Moharram delicacy 'Dum-ke-Roat'

Moharram, a 1st Islamic month has approached and the Hyderabadis beeline at the famous bakeries to purchase the delicious and crispy 'Dum-ke-Roat'.

Dum-ke-Roat is a special cookie, made with a combination of flour, semolina, sugar and nuts with a hint of nutmeg and pure ghee. It is a special dish during Moharram. In the historic city, Hyderabad which is famous for biryani, haleem and several other mouthwatering dishes, the ongoing Islamic month of Moharram is the season for this sweet baked round cookie Roat and available in many leading bakeries in the city.

While the popular biryani and most of the other delicacies are available round the year, there are few which will be available only on special occasions. The holy month of Ramadan is the season of haleem and during Moharram, Dum-ke-Roat.

It is said that the demand for Dum-ke-Roat peaks on 10th Moharram which marks the 'Youm-e-Ashoora'. On this day the traditional 'Bibi-ka-Alam' procession is taken out on an elephant from Bibi--a-Alawa in Dabeerpura to Chaderghat. The seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, is believed to have offered the Dum-ka-Roat to the 'Nala-e-Mubarak' Alam near Charminar.

Most of the leading bakeries in the city would be preparing and selling the Dum-ke-Roat during Moharram and would continue for the next 2 months. The bakeries include Karachi Bakery, Subhan Bakery, Pista House, Niloufer, Nimrah, Red Rose and several others.

Pista House which is famous for its haleem, biryani, zafrani chai, snacks and baked delicacies has now started preparing Dum ke Roat, a unique Hyderabadi cookie. The baked cookie is made of dry fruits and ghee and is associated with the month of Moharram. As the story goes, this type of cookie was offered to mourners in the Moharram procession by the Nizam and hence its significance during this period.

"The cookie is baked with a crisp outside and a soft, gooey inside, and is 100% vegetarian. The special Pista House Dum-ke-Roat is available at all Pista House outlets across Hyderabad," said Mohammed Abdul Majeed of Pista House.

The 70-year-old bakery is popular for a wide variety of cookies, especially Osmania biscuits and Dum-ke-Roat. Starting with Moharram, we sell Dum-ke-Roat for three months. We offer a unique taste with a special recipe developed by us," said Syed Irfan of Subhan Bakery whose bakery has been selling the delicacy for over five decades. Over the years, Dum-Ke-Roat became a delicacy during Moharram. Some families prefer to make them at home but a majority buys them from popular bakeries. It is usually sold in one kg and half kg packs. The increase in the cost of ingredients has made the bakeries and restaurants revise the price to Rs 50 a kg. This year, the delicacy is priced between Rs 600 to Rs 700 per kg.