Every year, during Ramzan, certain areas turn into food joints in every city and town across Kerala. We take a stroll along some of them.

The holy month of Ramzan is not just about fasting and prayer, but also a period when food lovers get a chance to indulge in the choicest of traditional delicacies, for Iftar. We take you on a Ramzan food trail across the Kerala, giving glimpses of the street-side eateries which mushroom during the season, in Kochi, Kozhikode and Trivandrum.

KOZHIKODE, THE IFTAR CAPITAL OF KERALA

As the sun goes down, every house that faces the Kothi Approach Road in Kozhikode turns into a food joint, with the aroma of elakka chaya, kava, herbal tea and that of Kozhikodan biryani wafting across the streets. It’s no wonder that the spot has become the most sought Kozhikode after hangout, not just for the people of but for the entire Kerala.make a trip down toand “Come Ramzan, I make sure to Malabar, especially Kozhikode. The taste of the food you have from here will linger in your mouths till the next Ramzan!” says Narayanan K from Trivandrum, who calls himself a `travelling food taster’.

The women in the 20-odd houses facing the road and beach are the master chefs of these food joints which are always filled with people post the Maghrib prayer in the evening till the Subahi prayer (the prayer at the predawn meal) in the morning. While the women cook, the men of the families turn food vendors.

Jagir Hussain and his son Ashik FC are busy serving the dishes, as his wife Kadeeja and daughter Jasmine marinate the chicken and fish inside the house.

“Cooking is my passion. I have always been praised for my kaipunyam and never thought I would ever serve food for such big crowds. But it is the happiest part of observing Ramzan. I prepare every dish with care and love and when I see the orders coming in, it gives a warm feeling,” says Kadeeja. Her husband Jagir says that he makes sure to get the best vegetables, fish and meat to serve the customers. “It is the holy month for us, and we should do only good. The prices are low and there is no adulteration. Everything is served fresh,” he adds.

The dishes include evening snacks such as unnakkaya, samosa, irachi pathiri, chatti pathiri, kai pola and so on. “The snacks are served along with thari kanji or kava, will get over by 7.15 pm. Then we spread the Iftar delicacies like fried chicken, quail, egg, crab and a variety of fish. People from different parts of Kerala come here to taste the delicacies made by my wife. It’s a matter of pride for us,” says Kochi-based Shamsu K who is now settled in Kozhikode. His wife Noorjahan and her sister Zahida have a special masala mix which makes their servings extra appetising. “We are grateful to Allah for providing us with a means of survival,” says Muhamed Ali, Zahida’s husband.

Kozhikode special kulukki sarbat in different flavours is an added attraction of the street. The preparation process itself makes it different. ” We have m a n y f l av o u r s from raw mango to Horlicks,” says Muhamed Jaseer, who has joined his friends in the business. “The rest of the dishes are made by my friend’s mother,” he says.

Class II student Muhamed Ajinan takes a stroll through the beach road every evening after breaking the fast, along with his father Hasan Koya. Sometimes he persuades his dad to buy him a kulukki sarbat or an unnakkaya. “There is a festive air here. The aroma, the dishes and the crowds give us a feeling of happiness. Seeing them enjoying the delicacies itself fills our stomach,” says Muhamed, a business man from Kozhikode Civil Station.

ALL ROADS LEAD TO KARUGAPALLY AT KOCHI

Anyone who passes through the streets of Karugapally in Kochi, would thank the almighty for being gifted with the ability to smell, see and relish food, Ramzan specialties in particular. As you make your way through the teeming crowds, you spot foodies street-hopping to get the best of irachi pathiri, unnakkaya, chicken roll, mutta maala and more.
Muhammad Rafeeq, a shopkeeper, is enthusiastically preparing thari kaachiyathu, which is made of rava, sugar, ghee, cashew, raisins, milk and onions. He says, “This is our specialty. One preparation of thari kaachiyathu can serve 70 people. I am now into the second batch so you can imagine how popular it is.”

RAMZAN BRINGS AUTHENTIC MALABAR DELICACIES TO ANANTHAPURI

For Trivandrumites, Ramzan feasting means a trip to the Vallakadavu airport road.The stalls of the area come alive by 5 pm and all those who pass by will be seduced by the aroma of hot lipsmacking Iftar snacks emanating from the food stalls. Irrespective of religion, city folks throng here to get a bite of the sweet and spicy delicacies brought to the city from Malabar regions.

Thanzeer S, a freelance photographer, says, “Ramzan is a time when we treat our taste buds to authentic snacks from Malappuram and Kozhikode. Though the eateries are small, they can serve everyone. My personal favourites are irachi nirachathu and kaya nirachathu.”

(The Times of India)