When the sound of the Azan blends in the morning air and wakes us all, we take a resolution to live a new day with decorum. But in the month of Ramzan, the day begins a few hours early with sehri, when one takes an early meal before sunrise and oaths not to sip a drop of water throughout the day until sunset. Upon completion of the day’s fast, during Iftar, it is customary to feed on the best food one can afford. The season of faith, fast and all goodness comes with an added beauty — the art of culinary display.
Various fascinating dishes have been developed and invented over the generations of the Mughals and Nawabs, from which we get an extended access to delicious items this season. Though the morning sehri begins with light and nutritious foods like milk, bread, bananas and sevaiyan, Iftar welcomes some of the most desired dishes and fruits. Exquisite preparations of meat, rice and sevaiyan with a dash of rich dry fruits mix are awaited by everyone post the fast.
To enjoy the evenings with good delicacies, one not only feasts at home but also steps out often to the finest restaurants in town to savour some of the best dishes. What other place is possibly more welcoming than Chandni Chowk and Chawri Bazaar in the national Capital when it comes to delight a gourmet? If you have had enough of tasting around in the most expensive restaurants in town, you must step in to the Jama Masjid neighbourhood without a second thought. You might be left bemused to choose from the multifarious display of magnificent gastronomy. For meat lovers, there are chicken/mutton biryanis, chicken qorma, chicken chaap, chicken tikka, mutton burra, reshmi kebabs, seekh kebabs, shami kebabs, galouti kebabs, halim, kaleji gosht, malai gosht and murgh mussalam among many others.
“The most sold item during Ramzan are chicken biryani and chicken qorma, people just love them,” explained Md Shahnawaz waving his ladle dripping with chicken qorma gravy. “The place remains crowded since the bazaar is open late till 2-3 am at night for ‘sehri’ during this time. We get customers throughout the day, but like all round the year some of the most sold items would include mutton qorma, tandoori chicken and mutton burra,” said Sohail, owner of one of the famous restaurants in the Jama Masjid neighbourhood.
Those who wish to choose vegetarian food will also be delighted to know about some beautiful dishes like shahi paneer, malai kofta, paneer tikka, sheermaal among many others awaiting to be dug upon. Snacks are a favourite round the year; hence with samosas and various pakodas you may as well light up your taste buds. “Keeme ka samosa and paneer jalebi are our speciality during the month of Ramzan,” said a halwai at a sweetmeat shop in Chawri Bazar.
How’s a meal complete without a dash of sweetness? Now, here’s the vast range of mouthwatering desserts — phirni, kheer, sevaiyan, mango shrikhand, gulab jamun and jalebi. “There’s no hard and fast rule for one to feed on any particular kind of food. It is said that when Ramzan was started by Prophet Mohammad in Arabia, dates were found in abundance there, hence there is a custom of having dates during Ramzan. Based on the area, people can eat accordingly. At home we usually eat various pakode, choora, chana and chicken. During Iftar it is important to drink something to quench one’s thirst and gain energy at the end of the day, so we drink Rooh Afza or any other sweetened drink,” explained Sagheer Ahmed.
With a few more days left of the holy month, do try to explore the various possible dishes from the food-hub of the city and help yourselves create an aromatic and delicious memory.