The month of Ramadan is about to end. But, it is never too late to dig into sumptuous food. As sights and aromas of delicacies like biriyani, meat salans and sheer korma waft towards you making your mouth water, we tell you about some delicacies from across India that you must try this Ramadan.
Haleem, Hyderabad: With pounded lentils and meat slowly cooked to make a flavourful stew, haleem is as nutritious as it is tasty. High on calories, this dish is consumed for instant energy. Originally an Arabic dish that became part of Mughal cuisine, this dish now forms an important part of Hyderabadi cuisine. Haleem includes spices like ginger-garlic paste, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, caraway seeds and pepper.
Bara handi, Mumbai: Bara handi is a banquet of 12 different meat dishes cooked in spices for close to 10 hours till all the flavours are ingrained and the meat is tender. This delicacy is the speciality of the place named after it—Surti 12 Handi at Bohri Mohalla near Mohammed Ali road, Mumbai. Meats used in the various dishes are paya or trotters, pichota or rump, sookha or a thicker cut of meat and nalli or bone.
Unnakaya, Kozhikode: Travel south to Kozhikode or Calicut and you will find food with Arabian influences. One popular delicacy is unnakaya or deep-fried stuffed plantain. This forms an important part of Iftar menu in Kerala. The plantain is carved and stuffed with a mixture of coconut, cashew, raisins, sugar and cardamom.
Bhajiya, Kolkata: Bhajiya or a special snack made from friend potato and spinach is a popular item in Kolkata to have for Iftar. It is available at Haji Alauddin Sweets, a store which is more than hundred years old. A kilo of bhajiya here costs Rs 440 as it is fried in pure ghee. To make this at home, you will need to coat potato and spinach in a mixture of besan or chickpea flour and spices like red chilli powder, dry mango powder, crushed coriander seeds, cumin and asafoetida.
Zaffrani pulao, Lucknow: A recipe from Awadhi cuisine, the Zaffrani pulao is a must try when in Lucknow and when best to try it than during Ramadan? The recipe demands fragrant basmati rice to be cooked in a rich blend of spices with dry fruits thrown in for its distinct sweet, nutty flavour. Fried onions and a mint leaf garnish makes the dish unique.
