News Lifestyle Ramadan celebrations: Spicy aroma of kebabs and curries in Old Delhi

Ramadan celebrations: Spicy aroma of kebabs and curries in Old Delhi

New Delhi: The spicy aroma of kebabs and curries, bright, colourful shops and stalls and crowds of happy people - many of whom indulge in shopping and feasting all night - bring the walled city




Shops and stalls with huge woks and tandoors dish out mouth-watering items like mutton nahari, korma, keema naans, biryani, kebabs and the like that make you drool for more while desserts like rabri-faluda, paneer jalebi and meetha samosa further encourage the glutton inside you.

Though, Nahari - a stew of slow cooked meat with light spices -- is perhaps the favourite dish during the season, especially eaten by those fasting, as the day's first meal before dawn.



"It provides enough protein to help us go on all day till evening when we have our second meal and break the fast," said Mansoor Alam, a shopkeeper in Meena Bazar, adding that the dish is eaten with round bread called 'khameeri roti'.

Among other favourites are khajla (pancakes) and pheni (vermicelli), which are to be eaten with milk and are especially prepared during the Ramadan month.



"Khajla is soaked in milk for a few hours before consumption while pheni is shallow fried and milk and sugar are added," said Dilawar, a worker at the popular Kallan Sweets.

"Pheni and khajla are Ramzan ka tohfa (gift of Ramadan) and are liked by all," said Ifzur Rehman, a 65-year-old pheni kiosk owner



Apart from cooked meals, dry fruits like dates, pistachios and nuts are also eaten during the month.