As is integral to the culinary practices of Muslim communities, family-style meals have always been the norm - especially during Ramadan and Eid. While the food is nothing short of indulgent, what's also most interesting is how home-cooking keeps traditions alive through food. What most of us know about a classic Eid spread would typically consist of an assortment of kebabs, biryani, pots of cold phirni and warm sheer kurma; however, regional communities have a menu of their own that differs very much from the type of food that pigeonholes the idea of eating during the celebrations.
In this vein, Slurrp caught up with two families - both with diverse representations of North Indian Muslim communities as well as South Indian ones. Gracious enough to let us in on their kitchen secrets, special preparations and the anecdotes behind why these dishes hold a special place in their hearts and hearths - we bring to you four delicious recipes to add to your Eid menu to enhance the festive cheer and make your meal a memorable one.
For Akhni Pulao:
Ingredients
- ½ kg basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
- 700 grams mutton pieces
- 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
- 150 grams yoghurt
- 2 medium-sized onions, sliced
- ½ teaspoon kevda water
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 6 bay leaves
- 1 medium-sized garlic bulb, whole
- 1 medium-sized onion, peeled
- 2 black cardamom
- 7 green cardamom
- 7 cloves
- 10-15 whole black peppercorns
- 2 pieces 1-inch cinnamon sticks
- ½ teaspoon of shahi jeera
- Pinky fingernail-sized jaiphal
- ½-inch piece javitri
- 1 star anise
Method
- Powder the jaiphal, star anise and javitri and set aside. Use a clean muslin cloth to make a packet or potli along with three bay leaves, whole onion and bulb of garlic.
- To make the akhni, add mutton and the potli into the pressure cooker, along with three bay leaves, the whole garlic bulb, whole onion and salt. Add 4 cups of water and cook it for five whistles.
- The mutton should be cooked until tender or it reaches the desired level of doneness. Allow it to cook for another 1-2 whistles if the meat takes longer to cook.
- Extract the chunks of meat from the stock and set aside while you add a cup of vegetable oil to a large cooking pot. Toss in some whole spices like cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaves, before adding the sliced onions and cooking until lightly browned.
- Save a tablespoon of cooked onions for later, while you add the ginger-garlic paste, cooked mutton chunks, powdered spice mix and yoghurt to the pot and cook for 10 minutes.
- Once the oil separates from the mixture, add in the mutton stock saved from pressure cooking the meeting along with the whole onion and bulb of garlic potli to bring to a boil.
- Add the rice to the boiling akhni along with a and half of water (check the water quantity that you plan on adding basis the rice and akhni water).
- Allow it to boil for a while and check for the two kani cooked rice consistency before reducing the flame and covering with a lid to steam until all the liquid is absorbed.
- Top up with the fried onions and kevda water; serve hot with lasoon chutney.
For Lasoon Chutney:
Image Credits: Canva
Ingredients
- 10 cloves garlic, peeled
- 8-10 Byadgi chillies
- Salt, to taste
Method
- Grind all the ingredients to a fine paste in a blender jar and transfer to a bowl.
- Make the chutney a couple of days prior to eating it, to experience an intensified flavour.
Also Read:
For Nombu Kanji:
Image Credits: Indidiet
Ingredients [For Kanji]
- ½ cup short-grain rice
- ¼ cup yellow moong dal
- 1 tomato, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
- ½ carrot, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint
- 1 cup coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- Salt, to taste
Ingredients [For Tempering]
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
- 1-inch cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1 cardamom pod
Method
- Rinse and drain the rice and moong dal 2-3 times and allow it to sit in the strainer for 10 minutes before you grind it into a coarse mixture.
- Add the oil to a pressure cooker and add the ingredients for the tempering to let them bloom. Follow this up with the ginger-garlic paste and onion to fry until aromatic and translucent.
- Add the tomato, spice powders and mint leaves to the mixture and cook for another couple of minutes, before seasoning with salt and covering the cooker to let the tomatoes turn mushy.
- Toss in the rice-lentil mixture with three cups of water and half of the coconut milk to pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. Once cooled slightly, open the cooker and use a masher to whisk the gruel for a smoother texture.
- Add the remaining coconut milk and stir well to combine before garnishing with some chopped coriander and serving warm.
For Kabab Saag:
Ingredients [For Kababs]
- 1 kilo minced mutton/chicken
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 green chillies, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh coriander, chopped
- 1-inch piece ginger, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- Salt, to taste
Ingredients [For Saag]
- 1 large tomato, pureed
- ¼ cup fresh coriander, chopped
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt, to taste
Method
- Grind the onion, garlic, green chillies, ginger and coriander to a fine paste and use half to mix into the minced meat, along with the remaining ingredients.
- Refrigerate the mince for about an hour, before shaping them into balls and allowing to rest on a plate.
- Meanwhile, heat the coconut oil in a pan and add the reserved onion paste to cook for 3-4 minutes, before you can add in the tomatoes.
- Continue to cook for 4 minutes until the oil begins to separate by the time you can add in the spice powders and season with some salt.
- Pour in the coconut milk, followed by an equal measure of water and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer in which you can drop the meatballs.
- Adjust seasoning once the meatballs have firmed up in the gravy after 10 minutes and let them cook for a further 10 minutes. Using a knife, cut into one meatball to check if they have cooked properly.
- Adjust seasoning and squeeze in the juice of a lemon. Serve hot with rice.