Mumbai in Ramzaan

The holi month of Ramzaan is here again & Im heading out like every year to Mohammed Ali road in south Mumbai. Although its a lil too crowded, one may think of avoiding walking into the crouds but i suggest walking is the best way to sample the delicacies & take in the aromas.

The sidewalks on this road & in the bylanes on both sides,  in the evening after 7pm are filled with road side stalls selling all the lip-smaking Muslim fare from sheek kababs to phirni. 

Some road side delicacies:

Sheek kabab (mutton/beef)

Shammi kabab(mutton/beef)

Firni

Malpoa

Beef curry

Beef samosa

Chicken kababs

Bhaja fry(brain fry)

Kidney fry

Nalli nihari

Paya(soup/stew)

Kalegi masala(liver)

The fully lit Minara masjid is a must watch & the scandalising aromas of the barbeques,smoke from the grills & the burnt flavour of roast chicken are enough reasons for me to resist!

Two distinct Muslim communities reside here i.e.  shia-sunni muslims & bohri muslims who have their Bohra masjid a little ahead of Minara.

Two of the best restaurants to eat out here(dats if you are cleanliness & standard conscious & if you are still hungry after trying out the road-side savouries) are-

Noor mohammadi – try sanju baba chicken & nalli nihari(check if its beef/mutton)

Al-madina - all curries, dry frys,sukha masalas,kababs are good

beef samosas

 malpoa

 sheek kababs

 sheera

 phirni

mutton fry, kalegi sukha, tandori chicken

Try these at home,they are yummy!

Kesari  phirni

Ingredients:

Rice, (basmati) soaked for 1 hour - 5 tablespoons Milk full cream - 1 litre Sugar - 3/4 cup Green cardamom powder  - 1/2 teaspoon Saffron (kesar) soaked in milk - a generous pinch Gulab jal(rose water) - 1 tbsp Almonds, Pistachios blanched, peeled and sliced - 10 - 15

Method:
Drain and grind the rie to a coarse paste. Bring milk to a boil. Add rice paste to milk. Cook till milk thickens to coat back of spoon, stirring constantly. Add sugar and cardamom powder and cook till sugar is completely dissolved. Add saffron,rose water and mix well. Pour into earthenware or china bowls and garnish with dry fruits. Chill in a refrigerator for an hour before serving.

Sheek kabab

Ingredients:

500 gms Lamb Mince(Keema)
Brown Color
3/4 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Garlic (Lasun) paste
1 tblsp Raw Papaya Paste
1 tsp Ginger (Adrak) Paste
2 tblsp Cashewnut (Kaju)
2 tsp thick Cream (Malai)
2 Onion (Pyaj)
2 tsp Carom Seeds / Thyme (Ajwain)
2 tsp Dried Mango Powder (Amchoor)
2 tblsp Rock Salt (Kala Namak)
3 tblsp Cumin Seed (Jeera)
1 tblsp Dry Ginger (Saunth)
1 tsp Black Pepper (Kali Mirch)
1/2 tsp Nutmeg Powder(Jaiphal)

Method:

• Wash the keema and put in a strainer and gently press to squeezeout all the water.
• Mix all the ingredients to the keema and knead well.
• Keep aside for 1 hour.
• Heat a gas oven or an electric oven with the skewers.
• Take a big ball of the keema mixture and hold a hot skewer carefully in the other hand.
• Press the mince on to a hot skewer.
• The keema will immediately stick to the hot skewer.
• Repeat with left over mince on all the other skewers.
• Place the skewers in the oven.
• Keep rotating the skewers occasionally.
• When cooked, gently remove the kababs from the skewers with the help of a napkin.
• Shallow fry the kababs on a nonstick pans in 1 tablespoon oil.
• To serve sprinkle some chat masala and lemon juice on the kababs.