With Ramazan approaching in a few days, I can already feel the tranquillity,can hear the loud prayers, can smell the heavenly aromas of the delicious food being cooked in the kitchens… Ramazan makes me nostalgic; the tastes and aromas of piping hot pakoras, tangy chaats, haleem, aash( a popular drink in the Middle East called doodh) and sticky sweet jalebis fill my senses. When I was a child, I would patiently wait for iftar (sunset meal) time, in my mind elevating it to a moment of pure magic.There was also the excitement of the end of the month celebration of Eid , which was a thrill with new clothes, bangles and lots of parties promised.
Ramazan is the month of glory, the month of benefits, the month of holiness, the month of prayers,the month of delicious mouth watering food, the month of rewards…..So everyone desperately wait for the pious month to begin.A whole month of Ramadan would always leave me calmer and help me turn into a more understanding person.The best part was the prayer, the bond between you and your creator increases tenfold, and one thing you can never get enough is the gorgeous food served during the Iftar invites !
Our Ramadan mornings started early at Sehri (before daybreak), waking up to the nutty aroma of ghee with square shaped paratha’s on the tawa, spicy omelettes being whipped up and a bottomless pot of masala wali chai being prepared.
And there were these iftar parties you could never avoid. Fun, food, and frolic rolled into one..where Iftari was not only the culmination of a day dedicated to discipline and self control, it is also symbolic of unity among people who break their fast at the exact same moment.
Me and my siblings would wait for days and days for an Iftar invitation to drop by, all my cousins and uncles along with their snobbish wife’s would gather up at a place and break the fast a, there would be laughter,banter, chattering among the women and not to forget we simply loved the partie for the extra ordinary FOOD!
But as time passed by, I understood the real meaning of Ramazan and started boycotting Iftar parties,I would somehow make an excuse and decline an invitation politely.
Last year my parents went on a religious pilgrimage (umrah) during ramazan and I had a hell lot of time coping up without my mother.Waking up early, making sure the house was not in a mess, praying the maid would never get sick, running a trillion errands all by myself etc etc. And it was then when one of favourite aunt paid me a visit and invited me to an Iftar party , I was tired of the same old bland and boring recipes I cooked ,i decided it was time to branch out and bring on the flavor!Heat up my Iftar dinner experience with the help of those mouth watering spicy and savory dinner recipes that would be served at the Iftar party.
The day I had to got his party I came back from a tiring day at work, with mom not around to help it was a hell lot of work. The maid was on an unannounced leave which left me inwardly muttering words that would have broken my fast :P. My aunt called in the evening and asked me to pick up another of my cousin residing in my neighbourhood.
I took a last look in the mirror, I had not taken effort to dress for a party as I knew, everybody would have their eyes on the food laid on the table rather than eyeing who wore what…Within minutes I was entering a beautiful house with a small garden neatly kempt. All present at the Iftar greeted each other, some were seated on silken janamazas praying, some were on the diwan reciting Qur’an .
As I waited in anticipation, I tried not to let my expectations get out of control with all of the heavenly aroma tickling my taste bud senses.The sugary aroma of fresh deep fried pakodas and sugary sweetness of roohabzah & trifles tickled my nose. As i further progressed into the house,I caught a glimpse of the pristine and lovely kitchen buzzing with activity. My aunt’s were happily chit chatting and doing their bit to put off those finishing touches to the voluptuous meal that would be served in a few minutes of time..A hurricane of savoury spicy aromas rocked my nose and created delectable images of food in my mind.. OH GAWD WHY ! So much for acting sane on the outside while all I wanted was to barge into the kitchen and inhale the scents of all those mouth watering dishes.Better taste and lick every bit of from the vessels.
It was getting harder to control what all those aromas were doing, sending delicious sensations doing funny things to my stomach, I prayed that the time would buy itself some wings and fly ! My stomach growled and I felt embarrassed. Two of my cousins pulled me across the dining table, and i was informed the men would break their fast, My eyes hungrily wavered over the dining table, and I forgot why i was here..The 12 hour fast had left me damn hungry and the food looks tenfold delicious when you are hungry!
10 minutes before we were to break our fast , the table started filling with beautiful servewear, I was left open mouthed at the beauty and simplicity of it.
On the dining table was spread, a beautiful golden dastarkhaan , upon it were beautiful vision clear see through glasses with vision jug sets filled with crystal clear ice water. Slowly the women from the kitchen started flowing into the hall with colorful breathtaking trays in their hands, all filled with enticing foods to break the fast. there were beautiful bowls carrying dates which would be consumed first to break the fast traditionally.Then came trays which carried jugs brimming with chilled pink colored deliciously gorgeous and easy refreshing drink ‘Roohabzah doodh’ (also known as Chilled Roohafza Milkshake ), garnished with crushed pistachios,this was to be consumed after gorging on delicious snacks , it was lovely to have some refreshing chilled drink that gives both quick energy and a bit of cushion against the savory-spicy food.I mentally formed an image of me sipping on this rose flavoured sherbet Roohabzah that had whet my appetite, suddenly it was too much for me to handle ..my mouth went dry!!!
Next came trays laden with dish sets filled with a chilled layered delicacy of ‘fruit & cream luscious trifle’ (these were my favourites , I would go into sugar coma whenever I had them.Light and airy ,sprinkled with chocolate chips and topped up with oreo biscuits , full of seasonal fruits and vanilla essence whipped cream was a treat to the eyes,they looked super yummy & I knew they would simply melt into my mouth …)
One thing which fascinated me about those trifle in the dish sets were straight from the fridge and yet I could smell no odour.. (one of kind these dishes are I thought to myself)other than that the best thing about those trifles now safely placed on the huge table were the layers….every layer has something for you to offer….Totally satisfying dessert after a 15 hour long fast! (Yum. I glanced at the clock hanging on the wall the fifth time, DAMN) 8 more minutes remaining for us to break the fast.)
All the serve wear were passed so it could laid properly on the table, while passing I could not believe the extraordinarily striking beauty of the serve wear my aunt had opted for this party, one thing that actually had me gaping were beautifully designed trendsetting platters on which lay lamb samosas and pakoras stuffed with paneer cheese and spinach,another stylish platter was laden with tantalizing snacks such as tangy tamarind black chickpea chaat (mattar ki chaat), dahi baras (lentil fritters with yoghurt) and aubergine onion pakoras with spicy & tangy imli chatni.
Strikingly beautiful fluted dishes came next, filled with juicy mangos and watermelon, washed down with rose water.I was left wondering how my aunt had come to owning these beautiful pieces of magic. The serve wear not only made the food look inviting and delicious but it made sure the food was feast for the eyes and the feasters were left craving for more !I made a mental note to enquire in detail about all the serve wear my aunt had used for this extended Iftar meal party !
Within no time it was time to break the fast as Iftar (sunset meal) approached and I quickly said my prayer and bit on a tasty date and filled my gorgeous looking empty plate with two different kinds of deep fried pakodas with imli chutney and green chutney on the side, without it ofcourse the Iftar was incomplete. the smell of hot pakodas made me dizzy with hunger, next on my plate were the healthy and nutritious dahi baras dipped in yummy yoghurt sauce consisting of green chillies and minced coriander leaves with a topping of spicy boondi sprinkled on it.These urad dal dahi baras not were beautiful to look at but were awesome when I bit into them.
Finally after I had licked on the last bit of trifle from my vision glass I headed for the evening prayer, well ofcourse the main part of the sunset meal was after the prayer wasn’t it? In an Iftar party which consisted with most of the family members gathering then the feast is elaborate as we end up having dinner at the host’s place only. And the dinner is part of the Sunset Iftar meal..
There was a brief pause while everybody went off to pray on the roof, and then we were off again, in the midst of all this the ladies present at the party had gathered around my aunt and guess what almost most of them had one question one their tongues. Where did you buy these strikingly elegant serve wear from?!!And finally found out the magician who had made such perfect, not only dependable but even desirable glassware ! She had bought them from a magical site online known as MyBorosil.com and the magician was Borosil ofcourse !
The kitchen was once again alive with the scent of hot fried chicken and sweet scent of rice pudding.the women occupied most of the kitchen putting into their final touches,It was then that I noticed my aunt micro waved the food along with amazing serve wear. DAMMMIT ! They were microwavable too ! All I could think of was how badly I wanted to hop back home , turn my lappy and shop my heart out a MyBorsil.com.
Finally the table was set up and that was being served in beautiful melamine dinnerware , my heart skipped a beat at the luscious food scattered on the table with all the art crafts in products from Borosil. They were strikingly elegant in every table setting, every piece helped in transforming simple gatherings into stylish occasions. Making whatever we did simpler, smarter and better! (I smiled inwardly at the thought of my aunt flaunting her best kitchen wear and serve wear , I recalled a saying that Indians used the best dinner wear and serve wear only when guests arrived at their homes) My aunt had trusted Borosil serve wear and there was no doubt they had performed beautifully.
The dinner consisted of casserole bowls filled with muttar pulau (peas and rice) with mint and cucumber raita on the side – particularly satisfying when your tastebuds haven't been used all day, this particular dish is made from chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil and a squeeze of lemon and then deep fried is almost like a pakora. However, the flavours are a revelation to the taste buds: coriander, cumin and a dash of red chilli. This blend of spices has me enamoured.And there was the spicy crispy fried chicken, lajawaab pan-fried paratha flatbreads with butter toppings and my favourite,salaan or chicken gravy (a yoghurt-based chicken curry infused with heaps of coriander). Simple, elegant and rich in flavours and textures; the dinner had the perfect balance of herbs, spices and of course the triumvirate of garlic, olive oil and lemon.But it wasn't over yet: next came the rich, creamy & delightful saffron almond pistachio rice pudding( pheerni), a pot of rice pudding with pistachio shavings in a oval see through casserole (another beauty from Myborosil.com I thought to myself);it was a dessert so delicious it could tempt any human to death.
Finally, a cup of milky chai and a bowl of homemade mango ice cream. I was amused how desirable serve wear played a prominent role in making the food look even more desirable as we end up eating more than we would ever eat in two days!It was sure I was in love, in love with Borosil glassware.
The food cooked for Iftar party was food cooked with sweetness and love.My faith in humanity restored, people still did good deeds and one of them was spreading the magic created by good food.There is this effort to put a lot things on the table to make it feel like a generous table. There is this desire to fill the table. I intended to hold a Iftar party exactly like this one, I wanted people to enjoy ‘My beautiful food’.I wanted them to pray, relax and have fun. But for this I first had to login and buy those magical products of pure bliss….I was happy and hearty at my new found love, and content on knowing how I could acquire it, I just couldn’t wait to get back home
.
You could also buy these striking products from Borosil.
Click here to go their website.
‘This is an entry for ‘#beautiful food’ by MyBorosil on Indiblogger’
Ramazan is the month of glory, the month of benefits, the month of holiness, the month of prayers,the month of delicious mouth watering food, the month of rewards…..So everyone desperately wait for the pious month to begin.A whole month of Ramadan would always leave me calmer and help me turn into a more understanding person.The best part was the prayer, the bond between you and your creator increases tenfold, and one thing you can never get enough is the gorgeous food served during the Iftar invites !
Our Ramadan mornings started early at Sehri (before daybreak), waking up to the nutty aroma of ghee with square shaped paratha’s on the tawa, spicy omelettes being whipped up and a bottomless pot of masala wali chai being prepared.
And there were these iftar parties you could never avoid. Fun, food, and frolic rolled into one..where Iftari was not only the culmination of a day dedicated to discipline and self control, it is also symbolic of unity among people who break their fast at the exact same moment.
Me and my siblings would wait for days and days for an Iftar invitation to drop by, all my cousins and uncles along with their snobbish wife’s would gather up at a place and break the fast a, there would be laughter,banter, chattering among the women and not to forget we simply loved the partie for the extra ordinary FOOD!
But as time passed by, I understood the real meaning of Ramazan and started boycotting Iftar parties,I would somehow make an excuse and decline an invitation politely.
Last year my parents went on a religious pilgrimage (umrah) during ramazan and I had a hell lot of time coping up without my mother.Waking up early, making sure the house was not in a mess, praying the maid would never get sick, running a trillion errands all by myself etc etc. And it was then when one of favourite aunt paid me a visit and invited me to an Iftar party , I was tired of the same old bland and boring recipes I cooked ,i decided it was time to branch out and bring on the flavor!Heat up my Iftar dinner experience with the help of those mouth watering spicy and savory dinner recipes that would be served at the Iftar party.
The day I had to got his party I came back from a tiring day at work, with mom not around to help it was a hell lot of work. The maid was on an unannounced leave which left me inwardly muttering words that would have broken my fast :P. My aunt called in the evening and asked me to pick up another of my cousin residing in my neighbourhood.
I took a last look in the mirror, I had not taken effort to dress for a party as I knew, everybody would have their eyes on the food laid on the table rather than eyeing who wore what…Within minutes I was entering a beautiful house with a small garden neatly kempt. All present at the Iftar greeted each other, some were seated on silken janamazas praying, some were on the diwan reciting Qur’an .
As I waited in anticipation, I tried not to let my expectations get out of control with all of the heavenly aroma tickling my taste bud senses.The sugary aroma of fresh deep fried pakodas and sugary sweetness of roohabzah & trifles tickled my nose. As i further progressed into the house,I caught a glimpse of the pristine and lovely kitchen buzzing with activity. My aunt’s were happily chit chatting and doing their bit to put off those finishing touches to the voluptuous meal that would be served in a few minutes of time..A hurricane of savoury spicy aromas rocked my nose and created delectable images of food in my mind.. OH GAWD WHY ! So much for acting sane on the outside while all I wanted was to barge into the kitchen and inhale the scents of all those mouth watering dishes.Better taste and lick every bit of from the vessels.
It was getting harder to control what all those aromas were doing, sending delicious sensations doing funny things to my stomach, I prayed that the time would buy itself some wings and fly ! My stomach growled and I felt embarrassed. Two of my cousins pulled me across the dining table, and i was informed the men would break their fast, My eyes hungrily wavered over the dining table, and I forgot why i was here..The 12 hour fast had left me damn hungry and the food looks tenfold delicious when you are hungry!
10 minutes before we were to break our fast , the table started filling with beautiful servewear, I was left open mouthed at the beauty and simplicity of it.
On the dining table was spread, a beautiful golden dastarkhaan , upon it were beautiful vision clear see through glasses with vision jug sets filled with crystal clear ice water. Slowly the women from the kitchen started flowing into the hall with colorful breathtaking trays in their hands, all filled with enticing foods to break the fast. there were beautiful bowls carrying dates which would be consumed first to break the fast traditionally.Then came trays which carried jugs brimming with chilled pink colored deliciously gorgeous and easy refreshing drink ‘Roohabzah doodh’ (also known as Chilled Roohafza Milkshake ), garnished with crushed pistachios,this was to be consumed after gorging on delicious snacks , it was lovely to have some refreshing chilled drink that gives both quick energy and a bit of cushion against the savory-spicy food.I mentally formed an image of me sipping on this rose flavoured sherbet Roohabzah that had whet my appetite, suddenly it was too much for me to handle ..my mouth went dry!!!
Next came trays laden with dish sets filled with a chilled layered delicacy of ‘fruit & cream luscious trifle’ (these were my favourites , I would go into sugar coma whenever I had them.Light and airy ,sprinkled with chocolate chips and topped up with oreo biscuits , full of seasonal fruits and vanilla essence whipped cream was a treat to the eyes,they looked super yummy & I knew they would simply melt into my mouth …)
One thing which fascinated me about those trifle in the dish sets were straight from the fridge and yet I could smell no odour.. (one of kind these dishes are I thought to myself)other than that the best thing about those trifles now safely placed on the huge table were the layers….every layer has something for you to offer….Totally satisfying dessert after a 15 hour long fast! (Yum. I glanced at the clock hanging on the wall the fifth time, DAMN) 8 more minutes remaining for us to break the fast.)
All the serve wear were passed so it could laid properly on the table, while passing I could not believe the extraordinarily striking beauty of the serve wear my aunt had opted for this party, one thing that actually had me gaping were beautifully designed trendsetting platters on which lay lamb samosas and pakoras stuffed with paneer cheese and spinach,another stylish platter was laden with tantalizing snacks such as tangy tamarind black chickpea chaat (mattar ki chaat), dahi baras (lentil fritters with yoghurt) and aubergine onion pakoras with spicy & tangy imli chatni.
Strikingly beautiful fluted dishes came next, filled with juicy mangos and watermelon, washed down with rose water.I was left wondering how my aunt had come to owning these beautiful pieces of magic. The serve wear not only made the food look inviting and delicious but it made sure the food was feast for the eyes and the feasters were left craving for more !I made a mental note to enquire in detail about all the serve wear my aunt had used for this extended Iftar meal party !
Within no time it was time to break the fast as Iftar (sunset meal) approached and I quickly said my prayer and bit on a tasty date and filled my gorgeous looking empty plate with two different kinds of deep fried pakodas with imli chutney and green chutney on the side, without it ofcourse the Iftar was incomplete. the smell of hot pakodas made me dizzy with hunger, next on my plate were the healthy and nutritious dahi baras dipped in yummy yoghurt sauce consisting of green chillies and minced coriander leaves with a topping of spicy boondi sprinkled on it.These urad dal dahi baras not were beautiful to look at but were awesome when I bit into them.
Finally after I had licked on the last bit of trifle from my vision glass I headed for the evening prayer, well ofcourse the main part of the sunset meal was after the prayer wasn’t it? In an Iftar party which consisted with most of the family members gathering then the feast is elaborate as we end up having dinner at the host’s place only. And the dinner is part of the Sunset Iftar meal..
There was a brief pause while everybody went off to pray on the roof, and then we were off again, in the midst of all this the ladies present at the party had gathered around my aunt and guess what almost most of them had one question one their tongues. Where did you buy these strikingly elegant serve wear from?!!And finally found out the magician who had made such perfect, not only dependable but even desirable glassware ! She had bought them from a magical site online known as MyBorosil.com and the magician was Borosil ofcourse !
The kitchen was once again alive with the scent of hot fried chicken and sweet scent of rice pudding.the women occupied most of the kitchen putting into their final touches,It was then that I noticed my aunt micro waved the food along with amazing serve wear. DAMMMIT ! They were microwavable too ! All I could think of was how badly I wanted to hop back home , turn my lappy and shop my heart out a MyBorsil.com.
Finally the table was set up and that was being served in beautiful melamine dinnerware , my heart skipped a beat at the luscious food scattered on the table with all the art crafts in products from Borosil. They were strikingly elegant in every table setting, every piece helped in transforming simple gatherings into stylish occasions. Making whatever we did simpler, smarter and better! (I smiled inwardly at the thought of my aunt flaunting her best kitchen wear and serve wear , I recalled a saying that Indians used the best dinner wear and serve wear only when guests arrived at their homes) My aunt had trusted Borosil serve wear and there was no doubt they had performed beautifully.
The dinner consisted of casserole bowls filled with muttar pulau (peas and rice) with mint and cucumber raita on the side – particularly satisfying when your tastebuds haven't been used all day, this particular dish is made from chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil and a squeeze of lemon and then deep fried is almost like a pakora. However, the flavours are a revelation to the taste buds: coriander, cumin and a dash of red chilli. This blend of spices has me enamoured.And there was the spicy crispy fried chicken, lajawaab pan-fried paratha flatbreads with butter toppings and my favourite,salaan or chicken gravy (a yoghurt-based chicken curry infused with heaps of coriander). Simple, elegant and rich in flavours and textures; the dinner had the perfect balance of herbs, spices and of course the triumvirate of garlic, olive oil and lemon.But it wasn't over yet: next came the rich, creamy & delightful saffron almond pistachio rice pudding( pheerni), a pot of rice pudding with pistachio shavings in a oval see through casserole (another beauty from Myborosil.com I thought to myself);it was a dessert so delicious it could tempt any human to death.
Finally, a cup of milky chai and a bowl of homemade mango ice cream. I was amused how desirable serve wear played a prominent role in making the food look even more desirable as we end up eating more than we would ever eat in two days!It was sure I was in love, in love with Borosil glassware.
The food cooked for Iftar party was food cooked with sweetness and love.My faith in humanity restored, people still did good deeds and one of them was spreading the magic created by good food.There is this effort to put a lot things on the table to make it feel like a generous table. There is this desire to fill the table. I intended to hold a Iftar party exactly like this one, I wanted people to enjoy ‘My beautiful food’.I wanted them to pray, relax and have fun. But for this I first had to login and buy those magical products of pure bliss….I was happy and hearty at my new found love, and content on knowing how I could acquire it, I just couldn’t wait to get back home
.
You could also buy these striking products from Borosil.
Click here to go their website.
‘This is an entry for ‘#beautiful food’ by MyBorosil on Indiblogger’
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