Sheer Khurma To Haleem: These Are The Must Eat Dishes During The Ramadan Month

Nihari – the popular breakfast dish for Hyderabadis is eaten with much gusto during this month. This dish is basically a stew of slow-cooked meat (could be beef, mutton, chicken) along with bone marrow and is usually eaten with a kulcha or roti. If you’re interested in trying this dish, it can be found in any Irani hotel in the city. But we swear by Iqbal Restaurant that’s located near Charminar or Hotel Nayaab in the same vicinity. It opens at 6 am and rush hour begins right away. Go here and break your bread (oops, kulcha) with fellow food fanatics and be merry!

Chunks of mutton are cooked on a wide stone that’s set on a flame. First, the meat is cooked until it turns brown and tender; spices are then added to it. The meat is charred at the end to give it a crispy flavour and is served with onions and a dash of lime. With many street vendors dishing out this delicacy till wee hours of the morning, they attract a good deal of crowd. So, go here one night and eat all you can. Head to Chicha's or Hotel Shadab for these. 

Perhaps no Indian festival is complete without generous helpings of dahi wada. During the Ramadan month too, this dish is a staple and you’ll find every home rustling some of it. However, several street stalls in and around the Old City sell this dish. Garnished with properly chopped coriander, pomegranate, aamchur (ground mango) powder that complements the dish and adds a twist, this is a must-eat when you’re exploring the city this month.

It doesn’t come as a surprise that over 5,000 haleem stalls are set up across the city during the Ramzan season owing to the popularity of the dish. Having garnered a massive fame globally, restaurants like Pista House are delivering it internationally too. Haleem includes minced meat (usually goat meat, beef or chicken), pounded wheat, ghee, dry fruits, spices, lentils – which are slow-cooked for nearly 12 hours to achieve the thick consistency. In the end, it is garnished with fried onions, chopped coriander, and lime. You can get a plate of this dish anywhere in several locations of Hyderabad. Find the best places for haleem here.

Say hello to shahi tukda, the sweeter little cousin of double-ka-meetha. Crispy, crumbly, and dipped in malai, this decadent serving is often the perfect end to an Iftar meal. Prepared with condensed milk, roasted dry fruits, bread, etc, this is served in many locations in the city. Get a scoop or two of this, won’t you? You can head to Karim's - The Original from Jama Masjid Delhi 6 in Tolichowki and try this dish.

Festivals call for something festive. And what’s more festive than a bowl of sheer khurma? A vermicelli pudding that is prepared with dried dates is popular not just during Eid but also Ramzan. While this Persian dish makes for a delicious dessert, it can also be eaten for breakfast. If you’re someone with a sweet tooth and on a food crawl during this season, then you cannot miss the food stalls selling sheer khurma.