Savour veg Ramzan dishes

Krishnaraj Iyengar

The Islamic month of Ramzan (Ramadan in original Arabic) involves 30 days of fasting and prayer, ending in Eid-ul-Fitr. It marks the period when the first verse of the Koran was revealed to the Prophet. During Ramzan, Muslims commence their day with a pre-fast meal known as suhoor (sehri in India), consumed before dawn. The day-long fast concludes with the iftaar, the meal consumed around sunset.

ARABO-TURKISH KUNEFEH RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• Indian vermicelli 200 gm (lachcha shemai/pheni)
• Unsalted butter 100 gm
• Mozzarella cheese 125 gm
• Syrup (granulated sugar 125 gm, half lemon & 75 ml water
• A handful of pistachios can be added while cooking (optional)

METHOD

• Combine sugar, water and a slice of lemon in a saucepan. Stir well. Bring it to boil and let it simmer for 15 minutes to make the syrup. Remove from heat and cool it to room temperature.
• Generously grease two small pans or one large pan with softened butter. Place a handful of vermicelli into the two small pans (if two are preferred) and spread it over the bottom and the edges. Press it down with your hand or with the bottom of a container until it becomes even and firm.
• Spread the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly on it, leaving a little space around the edges.
• Place another batch of vermicelli over the cheese. Make sure that all the cheese is covered well, especially around the edges. Press down again until it becomes even and firm.
• Put the pan over medium heat and bring it to low heat once it gets warm. Cook until the bottom is golden. (Check with the help of a spatula or the tip of a knife).
• Place a plate on the vermicelli and quickly flip it. Be careful when doing this as the pan and preparation will be hot.
• Put around 1 tsp butter in the pan and when it melts, slide the vermicelli cake on the plate back into the pan. Cook the other side for 4-5 minutes or until golden. Remove from heat.
• Pour one or two servings of cooled syrup over the hot dessert. Garnish with ground pistachio and serve immediately.

Although Muslim cuisine the world over is predominantly meat-centric, Ramzan often inspires fascinating vegetarian innovations. While many Indian Muslim households experiment with tantalising delicacies that involve an interesting variety of vegetables, roots, raisins and milk, many chefs too make sehri and iftaar delightful with their all-green innovations.

“Sehri usually comprises high-energy nutritious food to sustain us until iftaar and hence, it’s usually meat. But the traditional Assamese gakhir kol preparation (milk and bananas), often mixed with joha, an aromatic rice variety, is quite nourishing. While bananas and rice, full of starch, provide carbs and energy, milk gives protein and soothes the stomach,” shares Tajul Islam Bakshi.

The Assam-based renowned agarwood distiller shares a culinary passion with his Afghani wife Begum Sania Feda Taj. During Ramzan, their household wafts with fragrance of dishes from these diverse regions of the world. “The traditional vegetarian Afghan borani is a simple yet sumptuous sehri delight — fried eggplant with curd spiced with garlic paste. It is embellished with onions, chillies, masalas and often, tomatoes. Naan varieties generally accompany borani.” The legendary bolani is the Afghani equivalent of the Punjabi aloo parantha, she explains. “This flatbread stuffed with potatoes, onions, cilantro, chilli pepper and spices is a meal by itself and ideal for sehri,” she adds.

India’s legacy of Awadhi cuisine unveils a treasure house of vegetarian delights. With its rich culinary repertoire of both meats as well as vegetables, it offers ample scope for innovation. At Kolkata’s iconic Aminia restaurant, executive chef Sharafat Ali prepares a platter of easy-to-cook Ramzan offerings. His mildly spicy kathal biryani is made with unripe jackfruit (kathal), basmati rice, yoghurt and many aromatic spices and herbs. The gluten-free dish is prepared in the traditional dum technique, which requires food to be cooked on a slow fire in a sealed clay pot.

His homely dum aloo Banarasi also symbolises pluralism as it is associated with Ramzan as well as Krishna Janmashtami in the holy city of Varanasi. Cooked sans onions and garlic, the humble potato curry is a treat for the tastebuds nonetheless. “Don’t be fooled by its seemingly simple description! The magic lies in the intricate balance of spices and the slow-cooking method, which ensures every bite bursts with flavour and texture,” smiles Chef Sharafat.

While his Punjabi-style dal makhani attracts gourmands from all communities during Ramzan, no Muslim celebration is complete without sweet treats.

The Arabo-Turkish kunafa, also called kunefeh, a cheese-stuffed vermicelli pastry, is a melt-in-the-mouth dessert. With Chef Sharafat’s technique, one can easily prepare kunefeh at home. He says, “My simplified rendition uses locally available ingredients like Indian vermicelli (lachcha shemai), meticulously broken down to meld seamlessly with butter and sugar. The filling, a luscious blend of cream cheese, Greek yoghurt, muscovado (unrefined cane sugar) and mozzarella cheese, harmonises perfectly with the fragrant rose water syrup drizzle.”

Muslim communities across India sprinkle-in local culinary influences as they prepare sehri and iftaar meals. Along with hearty snacks, dates, fruits, raisins and nuts, tea varieties, too, find place in the Ramzan platter. The famous Malabari Sulaimani chai, a spicy mélange of black tea with lemon, mint, cardamom, cinnamon and ginger, for instance, is an iftaar favourite with many South Indian Muslims. Members of Gujarat’s Ismaili Aga Khani community prepare a sweet delight for sehri. “Before we begin roza (fast), a helping of Ismaili seera is a must. It’s simply semolina cooked in ghee and dry fruits, soaked in sugar water. Mother’s love is, of course, the secret ingredient!” shares Mumbai-based banker Shamim Masani.

Apart from elaborate dishes, bhajiya, considered India’s favourite fried food, is an iftaar staple. Noted sitar maestro Zunain Halim Khan believes that despite the predominance of meat, bhajiya takes centrestage during iftaars across India. “It’s bliss incarnate! Be it aloo (potato) bhajiya, pyaaz aur kothmir bhajiya (onion and coriander) or mirch bhajiya cooked with long green chilies, it is pivotal to iftaar. Bhajiyas cooked in bulk are even sent to mosques to provide iftaar to worshippers from economically weaker sections,” he says.

Zunain, also a talented cook, believes that while meat offers a wider scope for structural innovation like mincing into keema or chopping into kebabs, one can never undermine the sheer diversity of flavours that vegetarian cuisine mesmerises the palate with.  

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