Hyderabad: This Ramzan, pamper your tastebuds with Kebabs, Pathar-ka-gosht in city

Hyderabad: There's a saying 'A family that eats together stays together'. This is observed during most of the festivities when every family fast together and also eat together. During Ramzan, apart from the day-long fasting and prayers, it is also time for families and friends to come together and eat together. Hyderabad is the gourmet paradise of food, and in Ramzan, besides Hyderabadi Biryani, Haleem, Kebabs and pathar-ka-gosht has also been attracting both foodies and non-foodies.

George Bernard Shaw says, "There is no love sincerer than the love of food." Food is the ideal way to celebrate the month of Ramzan and can bring anything other than Kebabs and Haleem.

In Hyderabad, if bagara khana and keema are most sought after for Sehri (pre-dawn meal), Kebabs-Laccha Paratha, Haleem, Arabian Ghava are favourites after Iftar. People have been receiving new and old recipes well and one can see a growing liking towards variety of kebabs like tangdi, chicken, boti, shami, sheek, mutton, malai, reshmi, pathar-ka-gosht, malai paya and mutton marg are some of the biggest hits for the Hyderabadis.

The city hardly sleeps during the month as markets run round-the-clock. Hotels, restaurants and eateries close after the pre-dawn meal for an hour or two. In Ramzan, striking features in the by-lanes of the Old City are the variety of food that are on offer. Streets like City College, Hussaini Alam, Mallepally, Tolichowki, Lakdi-ka-pul, Malakpet and Banjara Hills, dozens of temporary food stalls have been set up for a month.

These temporary stalls sell delicacies such as Marag, Pathar-ka-Gosht, Kebabs and perennial favourites such as Al-Akbar's Chicken 65, Shahran's Seekh Kebabs, Royal's Fish, and Nayab's Malai Paya and Kheema-Gurda-Kaleji.

Mariya Kulsum with her husband and a toddler at a street food corner in Old city said it is refreshing to have something other than Biryani. The small eatery has a wide range of veg and non-veg delicacies on the menu.

Al-Farooj Sonu Kebabs at Hussaini Alam, there are close to 30 dishes that one can eat. Top favourites are pathar-ka-gosht that is cooked on slow fire over a stone and Kebabs. Mohammed Amjad, owner of Al-Farooj Sonu Kebabs said beside this, Achari Chicken, Malai Chicken, Sticks, rolls and many different items are available and only available in the month of Ramzan. "For the last 15 years, pathar-ka-gosht has been available here and now the street is famous as pathar ka gosht street," added Amjad.

He said "People are not hesitant about coming out and eating now, in fact, numbers have grown in recent years. Moreover, non-Muslims brothers with their family visit the street to have the gosht and kebabs and people are complimenting us," he added. There are several such groups of friends as well as families eating the Ramzan feast outside. They say, "We eat home-cooked food daily for the rest of the year, but in Ramzan, there are several dozen dishes which will only be available during Ramzan and this cannot be missed, especially kebabs and pathar-ka-gosht," said Tariq Omer.

Sujit Kumar, a foodie said that from veg-delicacies for vegetarians to the dozens of non-veg dishes are available only in Ramzan. If one eats a dish or a platter each day, then a month is not enough, he says. "Whenever I am on my food walks, I try to find something that I haven't tried before. But, eating kebabs is a different thing."

The stretch between Tolichowki and Mehdipatnam has its own stories to tell and flavours to entice you with. But that's a story for another time and another day.

Arabian Ghava eclipses Irani chai, turns most fav hot beverage now

Hyderabad is renowned for its delicious Irani chai, but the city has more to offer in terms of hot beverages with the Arabian Ghava being a popular option. Along with traditional Arabian dishes such as mandi and kabsa available throughout the year, seasonal delicacies like Haleem and Kebabs, along with the Arabic Ghava in various flavors, are in high demand during Ramzan. Many people, especially youngsters, flock to Ghava centres after night prayers to enjoy a hot cup of this Arabian drink.

Considered a healthy drink, it is made by grinding coffee beans, dried ginger, and other spices. While the holy month of Ramzan increases the consumption of fruits, particularly dates, Ghava has become a significant drink among young people who want a change from regular tea or coffee. The Mashallah Arabi Ghawa in Hussaini Alam, run by Amjad Khan, has become a popular Ghava point in the entire Old City. What began as a small stall 15 years ago has now become a landmark and preferred destination due to this Arabian drink.

According to Amjad, the original Arabian Ghava is prepared without milk, but Hyderabadis prefer it with milk. To prepare Ghava, important ingredients like dry ginger (saunt), coffee seeds, cardamom, cinnamon are ground and added to boiling milk, with sugar added for taste. This drink is considered an energy drink and is consumed for medical reasons as well.

Dozens of outlets and roadside stalls in and around Barkas, an area in the Old city known for its strong roots with Arab countries, offer piping hot Ghava, which is also in high demand. In Barkas, Ghava is prepared in water by mixing coffee seed powder, cardamom, and a small quantity of cinnamon. Arq-e-gulab or rose water is also added for a good smell. Milk or sugar is not mixed in the original Ghava. The drink is taken in small quantities, and since it is bitter in taste, dates are also taken with it. The Arabic Ghava is considered good for health as it energizes the body, refreshes the mind, and helps with digestion.