JOIN USCome Ramzan and pushcarts filled with mouth-watering goodies line the busy streets of Shivajinagar, Mosque Road, MM Road and Kammanahalli. These stretches transform into a virtual food street for a month and attract people of all religions and age groups. Most families drive in from far-flung areas to try the meat dishes, rolls, biryani, dry-fruit based items and sweets.
Khan, a businessman, says that he waits for the month of Ramzan to arrive. “It’s a great way to detoxify and unlike what most people think, fasting doesn’t tire one out but leaves them feeling more energetic. I usually break my fast with fruits and top it up with kebabs and meat rolls,” explains Khan.
Traditional sweets such as ‘Mamoul’, made from walnuts, ‘Ramzan Pidesi’ (special pita bread for Ramzan) and ‘halwa’ (thick paste made with sesame or tahini including chocolate, pistachio or plain) are made in every house and are available in food stalls in Shivajinagar, Mosque Road, Johnson Market and KR Market. Zaki, Shama and their children Mehvish and Zohaib live in BTM Layout but they never miss a chance to visit Mosque Road when the fasting begins.
“We break our fast at one of the stalls on Mosque Road. The food is made right in front of our eyes and it’s delicious. The variety is truly mind-blowing,” explains Zaki. His wife Shama says that she tries to make the same dishes at home but can never get the same taste. They love the ‘falooda’, mutton ‘biryani’, ‘khajur’ and ‘kebabs’ here.
Medical practitioners Shalini and Priyanka read about the food stalls on Facebook and decided to pay a visit. “We’re open to trying out all kinds of cuisines. Exploring the food here has always been on the cards. Be it the meat rolls, sweets or fresh fruit juices, they all have a distinct flavour. And the pricing is reasonable as well,” feel Shalini and Priyanka.
There are not less than 50 to 60 stalls on Mosque Road and about 35 stalls near Russell Market. Sayeed Khan, who runs a stall in Shivajinagar, informs that he starts preparing the food by 4 pm every evening. “The meat is bought fresh and the sweets are prepared in the afternoon. We make sure we pack and store the food in neat containers just to keep it clean and fresh,” says Sayeed. Zakeem, who runs a ‘kebab’ and ‘haleem’ stall on Mosque Road says, “Cooking and frying of the meat starts towards the evening. The meat is marinated and fried only when an order is placed. People may have to wait but they will get their order straight off the ‘tava’,” he says.