-Dr. Abdul Ruff
Though spiritually enriching and joyous, the fasting during the Holy Ramadan month is indeed a tedious task, even if one is not working in the hot sun. It is not an easy job to stay without food and water for the whole day from dawn to dusk and the human conditions towards the evening are indeed very torturous and painful. Muslims perform the Fasting plus prayers, willingly to surrender before the God’s will. Particularly last few minutes are towards the dusk Muslims fasting regularly would remember and praise God with intensity.
Once they break the fast, Muslims are supposed to drink and eat enough to fast in fitness. Some Muslims do not eat much after breaking their fast and continue to be engaged in prayers. Islamic Prophet Muhammad (SAS), was not eating enough and at times almost starving, but He never asked his followers to eat less or not to eat.
However, Muslims take food as much as they want. If they don’t eat well, completing all the days of Ramadan month becomes difficult. Some Muslims gradually reduce the intake of food during the Fasting season, and they say they do not feel hungry.
Ramazan is here, and so is the love for iftar food; a huge part of the festivities, Eid special food is high on everyone’s mind. While cooking might not be everybody’s liking, eating varieties would certainly be. One can choose from some of the most iconic restaurants in the main towns in India like Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Delhi-NCR for that Eid party, and you will be nothing less than heartily satiated.
There are great delicacies for Eid in old Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai, both for the flavors as well as the surprisingly low-priced meals. While seekh parathas are a must-have at Al Rehmani, you shouldn’t skip mutton masala as well. Deceptive in its looks, Surti 12 Handi offers great food, but no luxury and that is why it attracts only the most ardent of foodies, sans any frills. Must-haves at this century-old eatery are nihari and Italian goat stew!
Area near Jama mosque has a number of restaurants serving special Ramadan dishes.
If eager for a typical Bohri experience for Ramazan feast one has the best dabba gosht and mutton samosas.
Anyone who has visited Hyderabad during the Ramadan month would have noticed and even enjoyed special delicacies like haleem and harees- dishes made mainly of wheat and mutton, chicken and masala, etc. They are cooked for hours in large vessels, Secunderabad also has many places to taste these special foods.
There are places that can be compared to what Tesla workshop is to the world of innovation! Mumbai has the inventors of patrel biryani—biryani without rice! What to have here? Well, patrel biryani of course.
What’s Ramazan without plates full of desserts! If you agree to my list of Ramazan essential delicacies, JJ Jalebi Corner is just the place. Apart from the delicious foods, rich jalebis, it is the go-to place for malpuas (they also have egg malpuas).
Not to leave the capital city behind, we have a Ramazan special restaurant line up for Delhi as well. Covering the best of Old Delhi (of course), these five amazing places are spread across Noida, Gurgaon, Central, and South Delhi as well. Choose one, choose all and gorge.
Think of good food in the capital and you cannot help but land in Old Delhi. And if your thoughts are already hovering around here, Al Jawahar is your place. Go for nihari, paya and khameeri roti to go along with. Word has it that people love it more than Karim’s,
Food so good—this is what you can say about the Restaurants offering special dishes. Long queues are a regular feature; more so during Ramazan. So, get in time if you have the desire to dig into the best bheja masala, kalmi kebab, and mutton nihari.
If a swanky place is what you prefer to break bread this Ramazan go to Gurgaon This place is much loved for its signature range of Pakistani dishes. We recommend haleem, Sikandari naan, and kakori kebab. If you are left with an appetite even after gulping all this down, there is more goodness on the menu to dig into. Not covering Noida in the perfect food trail for Ramazan would be a sin, so we tell you the very best. Not a restaurant or two, Noida has a whole market for you.
Yes, we are talking about the Brahmaputra Market and its neat rows of stalls doling out the best non-vegetarian food that you can imagine. Must-haves here are drool-worthy biryani, chicken rolls, and kebabs, made fresh and to order.
You’ll fall in love with the Afghani, and Iranian cuisine served at Nooshe Joon and, my word, you’ll be in love forever. Order plates full of zereshk polo ba murgh, berry pulao, chicken and lamb skewers; they have a delightful range of Iranian sherbets as well.
Other honorable mentions to this list are Gole Hatti, Karim’s, Sindhi Chicken and Aslam Chicken Corner from Delhi. Mumbai, of course, has more names than Delhi, including the iconic Bademiyan, Al-Madina, Noor Mohammadi Hotel and Jaffer Bhai’s Delhi Darbar.
Rather than waiting for Eid, one would recommend heading to these every evening for iftar and try all. You would not want to miss all the good, rich food in Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Delhi. Luck now also has a few places to relish Ramadan delicacies.
My word, do not miss.
Go now! Enjoy. If you miss this time, you may have to wait for another year.
Maybe, some standard restaurants serve on order these special dishes throughout the year.