Muharram marks the beginning of the Islamic New Year. The tenth day of Muharram, known as Ashura, is particularly significant. Muharram is also a time of mourning, reflection, and spiritual observance for Muslims, with rituals such as fasting, prayer, and recitation of Quran. Here are some best Muharram delicacies to make at home :
1.Degi Chana Pulao
Soak chickpeas and cook them until they are tender. In a separate pot, saute onions till they caramelize. Then, add garlic, ginger, and spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and bay leaves. Add cooked rice and toss it in this mix to infuse the flavors. Make a separate paste using pureed tomatoes, yogurt, and ground spices like cumin, coriander, and turmeric. Add cooked chickpeas to this mixture. Mix this paste and the cooked rice together, and simmer for ten minutes. Garnish with coriander and caramelized onions.
2.Sooji Halwa
Sooji Halwa is made by roasting semolina (sooji or rava) in ghee till it becomes golden brown. After it is toasted, make a syrup using boiling water and sugar. Slowly pour it over the roasted semolina to absorb the sweetness. Keep stirring to avoid sticking on the sides of the pan. Once everything is blended together, turn off the heat. Garnish with nuts and serve warm so that it melts in your mouth when you eat it.
3.Shahi Korma
Marinate boneless chicken pieces in a mixture of yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, and spices like turmeric, coriander, and cumin. Prepare a gravy using onions, cashews, and tomatoes, by blending them to create a smooth base. Add the marinated chicken into the gravy, keep covered and cook until the chicken is cooked and coated with the gravy. Heavy cream and a touch of sugar are added at the end to enhance the richness. Garnish with coriander and serve it alongside rice or naan.
4.Haleem
Haleem is a hearty stew made from a blend of wheat, barley, lentils, and meat. Soak the grains and lentils overnight. In a pan, add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and ginger-garlic paste. Saute well and add the meat, soaked lentils into it. Keep mashing it using the spatula to allow them to cook properly. Slow-cook the stew by letting it simmer for about half an hour. It is a time-consuming dish but the flavors achieved are worth it.
5.Jelly And Milk Sharbat
It is a popular creamy drink often prepared to break the fast at Iftar. Make a jelly base using gelatin and water, and let it set. Then, milk is mixed with Rooh Afza, which is a concentrated squish. It adds both color and sweetness to the Sharbat. Additionally, various fruits such as chopped apples, bananas, oranges, and pineapples could be added to the drink.
6.Phirni
Phirni is basically a creamy rice pudding. Soak the rice and grind it into a smooth paste. In a pan, add milk, and sugar.. Stir well, add cardamom seeds, and let it steep the milk. Add the rice paste into the cardamom milk and stir continuously until it reaches a pudding consistency . This mixture is poured into earthenware pots and chilled to let it set. Before serving, garnish with sliced nuts and saffron.
7.Keema Naan
Keema Naan is an Indian flatbread stuffed with a flavorful mixture of minced meat. The dough for the Naan is made using flour, yeast, salt, and water. It is then rolled out into thin flat circles. The minced meat Keema mixture, usually done with lamb, is seasoned with cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chili powder. This mixture is spread onto one half of the dough circle before folding it over and sealing the edges. The stuffed dough is baked in a tandoor until it puffs up.
8.Beef Biryani
Beef Biryani combines tender beef with aromatic basmati rice. Marinated beef pieces are seared to lock in juices. They are cooked with caramelized onions, garlic, and ginger until tender. Basmati rice which is infused with cardamom, cloves, and bay leaves, is partially cooked separately. The rice and beef are layered in a pot and slow-cooked together for the flavors to blend. Garnish it with fried onions, coriander, and mint leaves.
9.Meethi Tikiyan
Meethi tikiyan is a sweet snack made primarily using semolina. Semolina, flour, sugar, and cardamom, is kneaded together. Form small patties and deep-fry them until golden brown. You could also flavor the dough using coconuts, pistachios, or almonds. Once fried, soak the crunchy Tikiyan in sugar syrup for extra sweetness and garnish with sesame seeds.
10.Roat
Roat is a dense sweet snack similar to a cookie that is made only during Muharram. Knead wheat flour with some ghee to form a dough. Roll it out and shape into small circles. The circles are then deep-fried until they become crispy. It is optional to soak it in sugar syrup. Roat is usually garnished with raisins, pistachios, and cashews.
11.Malida
Malida is basically a nutritious ladoo. Dry roast wheat flour until it turns golden brown. Mix it with melted ghee, jaggery, cardamom, and a variety of nuts and dried fruits like almonds, cashews, pistachios, and raisins. This mixture is spread onto a plate and left to cool. Then, roll it into balls or you could cut it into squares too. Garnish it with a cashew on top.
12.Khichdi
Khichdi is a comforting and nutritious meal. The rice and lentils are washed and soaked for a while. In a pot, add ghee, cumin seeds, cloves, and cinnamon sticks. Then, add onions and saute until they caramelize. Once done, add ginger-garlic paste and finely chopped tomatoes. You could also add other vegetables like carrots, peas and nuts like cashews. The soaked rice and lentils are also added along with the water. Keep stirring until all the water gets absorbed and the mixture is cooked. Finally, season it with salt, turmeric, and mix well. Garnish with coriander.
13.Chonge
Mix rice flour water to form a thick batter and season it with salt, cumin, and turmeric. This batter is poured onto a hot flat pan in circular motions to create thin, pancake-like discs. Once cooked, it is often garnished with coconut flakes and ground pepper. Chonge is typically served with a meat-based gravy on the side.
14.Zarda Rice
Zarda rice is made only using long-grain basmati rice. The rice is first cooked separately. It is then infused with spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. The rice is also colored with natural saffron or food coloring, giving it a golden color. To add sweetness, sugar or condensed milk is added, along with generous amounts of ghee. It is garnished using toasted nuts and dry fruits.
15.Churma Ladoo
Churma Ladoo is made by coarsely grinding wheat flour, ghee, cardamom powder, and jaggery. This mixture is roasted on low flame until golden brown. It is let to cool and shaped into small, round balls. You could also roll it in some sooji for added texture. Garnish with chopped nuts and dry fruits before serving.
16.Egg Biryani
Egg Biryani is a flavorful rice dish that comprises boiled eggs and long-grain basmati rice. Boil the eggs, peel them, and then marinate it in a mixture of yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, and cumin. Soak basmati rice and cook it separately until it is partially done. In a large pot, caramelize some onions, and then layer it with boiled eggs, partially cooked rice, and saffron milk alternatively. The pot is then sealed and cooked on low heat until the rice is fully cooked and all the flavors are incorporated.
17.Mutton Hareesa
Mutton Hareesa consists of slow-cooked mutton combined with soaked wheat grains, lentils, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, and cloves. The ingredients are simmered together for several hours until they form a thick, porridge-like consistency. The dish is often garnished with fried onions, lemon, mint, a drizzle of ghee and is served alongside any flatbread.
18.Ashura
Ashura porridge is also known as porridge of the plenty and it holds great cultural importance. Common ingredients include wheat, barley, rice, chickpeas, lentils, raisins, apricots, figs, and almonds. Cook the ingredients together in milk until it thickens. It can be sweetened with sugar or honey. It is garnished with nuts and cinnamon powder. Families and communities often gather to prepare Ashura porridge together.
19.Doodh Ka Sharbat
Simmer milk with sugar on low flame. Flavorings like saffron, cardamom, or rose water can be added into the milk. Keep stirring until it thickens slightly. You could also add almonds or dates in the milk for extra flavor. Garnish with chopped nuts like almonds and pistachios. It tastes best when served chilled.
20.Mutton Biryani
Mutton Biryani is a huge favorite among all age-groups. Marinate the mutton with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, and spices such as cumin, coriander, and garam masala. Soak the rice and partially cook it with cardamom, cinnamon, and bay leaves. In a large pot, alternate layers of the rice and the mutton. Seal the pot to allow the flavors to blend well. Cook in low heat for ten minutes. Garnish with fried onions and coriander.
