On a leisurely Sunday stroll through Bhendi Bazaar, the air is thick with the sharp, fresh scent of winter. Rows of vendors line the streets, their carts overflowing with vibrant green garlic — bundles stacked high, roots still dusty, leaves glistening in the sun. Some vendors chop the shoots on the spot, rhythmic knives moving swiftly as they pack the fragrant greens into plastic containers, ready for eager enthusiasts like us who toss it into everything, from eggs to parathas to salads. For more seasoned cooks, green garlic isn’t just produce; it’s a signal that winter — though short lived in the city — has arrived, and it’s time for slow-cooked, nourishing meals.

For chef Natasha Gandhi Grover, green garlic is winter in its truest form. “As a child, I was always puzzled — why did this ‘garlic’ have long white hair?” she laughs. It appeared unfailingly in winter meals. Friends brought undhiyu in their tiffins, and one bite was enough to announce the season, that mild, fresh green-garlic flavour running through every spoonful.