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While everyone knows that Eid Ul-Fitr is known as Meethi Eid and is celebrated after a month of fasting during Ramadan, do you know why Eid-Ul-Adha is celebrated and why it is called Bakra Eid? Stories from the Quran explain that Allah asked Prophet Ibrahim to make a sacrifice, but the latter did not have anything to offer. So, Prophet Ibrahim offered up his son as a sacrifice and Allah was so pleased that He himself provided a ram for sacrifice, sparing Prophet Ibrahim’s son.
This story is not only about enduring the pain of sacrifice to please God, but also about making sacrifices and getting blessings of abundance and community love in return. Even today, the central feature of Bakra Eid is the sacrifice of an animal, which is why this Eid is also called Kurbani Eid. The sacrificed animal, which is considered blessed, is then divided into three sectors: You are supposed to keep one part for yourself, distribute one third among friends and relatives, and donate one third to the poor as an act of charity.
Bakra Eid also commemorates the end of the Hajj pilgrimage for a particular year. If this sounds like a festival you want to know more about, then read on. Slurrp caught up with Indian chefs and food experts from different regions of India to understand what this festival of sacrifice means to them, what their memories of Bakr Eid are, and of course, what their favourite foods to eat on this Eid are. From Lucknow and Rampur’s lanes to Malabar’s coastline, from the bustling streets of Old Delhi to those of Kolkata, these experts will take you through Bakra Eid experiences you never knew about.
Image Credit: Chef Izzat Hussain
Dr Izzat Hussain, Veteran Chef And Awadhi Cuisine Expert
“The sacrificial animal used to come home a few days ahead of Eid and we kids used to play with them,” says Chef Hussain. “We knew the goats would be sacrificed and we used to cry a lot when they died.” He also explains that the female of the species is never sacrificed because she is seen as a provider of milk and she is cared for so that she reproduces more. “So that helps balance the population of goats because it's more environmentally responsible to sacrifice the male instead of the female,” he says. “Plus, not a bit of the sacrificial animal is wasted, so I'd say this is an eco-friendly practice.”
When it comes to the dishes that are cooked, Chef Hussain explains that it all starts with liver. “The first thing that is cooked with the sacrificial meat is the liver or kaleji, because it cooks the fastest. So, the first thing we have is Bhuna Kaleji with roti,” he explains. “Our friends always come over for biryani, bhuna gosht, slow roasted Namkeen Gosht, korma, etc. We make Dahi Vada and Sewaiyan or Sheer Kurma. We try to make as many dry dishes as possible so that people can snack on them. There is a lot of meat, so usually the feasting happens over three days. Biryani is a must though, and we make it in the Lucknowi style. But growing up, I also relished the biryani made in Kanpur, which is spicier than Awadhi biryani.”
Abida Rasheed, Home Chef And Kerala Moplah Cuisine Expert
"Nowadays things have changed but in those days we never used to know if Eid is happening today or not,” Rasheed reminisces. “We used to wait for the moon eagerly and then a call confirming if today is Eid or not. In preparation though, we used to get a lot of dishes ready. Chakrachura Payasam, for example, made of wheat, pine jaggery and a lot of coconut milk. This was served the night before when we got confirmation that it is Eid. The meat sacrifice or arava arachi is done immediately after the morning mosque prayers, and that meat is distributed in three sectors. There are many specifications regarding the animal that is sacrificed, like it cannot be female and it should be young.”
She goes on to explain that on the day of Bakr Eid, the breakfast is quite lavish followed by many dishes. “We have mutton liver, goat's head curry, samosas and Kannur Vatti Pathiri, which is a fried bread. The lunch is hosted by the head of the family, like grandfathers and grandmothers and is a community affair. That family makes the dum biryani in a mass vessel. We used to have the Calicut dum biryani, and every house has variations. With the biryani, date pickle, coconut chutney and Kerala papad is served and Muttamala is served as a sweet dish. In Calicut side, there is also something called Kadala Kanji served with the biryani. There is plenty of meat, so most of the food is being forwarded the next day.”
Video Credit: YouTube/The Westin Mumbai Garden City
Also Read: Savour Bakr Eid-Special Lamb Chops With Aloo Tikki Platter
Osama Jalali, Food Historian and Chef, Expert in Old Delhi Mughlai Cuisine
“I was born and brought up in Old Delhi, but for Bakr Eid we used to annually go to our ancestral home in Rampur,” Jalali explains. “I have memories of going to my Nani's place where there used to be a bawarchi who would come to cook huge amounts of food during those festive days. The first thing that we used to eat was the Kaleji cooked in a semi-dry dish and served with roti.” He also explains that one of the Rampur-specialties was a dish called Kacche Keeme Ki Tikkiya.
“The moment raw keema would be prepared, spices, onions, tomatoes were mixed in, flattened and cooked quickly on a large tawa,” he explains. “Even today when I visit Rampur for Bakr Eid, Kacche Keeme Ki Tikkiya is a must. Apart from this, Nihari is absolutely made on Bakr Eid. Most of the other dishes are finger food, but Nihari is enjoyed with Khamiri Roti. The Bakr Eid biryani is more greasy and delicious than that made on any other day. In Old Delhi, we used to enjoy Keeme Ki Goliyan, which were basically tiny, quick-cooked meatballs, and Kofte in the evening. These are all dishes created from an abundance of meat. For sweet dishes, we make Sheer Khurma and Qimami Sewai.”
Manzilat Fatima, Home Chef And Kolkata Awadhi Cuisine Expert
"Seekh kebabs made at home make for the most prominent meals I've had during childhood Bakr Eid,” says this home chef who is also a descendent of Lucknow’s last Nawab, Wajid Ali Shah. “We'd have a barbeque setup in the angan or terrace. Then there was the Dil Gurda Kaleji Phephra that comes in the form of a Jhalar or chandelier. This is the part that is cooked first on Bakr Eid because it takes the least amount of cooking time. The masalas are halfway cooked by the time the Jhalar arrives from the butchers and it is quickly cooked and eaten as breakfast. We usually have it with paratha or luchi.”
“Apart from that Mutton Biryani, korma, yakhni pulao, shami kebab, magaj fry, etc are cooked,” she adds. “These are regular mutton dishes, but because they are especially made with the Qurbani meat on Eid, we feel it cooks faster and is tastier. Because there is excess meat, we always boil it with a bit of salt to preserve it and usually make a dry fry with pepper and lemon juice. We also make slow cooked Nihari with the meat and this is eaten the next day. A very important point here is that no part of the Qurbani animal is wasted. Even the skin of the goat is given as charity, especially to orphanages.”
Image Credit: Chef Izzat Hussain
Dr Tarana Husain Khan, Food Historian and Author
“Bakr Eid always revolved around animal sacrifice, so I used to feel it stood apart from other festivities,” Dr Husain Khan says. “As kids, we were encouraged to look after the sacrificial goat that would come to our homes, develop affection for the animal, and then feel the pain of sacrifice--and you should because that's the basic idea behind this festival. Personally, as a child, I felt quite conflicted about enjoying that sacrificed meat and could barely eat. So, my favourite dish growing up was Sewai during Bakr Eid.”
However, she explains that a lot of Kormas, Biryanis and Yakhni Pulao would be made in big deghs for the entire joint family at her hometown of Aligarh. “Generally, on Bakr Eid, we have the barbecued Raan Kebab, Bhuna Kaleji, Bheja Curry, Chapali kebab, and a variety of other kebabs. Beside that we have Dahi bada , Sheer Khurma, Qimami Sewai, etc. People enjoy eating a lot of different things made with the Qurbani meat, and some even eat the intestines and tongue though I have no idea how either are cooked.”
Dr Husain Khan also explains that though not a bit of the meat is wasted, there is a huge difference in the Bakr Eid delicacies made across India. “In North Indian Muslim cuisines, the most famous recipes are made with the best cuts and not the offal unless it's Kaleji, Bheja and Paya,” she says. “In Hyderabad, you may find a tongue dish and goat head curry among the Moplahs too, but in Mughlai and Awadhi influence cuisines, the norm is to cook with the choicest cuts.”
