing current month of Safar, bakers are busy in the fulfilment of orders for ‘Churri’ preparation by customers.
“We are offering one kg of ‘Churri’ prepared in pure cooking oil (ghee) at a rate of Rs 800 per kg and sell around 80 to 90 kg on a daily basis,” informed an owner of a bakery in city area.
With its deep roots in our tradition and norms, people give due importance to ‘Churri’ preparation and sending it to relatives, the bakery owner opined.
Taking financial benefits of local traditions that permeate society, owners of bakers and confectionaries have also displayed signs and boards informing customers about the availability of ‘Churri’.
Special orders with additional ingredients are also served, reads the inscription on sign boards. A salesman at Peshawar’s prominent Salman Bakery informed that they regularly prepare and sell ‘Churri’ in the month of Safar.
“As the month of Safar starts, elderly women in Peshawar city make arrangements for preparation of Churri which is distributed among poor, neighbours and relatives as well,” explains Muhammad Zia-ud-Din, a local researcher who works for Ghandhara Hindko Board, a literary, cultural and social welfare organization.
The city dwellers also seem to complain to their neighbours and relatives over ignoring them in the distribution of the Churri during the season, he remarked.
This concept gave birth to this tradition in past and the city dwellers are continuing the practice despite of the fact that a lot of old traditions have withered away in the present age of modernity and inflation.
Giving details about the recipe of ‘Churri’, an elderly female from Peshawar informed that special corn flour dough is prepared which is filled with oil especially pure (Desi ghee). Some people add sugar to sweeten of the flour and some like jaggery (Gur), She added.
The baked bread is spread in pieces on a long sheet spread over an open place in the house and inmates, mostly female and kids, start crushing them with hands into small pieces. Later, the crushed bread is mixed with different items like coconut, dry fruit, and fennel seeds which serve as condiments and enhance flavour of the product.
The woman, who is in her late 70’s, said crushing bread by hand is a difficult task and is becoming difficult for the new generation.
However, she went on to say, the preparation of ‘Churri’ by bakaries has made it easy for youngsters to maintain the traditions besides enjoying it.
Javed, an owner of a bakery in Warsak road has also showcased Churri decorated with dry fruit to attract customers.
This is a traditional food of Peshawarites and is demanded by customers in the holy month of Safar, therefore we make arrangements for its sale, Javed told APP.
The preparation method of Churri is changed with the passage of time from hand grinding to machine grinding, Javed informed.
The bakery owners bake brown flour dough in the oven and crush the baked flour in a grinder after which other ingredients are mixed in it, he added.