Ramzan in Hyderabad is not just about Haleem. Although Haleem, which was once an exotic dish made in small quantities in homes, is available now in every nook and corner, Ramzan delicacies in Hyderabad are much more than just the delicious gooey mix of mutton and wheat. Need proof? Visit the bylanes adjoining the Hyderabad High Court in the evening. From soupy mutton maragh to hot arabi ghawa and spicy pathar-ka-gosht, these streets are the perfect start to every iftar feast.
Sonu Kebabs is one among the many restaurants that serve lip-smacking dishes till 4 am during Ramzan. And, the food stalls in these bylanes aren’t anything like you have seen before.
Live kitchen counters appear from one end of the street to the other as soon as the speakers announce the call for the evening azaan. Meat cubes are soon heaped on hot tawas, the metal neatly bordered with finely chopped cabbage and capsicum. Charcoal slabs are heated for an hour before succulent meat pieces are spread and cooked in the heat of the fire. Long soup spoons scoop up generous amounts of mutton from the maragh, with workers serving them into large bowls as people begin queuing up in front of the shop to break their fast. The summer heat coupled with the warm air blowing from the iron hot tawas is no deterrent. People flock to the stalls eagerly waiting for a bite of the crispy chicken snack and the meat stew.
If you are new to Hyderabad’s Old City and aren’t familiar with the bylanes near the High Court, do not worry. The lane nearest to the court where vehicles screech and crowds swarm bringing the traffic to a halt is where the famed Sonu Kebabs stands. And if you happen to visit the lane, do not forget to try these four delicacies from the shop.
Mutton maragh: Mutton maragh is perhaps the dish that brings customers back to Sonu Kebabs every Ramzan. If you have a taste for clear meat soups, maragh is a must try. Rich in protein, this meat dish is more like a mutton stew that goes well with paranthas, naans and even dosa. The soup is a rich start to the iftar feast as it contains not just the mutton broth but also loads of ghee, malai, dry fruits and spices. Priced at Rs 170 per bowl, the stall also bakes crispy lachha paranthas, a perfect combination with the soup.
Pathar-ka-gosht: For any food enthusiast who is on a lookout for Ramzan delicacies, pathar-ka-gosht is indispensable from the checklist. Though the item is available throughout the year in certain restaurants in the city, the live counters at Sonu kebabs make it a perfect Ramzan starter snack.
The meat is marinated overnight and slow-cooked on slabs of stone, heated by charcoal fires underneath. As the slabs are thick, it takes almost half an hour to cook the meat but by the time it’s done, the meat acquires a silky, melt-in-the-mouth texture. Crowds that start to gather at about 8 pm wait patiently till the meat is cooked and is served with raw onion and green chutney. Priced at Rs 180 per plate, this Indo-Arab mutton snack is worth every paisa.
Malai paaya: While meat paaya is a common side dish served along with rotis and rice, malai paaya is a richer and creamy variant of the otherwise soupy dish. Made with tons of cubes of lamb trotters, malai paaya has thick gravy that goes well with almost every other rice and bread varieties. Paaya, unlike maragh, has a raw taste of meat and is more of an acquired taste. Nevertheless, the dish is packed in boxes and mostly parcelled for customers who wish to eat along with the dish of their choice in the comfort of their homes.
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Arabi Ghawa: This milky drink is a beverage very particular to Ramzan. Popular in Saudi Arabia, ghawa is mostly had in the winter. But since Ramzan mostly falls during summer in India, the drink is served with a dash of dry ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and dry fruits.
Ghawa is known to be an energy booster for people who observe the day-long Ramzan fast. If you have a sweet tooth and are bored with your regular double-ka-meetha, this is your drink. Priced at Rs 20, ghawa is best relished when steaming hot.