Ramzan serves social bonding on a platter

LUDHIANA: Many miles away from home, three men who are employed in various capacities at a Pakhowal Road hotel are observing the month of Ramzan together. Co-workers till now, they have found common ground during the holy month, which entered its 10th day on Wednesday. The three enjoy the Sehri and Iftaar meals, getting nostalgic about the grand Ramzan celebrations in their respective hometowns.Of the three, Lucknow resident Mohammed Sharib, 27 -who lives in Green Avenue here - has moved to the city most recently. He joined as a team leader in the front desk of the hotel two months ago. Forty-year-old Shafiul Alam resides in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and is the hotel general manager. He belongs to Kolkata and has been in Ludhiana for close to a year.
Hailing from Moradabad, 25-year-old Mohammed Uvesh Khan lives in Green Avenue. He shifted to the city a year ago and works in the chef party in the hotel kitchen. When the three devout sit down to eat, their platter is nothing short of grand - kebabs, dum gosht biryani, nihari, kadhai tikka, keema parantha, bhuna gosht, Kashmiri tea, dates, kheer and gulab jamun often form part of the Iftaar spread. Their meal, which is prepared under the careful guidance of the chef, starts with partaking of dates. The three make sure there is something of everything - spicy, sweet, fruits, vegetables and non-vegetarian delicacies. On Wednesday, Kashmiri 'kawah' and dum gosht biryani were the main dishes of their meal. "There is no market here that caters to our food need during Ramzan," said Shafiul Alam. "Though my family is in Kolkata, three of us have bonded so that we can observe rozas together and then feast in each other's company," he added. With the festive fare tending to be a little heavy, he said Kashmiri 'kawah' is the perfect drink to sip alongside. Sharing the recipe of Kashmiri kawah, Shaiful Alam said, "You'll need four tsp Kashmiri green tea, four pinches of saffron strands, two slightly crushed cardamom, eight almonds that are blanched and chopped, a stick of cinnamon, two cloves and two tbsp sugar."
"Boil three cups of water along with cinnamon, cardamom and cloves and pour over the tea. The leaves have to be infused over very low flame. Meanwhile, dissolve saffron in a little water by rubbing it gently. Strain the tea and add the saffron concoction with almonds. Serve it hot," he added, smilingly. After enjoying a serving of dum gosht biryani, Mohammed Sharib said, "We enjoy nutritional food and make sure to eat right." Adding that they were planning to visit Malerkotla, Mohammed Uvesh Khan said, "We are looking forward to visiting the bedecked markets there and eating the typical Ramzan treat."