<p>Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Muslims across the globe get together with their friends and family to celebrate the day. And, food features as an integral part of the festivities.</p>.<p>There isn’t any religious significance to the dishes prepared for Eid, however, two of the must-have items on the table is ‘Sheer Khurma’ and biryani. </p>.<p>For many, the feast starts with eating a date before proceeding on to other dishes. The celebrations call for a big gathering — a minimum of 20 people will be found at a single home. The cooks of the family will whip up some delicious items from spicy kebabs, mutton korma, nihari, bhuni raan, samosa to haleem till the dining table (and more) will be left brimming with food items. </p>.<p>Feeding the guests at home is only one part. Sending biryani and other delicacies across to friends and neighbours is an important tradition. While mutton biryani remains the popular choice, variations of chicken and fish biryani have become top picks on Eid. Regardless of the meat used, near and dear await eagerly for the parcel. </p>.<p>Every table will have room for Sheer Khurma, but each has their own recipe, with their little personal variations. The real heroes of the rich vermicelli pudding are the pulpy dates, cardamom and saffron that bring out its real flavour. </p>.<p>Kimami Sewaiyan, Gajar Ka Halwa, Phirni and Shahi Tukda are some of the other popular desserts prepared on this day. Because of the sheer number of desserts prepared, many have dubbed the festival Sweet Eid’. Dinner calls for a whole new menu, with Roast chicken being a favourite in many Muslim homes. </p>.<p>However, this year, Eid will be a quiet one. Food will still play an integral part with families celebrating the best way they can with their closest ones, devouring some of the special dishes made at home. </p>.<p><strong>Lamb biryani recipe</strong></p>.<p>Ingredients for rice </p>.<p>Basmati rice - 2 1/2 cups</p>.<p>Whole cardamom - 3</p>.<p>Cinnamon sticks - 3</p>.<p>Cloves - 3</p>.<p>Bay leaves - 2</p>.<p>Ghee - 2-3 tbsp</p>.<p>Salt as per taste </p>.<p>Water - 8 cups</p>.<p><br />Method </p>.<p>Wash and drain the rice.</p>.<p>In a rice cooker, add all the above ingredients with 3 cups of water. </p>.<p><br />Ingredients for<br />lamb marination</p>.<p>Lamb cut into big cubes - 1 kg</p>.<p>Chilli powder - 1 tbsp</p>.<p>Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp</p>.<p>Fennel powder - 2 tbsp</p>.<p>Coriander powder- 2 tbsp</p>.<p>Garam masala- 2 tsp</p>.<p>Salt as required</p>.<p>Juice of half a lemon</p>.<p>Method</p>.<p>Marinate the lamb with the<br />above ingredients.</p>.<p>Keep it aside for<br />30 minutes.</p>.<p>To make the masala</p>.<p>Onions - 6 large</p>.<p>Chopped ginger - 3 tbsp</p>.<p>Chopping garlic - 3 tbsp</p>.<p>Sliced green chillies - 3 tbsp</p>.<p>Chopped small onions - 8</p>.<p>Chopped tomatoes - 2</p>.<p>Yoghurt - 1/2 cup</p>.<p>Chopped coriander - 1/3 cup</p>.<p>Cardamom - 3</p>.<p>Cloves - 3</p>.<p>Cinnamon stick- 2-inch piece</p>.<p>Oil - 3 tbsp</p>.<p>Ghee -2 tbsp</p>.<p>Salt as per taste</p>.<p> <br />Method</p>.<p>In a pressure cooker, add the ghee, oil, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Slightly fry them, </p>.<p>Then fry the onions till translucent. </p>.<p>Add the blended ginger-garlic paste, green chilli paste and small onion paste next. </p>.<p>Add the tomatoes and cook till it softens. </p>.<p>Add the marinated lamb and mix well. </p>.<p>Next, add the yoghurt and then coriander and salt. </p>.<p>Cover the cooker and cook on low-medium flame till you hear 3-4 whistles. </p>.<p>Open once the pressure is out and turn the heat to high. Cook again, uncovered, till the masala has thickened. This is only if the masala is watery. </p>.<p><br />For final assembling</p>.<p>Ingredients </p>.<p>Vertically cut onions - 2</p>.<p>Roasted cashew nuts - 1/4 cup</p>.<p>Roasted raisins - 1/2 cup</p>.<p>Chopped coriander - 1/3 cup</p>.<p>Saffron strands - 2 pinches soaked in milk</p>.<p>Ghee - 3 tbsp</p>.<p><br />Method</p>.<p>Fry the onions in oil until golden brown and transfer into a paper towel, keep it aside.</p>.<p>Grease a large cooking pan with 1 tbsp ghee.</p>.<p>Add the first layer of lamb masala, then add one layer of cooked rice on top of this.</p>.<p>Pour a tbsp ghee over the rice, sprinkle 1/2 of the saffron in milk on the rice, evenly spread half of the fried onions, put half of the roasted cashew nuts and raisins, half of the chopped cilantro on top of the rice.</p>.<p>Repeat this step again.</p>.<p>Finally, on top, garnish it with saffron, fried onions, cashew nuts/raisin s and coriander.</p>.<p>Tightly seal the dish with aluminium foil and close it with its lid</p>.<p>Place on the stovetop with a very low flame and cook for 15 minutes.</p>.<p>(With inputs from celebrity<br />chef Shazia Khan)</p>
<p>Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Muslims across the globe get together with their friends and family to celebrate the day. And, food features as an integral part of the festivities.</p>.<p>There isn’t any religious significance to the dishes prepared for Eid, however, two of the must-have items on the table is ‘Sheer Khurma’ and biryani. </p>.<p>For many, the feast starts with eating a date before proceeding on to other dishes. The celebrations call for a big gathering — a minimum of 20 people will be found at a single home. The cooks of the family will whip up some delicious items from spicy kebabs, mutton korma, nihari, bhuni raan, samosa to haleem till the dining table (and more) will be left brimming with food items. </p>.<p>Feeding the guests at home is only one part. Sending biryani and other delicacies across to friends and neighbours is an important tradition. While mutton biryani remains the popular choice, variations of chicken and fish biryani have become top picks on Eid. Regardless of the meat used, near and dear await eagerly for the parcel. </p>.<p>Every table will have room for Sheer Khurma, but each has their own recipe, with their little personal variations. The real heroes of the rich vermicelli pudding are the pulpy dates, cardamom and saffron that bring out its real flavour. </p>.<p>Kimami Sewaiyan, Gajar Ka Halwa, Phirni and Shahi Tukda are some of the other popular desserts prepared on this day. Because of the sheer number of desserts prepared, many have dubbed the festival Sweet Eid’. Dinner calls for a whole new menu, with Roast chicken being a favourite in many Muslim homes. </p>.<p>However, this year, Eid will be a quiet one. Food will still play an integral part with families celebrating the best way they can with their closest ones, devouring some of the special dishes made at home. </p>.<p><strong>Lamb biryani recipe</strong></p>.<p>Ingredients for rice </p>.<p>Basmati rice - 2 1/2 cups</p>.<p>Whole cardamom - 3</p>.<p>Cinnamon sticks - 3</p>.<p>Cloves - 3</p>.<p>Bay leaves - 2</p>.<p>Ghee - 2-3 tbsp</p>.<p>Salt as per taste </p>.<p>Water - 8 cups</p>.<p><br />Method </p>.<p>Wash and drain the rice.</p>.<p>In a rice cooker, add all the above ingredients with 3 cups of water. </p>.<p><br />Ingredients for<br />lamb marination</p>.<p>Lamb cut into big cubes - 1 kg</p>.<p>Chilli powder - 1 tbsp</p>.<p>Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp</p>.<p>Fennel powder - 2 tbsp</p>.<p>Coriander powder- 2 tbsp</p>.<p>Garam masala- 2 tsp</p>.<p>Salt as required</p>.<p>Juice of half a lemon</p>.<p>Method</p>.<p>Marinate the lamb with the<br />above ingredients.</p>.<p>Keep it aside for<br />30 minutes.</p>.<p>To make the masala</p>.<p>Onions - 6 large</p>.<p>Chopped ginger - 3 tbsp</p>.<p>Chopping garlic - 3 tbsp</p>.<p>Sliced green chillies - 3 tbsp</p>.<p>Chopped small onions - 8</p>.<p>Chopped tomatoes - 2</p>.<p>Yoghurt - 1/2 cup</p>.<p>Chopped coriander - 1/3 cup</p>.<p>Cardamom - 3</p>.<p>Cloves - 3</p>.<p>Cinnamon stick- 2-inch piece</p>.<p>Oil - 3 tbsp</p>.<p>Ghee -2 tbsp</p>.<p>Salt as per taste</p>.<p> <br />Method</p>.<p>In a pressure cooker, add the ghee, oil, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Slightly fry them, </p>.<p>Then fry the onions till translucent. </p>.<p>Add the blended ginger-garlic paste, green chilli paste and small onion paste next. </p>.<p>Add the tomatoes and cook till it softens. </p>.<p>Add the marinated lamb and mix well. </p>.<p>Next, add the yoghurt and then coriander and salt. </p>.<p>Cover the cooker and cook on low-medium flame till you hear 3-4 whistles. </p>.<p>Open once the pressure is out and turn the heat to high. Cook again, uncovered, till the masala has thickened. This is only if the masala is watery. </p>.<p><br />For final assembling</p>.<p>Ingredients </p>.<p>Vertically cut onions - 2</p>.<p>Roasted cashew nuts - 1/4 cup</p>.<p>Roasted raisins - 1/2 cup</p>.<p>Chopped coriander - 1/3 cup</p>.<p>Saffron strands - 2 pinches soaked in milk</p>.<p>Ghee - 3 tbsp</p>.<p><br />Method</p>.<p>Fry the onions in oil until golden brown and transfer into a paper towel, keep it aside.</p>.<p>Grease a large cooking pan with 1 tbsp ghee.</p>.<p>Add the first layer of lamb masala, then add one layer of cooked rice on top of this.</p>.<p>Pour a tbsp ghee over the rice, sprinkle 1/2 of the saffron in milk on the rice, evenly spread half of the fried onions, put half of the roasted cashew nuts and raisins, half of the chopped cilantro on top of the rice.</p>.<p>Repeat this step again.</p>.<p>Finally, on top, garnish it with saffron, fried onions, cashew nuts/raisin s and coriander.</p>.<p>Tightly seal the dish with aluminium foil and close it with its lid</p>.<p>Place on the stovetop with a very low flame and cook for 15 minutes.</p>.<p>(With inputs from celebrity<br />chef Shazia Khan)</p>
