While it is the holy month of Ramzan, it is also a time when the city is treated to some gastronomic delights that are available only around this time of the year. Iftar in Bangalore has grown a great deal over the years and it is an annual event that is now well looked forward to by people across faiths. My favourites at this time are listed here.
Patthar Ka Ghosht
This is a dish that is not really available as soon as Iftar opens for the day. You have to wait for the stone slab to be slowly heated on coals or wood and only when it reaches a particular temperature, will you have marinated meat placed on it and cooked for a while. Patience is the key here and you will not be disappointed. Do make sure to reserve a couple of plates of this dish before you head out to the other stalls. They get picked up very soon.
Veal Kebab
Small chunks of Veal that is tossed in either a red masala or a green one. You will see scores of Kadais across stalls quickly giving an order a final saute before they place it on a paper plate, throw on some onions and wedges of lime and slam it into your hands. They have to be eaten hot or else tend to get rubbery. Scoring some idiyappam to go with it is a great choice.
Quail
Now, if you do ask for a marinated and grilled Quail, be warned that the whole bird is usually handed over once it is done, which means this is an option only if you are sure to share. Marinades are the usual red and green masala based ones, but each stall does it differently and I have tried so many versions. So should you.
Dates
Now, this may not sound as fancy as the rest of the dishes, but the fact is that at this time of the year, there are always a few stalls that bring in a whole load of imported dates and other dry fruits and set up shop. Some of these stalls also sell desserts made of them, but by and large, there are a whole collection of dry fruits for you to choose from
Harira
Of course, when you are going through all that meat, you will want something to wash it all down with. The 'Kashmiri Shakes', 'Faloodas', 'Kulukki Juices' etc are all par for the course. What I personally love having is the warm Harira – milk that is steeped for hours with a bit of saffron, dry fruits and sugar. You will find deep vessels with this bubbling all the time. A glassful of this and you can go home completely satiated.
Now, these are my favourites picks of the season and these are, of course, besides the wonderful kebabs, Haleems and Biryanis you also get around this time. What I also recommend are the camel meat dishes that make an appearance. Some of the best places to head to for these dishes are the
• Mosque road in Frazer town
• Bilal Masjid at Bannerghatta
• Koramangala Mosque Road
• Tilaknagar
• Johnson Market
If you are looking for a classier experience, the holy month of Ramadan is being celebrated at the Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway with its Iftar Food Festival on for dinner till 14th June. On the menu, there will be options such as Haleem, Mutton Biryani, Semiya, Nally Nihari along with the live counters for Kebabs, Keema Parantha. The spread is endless with the buffet dinner also featuring beverages & desserts like Roohafza, Rose Milk & Phirni to name just a few.
Venue: Feast, Lobby Level | Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway
Date: 25th May – 14th June 2018
Time: 07:00 PM Onwards
Price: INR 1700++ (Dinner)
Back by popular demand by the travellers, the Plaza Premium Lounge India at Kempegowda International Airport Bangalore is inviting guests travelling with friends and families to come together to break their fast with a sumptuous Iftar Buffet this Ramadan while on the go. Inspired by traditional Arabic hospitality and cuisine, the Iftar Buffet at Plaza Premium Lounge India takes guests on a culinary voyage. Guests can look out for classic dishes such as Chicken Haleem, Cocktail Samosa, Fattoush, Baba Ganoush Salad, Chicken Kabza and much much more! The dessert table consists of Basboosa, the all-time
Favourite Um-Ali & Baklava, Semolina Cake, Dates Square and more!
Venue: Plaza Premium Lounge, International Departures at Bangalore and Hyderabad Airports
When: On till 15th June 2018
Price: Lounge access starts at Rs.1800 plus taxes
*This promotion is limited to select lounges across Bangalore and Hyderabad Airports.
Ruth Dsouza Prabhu has been a media professional for 18 years now, across multiple platforms. As a passionate F&B writer, she has interacted personally with internationally renowned names such as Marco Pierre White, Janice Wong, Chef Vivek Singh, Chef Vikas Khanna, Madhur Jaffrey, the late Tarla Dalal and many others for her stories. A highlight has been personal interviews with all three of the celebrity judges on Masterchef Australia. She is on several jury panels of food and beverage awards, is sought after for opinions in the field by publications and has her work published in well-known names such as The Hindu, Firstpost, HuffPost India, Condé Nast Traveller, NatGeo Traveller among many others.
