Eid ul adha: No sugar but spice and everything nice, ‘salty Eid’ is all about food and more
Eid ul zuha or Bakr Eid is a day marked with slow-cooked savoury meat dishes and fluffy naan, rotis.
Food is the backbone of most Indian festivals and Eid ul adha is no different. For a festival commemorating sacrifice, Bakr Eid, also known as ‘salty Eid’ is not one about celebrating at the cost of your appetite.
Eid-al-fitr maybe is this festival’s sweeter counterpart but Bakr Eid honours Prophet Ibrahim and his willingness to obey God’s command, so much so that he was ready to sacrifice his own son on his command. However, as the legend says, before Ibrahim could do so, God offered a lamb up for sacrifice instead. Keeping with the tradition of lamb meat is the mainstay of Bakr Eid menus.
Kebabs, biryanis, korma and haleem are the usual mainstay delicacies on this day, you must try out these iconic cuisines to truly experience Eid ul zuha:
Nalli nihari with khameeri roti
While naan and tandoori rotis are a staple accompaniment for most meat dishes, you must try the khameeri roti to experience true bliss. This Mughal bread is often paired with nalli nihari, a slow-cooked stew prepared with lamb/goat/beef shank and bone marrow. Historically served for breakfast, now, you can have this dish any time of the day and even return for second helpings!
Roast lamb
Roasted lamb is a dry cuisine often prepared with a yoghurt-based marinade. Often served with sides such as samosa, roasted lamb is mainly eaten with steamed rice or naan.
Kaleji masala (Liver fry)
Fried liver or kaleji is usually eaten in the morning with rice or baked bread such as naan, paratha or roti but can also be served for lunch. It is a spicy, flavourful semi-curry cuisine made with mutton liver.
Mundi ka saalan (Goat head curry)
Not for the faint-hearted foodies, mundi ka saalan is a curry, sometimes semi-dry, prepared with goat, cow or lamb head. It is a special Eid ul adha recipe keeping with the tradition of utilizing every part of the sacrificial animal.
Sheer khurma
Even though ‘salty Eid’ is all about savoury dishes, no feat is complete with a sweet closure. Sheer khurma is a richer variation of the popular seviyan dessert using vermicelli, milk, sugar and even dates as well as dry fruits.