Over the last decade or so, Ramzan in Hyderabad has become synonymous with culinary bliss, from the elaborate menus in restaurants to the whiff of the tempering of street food in the lanes of the Old City and the crowded avenues of Toli Chowki. But what presents a stark contrast to the food clamour in the holy month is the iftar dastarkhwan across households which has largely remained a simple affair.
“The iftar dastar is quite simple. Breaking the fast with dates is a sunnat (tradition) of Prophet Muhammad. There are sliced fruits or fruit chat, daal, and dahi vaday. There may be an extra dish or two, just for the kids,” says Ruqiua Siddiqui, who runs a cloud kitchen in her name.
Given that the food is relatively lighter, it is easy on the stomach after a long day of fasting. Her family tends to give dinner a miss, which makes it easier to pray taraweeh. “In case we are hungry after taraweeh, a quick, light snack before bedtime will do,” she says.
