Eid al-Adha Mubarak: Mumbaikars share how they will be bringing in Bakri Eid

It has been a different kind of Bakri Eid over the last two years for the city’s Muslims. Although they cannot have large family celebrations amid the pandemic, they have found solace in food and in reminiscing about the past

For Cotton Green-based Afshan Shaikh, Bakri Eid is all about treating his friends, apart from celebrating with his family. Every year, he receives calls a day before from his friends asking when he is going to indulge their cravings for mutton biryani or sheer korma. “Sometimes, I think I am here only to feed my friends food but that makes me really happy,” he says with delight.  

Like last year, this Bakri Eid is going to be different for Shaikh and fellow Muslims in the city. With the virus playing spoilsport, he will not get to invite his friends as he did in the past. “Most of them are a little scared and don’t want to visit due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but that is understandable as it is better to be safe,” he adds. Afshan’s friends’ excitement to dine with him is a testimony of the mehman nawaazi or hospitality at the youth’s household, which hosts nothing short of a feast. 

He explains, “Our day does not start without sheer korma. It is followed by mutton biryani, raan biryani, zam zam pulao, mutton yakhni pulao and mutton kofta.” Every year, the family meets at his aunt’s house. Shaikh’s relatives, who live all around the world, come back to the city only to be a part of the celebrations to laugh and feast on the good food but this time, the family will celebrate with food only.

Elsewhere in the city, ShaguftaJahan Qureshi and her family have already brought the goat home, a few days before the festival. They start by performing the ritual of slaughtering the goat and share its meat with the under-privileged people around them on the day. “We usually carry out the ritual with our extended family but this time around we will do it on our terrace and then distribute the meat among all the poor people in our neighbourhood. This is done because the goats are really expensive during this time and not all can afford to celebrate the festival with it.” 

Shaikh and his family start their day with the sweetness of sheer korma but it is slightly different in the Qureshi household as they start with kaleji fry (liver fry), which is their favourite. Throughout the day, the family indulges in more rounds of kaleji fry, mutton biryani, seekh kebab and steaming boti. “We usually celebrate it with family, who come over but this time around but that is not possible now because of the Covid-19 pandemic and we are being cautious,” adds the 24-year-old publicist. 

While Shaikh and Qureshi will celebrate it on July 21, Zainab Suterwala, who is from the Bohri community, celebrated the festival on July 19 because they follow the lunar calendar, which is different from other Muslims who follow the sighting of the moon. “The day starts at dawn with the special Eid prayers called Eid ka Khutba. We avoid the sacrifice ritual and simply buy the meat, so the prayer is followed by a hearty breakfast that includes minced mutton kebabs, fresh lamba (long) pav and fried eggs.” 

For the Bandra-based Suterwala family, that breakfast was only the start to the feast. The 38-year-old explains, “Lunch and dinner is gourmet feast for us. It is customary for Bohris to have a meal that consists of a pattern of a sweet dish followed by a savoury dish.” So, they started the day with the sweet dish of Maleeda, followed by sukha ghosh (smoked dry mutton) with paranthas, gajar ka halwa and finally mutton biryani.” 

Amid their celebrations, as is the custom, the family also sent mutton biryani to our family and friends. They may not be together in person but are definitely one in spirit, sharing their love for food with each other this year. 

Kaleji (Liver) fry by ShaguftaJahan Qureshi 

Ingredients 
Mutton liver (preferred quantity depending on number of people), cooking oil, salt, black pepper and coriander powder.

Method
1. Heat oil in a pan and add the liver to it. 
2. Add salt, black pepper and coriander powder to it. 
3. Stir and fry the liver till it is soft and ready to eat. 
4. Squeeze lime and serve. 

Yakhni Chicken Pulao is a part of the Eid Special menu at Social, across all outlets

There are several outlets that are also delivering Bakri Eid specials. Here are some of the options: 

A total feast
If you miss celebrating with family and friends, Social has a limited-edition Eid Special menu for the festival. The non-vegetarian feast includes yakhni chicken pulao, nihari with roti and mutton seekh, and raada for dessert. The dishes can be ordered online on social.dotpe.in/order. 

Price: Rs 1,625 + taxes.

Ode to the Nawabs
The cloud kitchen Lucknowee has a Nawabi meal, which lets diners relish different dishes from the Awadhi cuisine. The menu includes hara bhara kabab, Lucknowee galouti kabab, Nawabi biryani, rasedar bhuna gosht and more. For dessert, pick phirni or shahi tukda, and end with some jal jeera or gulabi sharbat. Orders are accepted onhttps://lucknowee.dotpe.in. They currently deliver to Lower Parel, Versova and Powai. 

Price: Rs 249 + taxes onwards.

Lavish affair 
The Sassy Spoon's delivery kitchen Saffron has curated a delicious Eid special menu for the occasion. The menu includes dishes such as lamb rogan josh, mango wood-smoked Kashmiri dum aloo and paneer lababdar paired with butter rotis. Try a traditional Lucknowi chicken biryani or a butter chicken biryani, before you end it with a sweet kesar phirni and moong dal halwa. Diners can order online on https://saffronbysassyspoon.dotpe.in/order till July 23. 

Price: Rs 395 + taxes onwards.
For home delivery: Call 9833950969 for Nariman Point and 9819544195 for Powai.

A daawat box 
Exploring the nose-to-tail concept, The Bombay Canteen is dishing out a nose-to-tail Daawat Box, which can be ordered from the restaurant in Lower Parel. The eight-course meal includes dishes such as heart samosa with bheja tamatar chutney, trotter ‘birria taco’ and rib tip bhelpuri, lamb shoulder khichda, kheema kaleji kapoora with lamba pao and lamb shank biryani. End your meal with sheer korma and date halwa for dessert. The box is available for pre-orders and delivery till July 25.  
 
Price: Rs 4,500 (all inclusive) for two people. 
Call: 99114 46870 to place orders.

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