Ramadan Food In Quintessential Hyderabad

Ramadan Food In Hyderabad – A Historical Legacy

The middle-aged couple stood out against the backdrop of the Charminar. They sipped from their cups of tea, contentment writ large on their faces. In between the sips of tea, they gazed up at the Charminar in awe. They were oblivious of the crowds that milled around them. It was obvious that they were in an ecstatic world of their own for the moment Scenes like these met us everywhere as we walked around the lanes and bylanes that surround the Charminar in Hyderabad.

It was the month of Ramadan and people in large numbers were out to savor their favorite Ramadan food. We too were doing a loop around the Charminar to experience first hand the flavors and aromas that envelops the city of Hyderabad in an enticing aura during Ramadan. The Ramadan food walk in Hyderabad that we were doing was in many ways similar to the one that we did the previous year, and yet it was different and we learned so many new aspects about Ramadan dishes and Ramadan recipes.

Haleem – A delicacy of Hyderabad prepared only during Ramzan

Ramadan or Ramzan, the festival of austerity, faith, and devotion is also a festival that celebrates food. In a country that is a mind-boggling tapestry of religions, cultures, and languages, food is more than often the greatest leveler. And Ramadan food in the different cities of India like Hyderabad, Lucknow, Delhi, Bangalore, and others is probably one of the best integrators of the different communities of India. No discussion about Ramadan food can begin without the mention of Haleem. Hyderabadi Haleem has acquired legendary status as well as a GI tag from Indian GI registry office.

Being vegetarians we were really naive about Haleem till last year when the darkened recesses of our minds were illuminated with the light of knowledge. On our last visit to Hyderabad, we did learn a lot about Haleem, right from what is Haleem, to the best places to eat Haleem in Hyderabad. But what we had not seen was the making of Haleem.

Ramadan Food – The Making of Haleem

The summer heat of Hyderabad seemed to be at its zenith. The heat from the blazing wood fires that burned beneath big copper cauldrons took this to almost unbearable levels. We were visiting a Haleem factory owned by Pista House, a place that is said to serve some of the best Haleem in Hyderabad.

Workers stirred a thick concoction that cooked on the fires. After some time the stirring with long ladles was replaced by a systematic pounding with gigantic wooden hammers. This was Haleem in the making. We were told that the entire process takes around 10-12 hours. The process had started at about 4 in the morning and we could see containers of Haleem being readied and dispatched in trucks to various parts of the city.

What was a source of wonder for us was the determination with which the workers prepared the Haleem as if the very act itself was a prayer! The fact that they were braving the intense heat of the wood fires and also fasting rendered the entire act a penance in itself.

Here is a Haleem video that shows the process in a nutshell.

Best places to eat Haleem in Hyderabad during Ramadan

Authentic and legendary Haleem is served for connoisseurs of the dish during the holy month of Ramadan. If you are looking to experience authentic Haleem in Hyderabad, then head to any of these famous Haleem outlets in Hyderabad. Shah Ghouse Hyderabad, Pista House, and Hotel Shadab.

Hyderabad Ramadan special food – Looking Beyond Haleem

Though the historic Haleem is a much sought after dish during Ramadan, there is so much more to the Ramadan special dishes of Hyderabad. The city comes alive to exotic aromas and flavors as the sun sets and day gives way tonight. The street food in Hyderabad is always on a different level but during Ramadan, it pulls all stops to spread out a veritable feast. From five star restaurants to hole in the wall cafes, every food joint joins in the Ramadan rhapsody of food.

Hyderabadi Biryani

When you are in Hyderabad it would be almost blasphemous not to relish the famous Hyderabadi Biryani. Paradise Biryani has virtually become synonymous with the Hyderabadi delicacy, however, in the old city, Hotel Shadab too serves really authentic Biriyani which also has vegetarian variants.

Ramadan Hyderabad – Food For The Vegetarian

For the avowed vegetarians, there is no need to feel left out. There are many vegetarian options available too when you are around the Hyderabad Ka Charminar. For one there is vegetable Biryani that brings alive the flavors and aromas of the famous dish minus the non-vegetarian ingredients. Vegetarian samosas, and above all the delectable desserts are sure to give the vegetarians a gastronomic high.

If you are in the Charminar area, the wafting aroma of dosas being roasted is sure to entice you to Govind Ki Bandi, another Hyderabad institution that serves sizzling hot Butter dosas, and Rava Dosas.

Ramadan Food – Ramadan Desserts & Ramadan sweets To Die For

The cherry on top of the Ramzan food in Hyderabad has to be its famous desserts. Two sinfully sweet Ramzan special food items are Khubani Ka Meetha and Double Ka Meetha. While the first one is a sweet made of apricots and tons and tons of sugar, the Double Ka Meetha is made from slices of bread fried in Ghee (Marinated Butter) that is soaked in a sugar solution and blended with milk, cream, and dry fruits.

Both these desserts are an important part of the Ramadan special food but are made throughout the year too. Most small and large restaurants serve these dishes but the most authentic fare is available at places like Hotel Shadab, Pista House, etc..

Juices, Shakes and Much More

Just a few meters away from the Charminar is a small place that sells an exotic array of juices and shakes. The outlet known as Milan Juice center is located bang opposite the Mecca Masjid and has been whipping up its tempting fare for over 20 years now. The menu that the small juice center places in front of you are sure to stump you for choice. The question is not what to have, but rather what not to have. Everything on the menu seems tempting. It has names like Shahtoot Malai, Anjeer Malai, Matka Special, Matka Salad, Himalayan Malai, Yemeni Dry fruit, Sitaphal Punch, and much more.

We had the Shahdood Malai which is actually Shatoot Malai. Shahtoot in Hindi means mulberries and Malai stands for cream. So that is what it was, a heady concoction of mulberries, cream, milk, and of course sugar. Mulberries are not what our palates experience every day, so the texture and taste were unique and the blend of sweetness along with the richness of the cream meant an ecstatic experience for the palate.

Another place to cool off when you are out enjoying Ramadan food in Hyderabad at night is the Matwale Doodh Ghar which is on the lane that leads up to the Charminar. As the name suggests the outlet offers delicacies or rather drinks and desserts made from milk, curds, and yogurt. Falooda, Lassi, Icecreams, says a banner that hangs above a couple of men presiding over an array of earthen pots filled with ingredients. They mix and match with practiced precision and serve up exhilarating glasses of Falooda and Lassi. The place has been quenching the thirst of Hyderabadis for over 25 years.

A Bite of Heaven and A sip of Paradise

If you think Hyderabad, you cannot but help think about the Charminar, and if you think about Charminar, Nimrah Bakery cannot be far from your mind. It is a unique experience to stand right beneath the Charminar and bite into the luscious cookies and biscuits that Nimrah Bakery serves with panache. We lingered long with our plates of some of the best biscuits and cups of Irani tea, not minding the milling crowds all around us. A cool shower brought welcome relief from the sweltering heat and also drove the swarming crowds running for shelter as we watched, enjoying being drenched in the first rains of the season while sipping our tea.

Head to Nimrah Bakery to taste their assorted range of offerings that include Osmania Biscuit, Fruit Biscuit, Pista Biscuit, Salt Biscuit, Kaju Biscuit, Choco Osmania, and many others. The bakery also serves sandwiches, burgers, and rolls, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian variants.

Ramadan special food – A Curtain Raiser By Novotel Hyderabad Airport

Even before we embarked on our epicurean journey to explore the Ramadan food of Hyderabad. Chef Varun and his team of Novotel Hyderabad Airport hosted for us a scintillating Ramadan dinner on the eve of our Ramadan food walk. They took Ramadan cooking to a different level altogether and presented us with a flamboyant medley of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Melodious romantic songs serenaded the delectable dishes that graced the table. The dishes that embellished the Chef’s table included a wide range of dishes that brought alive the flavors and aromas of Arabia blended intoxicatingly with local spices and herbs.

The dinner started with a soup, Paya Shorba with Sirmal which is a saffron-flavored flatbread from Iran. For vegetarians, there was a vegetarian variant.

Then came the starters. Being vegetarian we feasted on Patti Samosa, Pyaz Ka Pakoda, Hara Mutter Ki Shami, Achari Jathuni Hara Gobi, Palak Aur Soya Ki Seekh, Kurkure Mushroom, Nawabi Paneer Tikka. For Non-Vegetarian starters included Patthar Ka Ghosh, Beja Gurda Fry, Murgh Kalli Mirch, Tandoori Murgh, Dakhini Talahuwa Jhinga, Tawa Machli King Fish.

The main course for us vegetarians had Dora Chawal, Paneer Simla Mirch, Dalcha, Arbi Ka Shorbha, Methi Bhindi, Tamatar Ki Kuttu, with a selection of Rotis (flatbread) and Rice.

The main course for non-vegetarians included Paya Ki Nihaari with Taftaan, Lal Mirch Ka Murgh Masala, Dum Ka Murgh, Machi Mahi Kalia, Chicken Sufiyani Biryani.

The dinner ended with a grand finale of the famous Ramadan sweets, Double Ka Meetha, Kubani Ka Meetha, and Sheer Korma.

The lip-smacking taste of the enticing food seamlessly blended with typical Novotel hospitality set the tone for an exciting epicurean adventure that led us to experience the exciting Charminar food and much more

What To Do Beyond Ramadan Food Near The Charminar

Yes, food is the main activity especially when you are in the vicinity of the Charminar during Ramzan. However, there are many other things to do in Hyderabad during Ramadan. Here are some of the activities that we did during our Ramadan food walk in Hyderabad.

Immerse in The Ramadan Vibes Along The Charminar Road

The ideal way to start your exploration of the area around Charminar during Ramadan is to start from one end of the Charminar road that leads to the Charminar. Start from Shah Ghouse, famous for its Haleem and make your way towards the Charminar. A distance of about 1.9 kilometers takes you across some of the best places to eat in Hyderabad during Ramadan. You will pass through Matwale Doodh Ghar, Pista House, Akbar Fast food, Milan Juice center and end up at the Nimrah Bakery right below the Charminar.

The walk itself is a unique experience. Kids dressed in their best prance along the road. A fruit seller expertly slices a pineapple. Kids selling their wares ask you to take their pictures and pose with large smiles. There is an all-around aura of joy in the air. A palpable excitement, the excitement of a festival, of a celebration.

Enjoy The Visual Spectacle of Mecca Masjid

The sounds of the Azaan or Adhan, the muezzin’s call to worship float through the air. It is time for the evening Namaaz. Mecca Masjid is enveloped in a special sheen, it glows with a surreal aura. Lit brilliantly in colors of blue and pink, the Mecca Masjid beckons the faithful to its fold to offer prayers. Visitors are not allowed inside the Mecca Masjid during the Namaaz times. We, however, peep through the wall and the Mecca Masjid looks majestic. Birds circle the minarets as if offering their obeisance to Allah in the holy month of Ramadan.

Marvel At The Iconic Charminar

Did you know that the Charminar was originally built as a mosque? It was built in the year 1591 by the Qutb Shahi ruler Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah. Legend has it that eventually, the Mosque became too small to accommodate all the people gathered for namaaz and hence the need was felt for a bigger mosque. What resulted was the famous Mecca Masjid, hardly a stone’s throw away.

It is interesting to note that the Charminar was constructed originally in the center of the old city. There are roads leading away from the Charminar in all the four cardinal directions. Owing to it its architectural style, the Charminar is also sometimes referred to as the ‘Arc de Triomphe”, of the East.

The Charminar is a four-storeyed structure with a minaret in the four directions built into the main structure itself. The top floor has a mosque. A clock on the walls of all the four sides of the structure was a later addition, in the year 1889. There is also a myth that there existed an underground tunnel that connected the Charminar to the Golconda fort, however, this tunnel has never been located.

It is indeed a unique experience to gaze up at the Charminar and wonder about life around it in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Take A Walk Along The Laad Bazar

A road that lies to the west of the Charminar is the Laad Bazaar also popularly known as Choodi Bazaar or Bangles Bazaar. The road is full of shops selling bangles of every color of the spectrum and every conceivable design. It is a nice place to strike some good bargains and buy some exquisite bangles and other feminine accessories.

The Laad Bazaar named after Ladli Begum, wife of the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad is a shopper’s paradise.

Apart from bangles, one can shop for intricately embroidered dresses, dazzling footwear, perfumes, pearls, and much more. The star of this street is, however, the famous Hyderabadi bangles which include bangles made of Lac, Glass, plain, inlead with pearls, mirror work, and much more.

Gaze up At The Historic Clock Tower At Mahboob Chowk

The crowds thin out as you leave the glittering shops of Laad Bazaar behind. We find ourselves in a very old and quaint area of Hyderabad. The place is known as Mehboob Chowk or Murgi Chowk. Shops selling chicken and other fowl dots the area. In the middle of this area stands a clock tower set in the midst of a small garden. We gaze up at the clock tower standing in brilliant white against the darkness, flanked by a crescent-shaped moon in the background. The Mahboob Chowk Clock Tower is an important historical and architectural landmark of Hyderabad. The clock tower was commissioned in 1892 by the then Prime Minister of Hyderabad, Asman Jah.

We walk past the Clock tower and pass a secluded street to trace our steps back towards the Charminar through the Laad Bazaar.

We pass a street vendor dishing out Dahi Vadas with a small crowd around him. Shops selling Dates and other Ramadan snacks as well as Iftar dishes for Ramadan. A big shop selling pickles of all varieties since more than 70 years attracts our curiosity.

We stop at a small quaint shop The board reads, “Shaheen Naan Mahal”, the old man shows us eagerly different moulds that he uses to bake Naan in the authentic Iranian way. He sells Naans or bread made of wheat of different shapes that include stars, rectangles, and squares. The Naan seemed to somehow evoke the taste and aroma of a distant land and of a distant time in history.

Ramadan Quick Facts

• Ramadan, Ramzan, Ramazan, Ramadhan, or Ramathan refer to the one-month long period observed by fasting and prayers by Muslims across the world
• Ramadan commemorates the first revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Mohammed
• The observance of Ramadan is considered to be one of the five pillars of Islam
• The five pillars of Islam are Shahadah ( faith), Salat (Prayer), Zakat (Giving Alms), Sawm (Ramadan fasting), and Haj (pilgrimage to Mecca)
• Ramadan is observed in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is observed from the first sighting of the crescent moon till the next sighting and lasts for about 29-30 days
• Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan
• Ramadan involves fasting from dawn to dusk, the faithful have a meal called Suhur or Suhoor before the sun rises and fast without a drop of water during the day, they have the next meal only after sunset and this is called iftar
• Apart from fasting during Ramadan, those observing fast also need to immerse themselves in prayer and charity as well as practice abstinence

Tips for Ramadan Food Walk

• Dress modestly, preferably casual cotton clothes to beat the heat and women can carry a scarf
• Women should avoid wearing shorts and skirts and men should avoid 3/4ths and shorts
• Wear sneakers or flat footwear or footwear that is comfortable. Avoid heels
• Carry a water bottle, hand tissues, and wet wipes
• Be careful with your wallet, mobile, and valuables

FAQ Ramadan In Hyderabad

Where to eat in Hyderabad during Ramzan?

Hyderabad is a gourmet’s paradise throughout the year but pulls all the stops during the month of Ramadan. Some of the best places to eat in Hyderabad during Ramadan include Paradise Biryani Hyderabad, Pista House Haleem, Shah Ghouse, Hotel Shadaab, Hotel Nayab, Matwale Doodh Ghar in Charminar, Milan Juice Center Hyderabad. Apart from these many of the five-star hotels too lay out a huge spread during Ramzan. Apart from this the street food in Hyderabad is amazing to indulge in.

Which are the Hyderabad famous food to taste during Ramadan?

Haleem, the Hyderabadi special sweets like Double Ka Meetha, Khubani Ka Meetha, and of course the famed Biryani are a must to experience in Hyderabad during Ramadan.

What is so special about Hyderabad as a destination to experience Ramadan in India?

The vibes of Hyderabad in Ramadan are unique. They are rooted in centuries of history and heritage. The Ramadan special iftar food brings with it the aroma and flavors of distant Arabia blended with local spices and fragrances.

What is the best time to do a Ramadan food walk in Hyderabad?

The best Hyderabad Ramadan timings for a food walk is in the evening. Most if not all of the eating joints and shops will open after around 4 PM. The other thing to bear in mind is the sweltering heat of Hyderabad. The best thing is to start around 6 PM and walk around till about midnight for the best experience.

If you want to plan a trip to Hyderabad then book flights and hotels here. Hotel booking can be done through TripAdvisor or Cleartrip to save huge and to get the best deals on booking your stay.

We hope you are enjoying the Ramadan food during the holy month wherever you are. If you are looking to visit Hyderabad to partake off a delicious Ramadan food menu, we hope our post answers some of the questions that pop up in your mind.

We hope this Ramadan food blog is helpful to you. Do let us know in case you have any specific question and we shall be more than pleased to revert back to you.

You might be interested in reading our other posts on Hyderabad:

Top Things that you must do in Hyderabad
Experiencing Ramadan Food Walk in Hyderabad, India
Novotel Hyderabad Airport Hotel – A Blend of Leisure, Luxury, and Business

We were hosted by Novotel Hyderabad Airport, an AccorHotels brand. However, the views and opinions expressed here are our own.

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