JOIN USThe specialities prepared during Ramzan are relished by all; from a variety of spiced ‘biryanis’ to tasty ‘haleem’, mutton ‘samosas’ and other fried meat items. But not everyone has the time to visit areas like Mosque Road, Shivajinagar and Koramangala, which are known for producing some of the best ‘Iftar’ dishes in Bengaluru.
However, with many mobile apps and delivery services being set up just for this
season, foodies can rest assured that their favourite delicacies are delivered to their doorstep.
Delivery services are of great help especially when one doesn’t have the time to cook. Aabaz, a software engineer who works in a late-night shift, often misses out on the Iftar delicacies because of work. But thanks to these services, he can enjoy the food in the comfort of his house. “I tend to miss out on the amazing food because of my late-night shift, but with online food delivery services coming up, things have become easy. While breaking the fast, we usually consume ‘samosas’, ‘vadas’, ‘bajjis’, ‘kebabs’, ‘haleem’, ‘biryani’, ‘seviyan’, ‘badushah’ and ‘gulab jamuns’. All this and more are available when I order online; I can also custom-make my menu, which is an added advantage.”
At the end of a day’s fast, a well-balanced and healthy diet is needed, and these services promise just that. Nawaz Sharif of ‘Ammi’s Biryani’ says that Ramzan is a good season for them. Every year, they have special ‘combo boxes’. “This year, we have three specials — a ‘chicken combo box’, ‘mutton combo box’ and two types of ‘haleem’. In the combo boxes, we give three types of Hyderabadi ‘biryanis’. We also provide drinks like ‘aam sharbat’, ‘jaljeera’ and ‘nimbu paani’.”
“Dates, especially fresh ones, are ideal to break the fast as they have a lot of minerals. Those who are fasting should include a lot of protein and mineral-rich foods and fruits and vegetables to improve immunity,” says Zulekha Rajani, a student.
‘Tiny Owl’, a food delivery app, has formed a temporary bond with the popular ‘Pista House’ for home delivery of their ‘haleem’. Says Subhasis Chatterjee, marketing head, “We heard that people queue up outside ‘Pista House’
for their ‘haleem’, so we thought we could partner with them.” One can get ‘haleem’ at their doorstep now free of cost.
Talking about why it isn’t feasible for people these days to prepare the required dishes at home, Nida S, a professional, says, “‘Haleem’ is a difficult dish to prepare. It must be made only with bacteria-free goat meat and the ratio of meat to wheat must be 10:4. The ‘ghee’ used must be certified by a lab as 100 per cent pure. Then it must be cooked for 12 hours in a copper vessel over a wood fire, with no trans-fats and artificial colours. This dish takes a lot of time to be prepared. Hence, ordering it online or from restaurants is easy.”
‘Faasos’ is yet another online delivery system that has many takers. Revant Bhate, co-founder of ‘Faasos’, says, “Bengaluru is a city with a significant number of outsiders who prefer ordering online. We get about 50 to 100 orders a day. ‘Haleem’ is the speciality of this month and is the fastest selling item on our menu. ‘Biryani’ and sweets are the other important delicacies.”