Share
As Ramadan 2025 approaches its final days, with celebrations expected to culminate in Eid-ul-Fitr on the 30th of March families across the globe are preparing for this joyous occasion with special meals that reflect centuries of tradition. From piping hot biryani to mouth-melting sewai, each dish brings a heritage value to the table.
However, if this year, you want to add a little more than just kebabs and biryani, why don’t you try these lesser-known traditional dishes and desserts? Whether it’s desserts rising from the Middle East or the crowd favourite Sheer Khurma, here are some chef-special recipes you must try to add a touch of luxury to your festive spread.
Ma’amoul By Chef Dharmendra Pal At Taj Cidade de Goa, Heritage
Ingredients:
- 2 cups semolina
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup warm milk
- 1 tsp rose water
- 1 tsp orange blossom water
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup dates, pitted and mashed
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions:
- Mix semolina, flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
- Add melted butter, rubbing it into the flour until crumbly.
- Add warm milk, rose water, and orange blossom water. Knead into a dough and let rest for an hour.
- For the filling, mix mashed dates with cinnamon and butter.
- Take small dough balls, fill them with the date mixture, and shape them using a ma’amoul mould or by hand. Bake at 175°C for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Meat Kibbeh By Umesh Kumar SS, Executive Chef, Niraamaya Retreats Surya Samudra
Ingredients:
For the Shell:
Also Read
- 1 cup fine bulgur wheat
- 250g ground lamb or beef
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the Filling:
- 250 g ground lamb
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp pine nuts (optional)
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Oil for deep frying
Instructions:
- Soak the bulgur wheat in warm water for about 30 minutes. Drain well and squeeze out excess water.
- Mix the soaked bulgur with ground meat, chopped onion, and spices.
- Knead into a smooth dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté onions until golden. Add ground meat and cook until browned.
- Stir in pine nuts, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Cook until the mixture is dry. Let it cool.
- Take a small portion of the shell mixture and form a ball.
- Create a hole in the centre and fill it with the cooked meat mixture. Seal and shape into an oval.
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or pan. Fry the kibbeh in batches until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Sheer Khurma By Vishal Kumar Yadav Executive Chef, Taj Damdama Lake Resort And Spa, Gurugram
Ingredients:
- 1000 ml full-fat milk
- 100 gm vermicelli
- 50 gm ghee
- 125 ml condensed milk
- 100 gm dates
- 10 gm green cardamom powder
- Few strands of saffron
- 25 gm pistachio
- 25 gm cashews
- 25 gm almonds
- 200 ml fresh cream
- Few drops of rose water
- Few drops of Keora water
Instructions:
- Deseed the dates and chop them. Slice the almonds, cashews, and pistachios.
- Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add vermicelli and sauté until golden brown. Strain the vermicelli and keep it aside.
- Add a little more ghee if needed, and fry almonds, cashews, and pistachios until aromatic. Strain the nuts and keep them aside.
- In a large pan, bring milk to a boil, add the chopped dates, and simmer. Let the milk reduce to 30%, and stir occasionally. Once the milk is reduced, add the fresh cream.
- Add the fried vermicelli to the milk. Cook on low heat for about 5-7 minutes until the vermicelli softens.
- Add condensed milk for sweetening, fried nuts, and cardamom powder. Stir well and simmer for another 5 minutes until everything blends together.
- Add rose water or keora water for extra fragrance. Mix well and turn off the heat.
- Sheer Khurma can be served warm or chilled. Garnish with nuts and dates before serving.
