The Feast After The Fast
If it’s Ramzan, it’s the feast that follows the fast which grabs the Mumbaikar’s fancy. And, what better way to feast other than in style and at Mohammad Ali Road near Minara Masjid, writes Alisha Patel
There is no way a Mumbaikar would not know about the zone’s Khau Galli where thousands throng to soak in the festivities, learn about the grace of locals and grab a treat of a lifetime with street food that’s symbolic of the zone almost like a patented form of work.
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| Suleman Mithaiwala's Malpuvas are legendary and when it's Ramzan, more so |
Among the delicacies legendary here is the Mawa Jalebis, also known as Khoya Jalebis and usually unmissable. And, if it’s Mawa Jalebis, it’ll have to be the Burhanpur Mawa Jalebis displayed proudly in a distinct heap below a signage that reads 'King of Mawa Jalebi'. Try tasting it and you’ll realise you simply can't disagree.
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| Sweet Buns, laced with butter, on display for sale during the feasting period that follows the fasting in Ramzan |
They make them at breakneck speed and instead of the usual crisp jalebis you’ve had all your life, these made with mawa, look like the regular ones yet taste like Gulab Jamuns. Burning one’s tongue while eating is a regular occurrence here as you jostle with surging customers while trying to quickly gorge on jalebis that taste simply out of this world.
It’s only here, at Mohammad Ali Road’s Khau Galli, and during Ramzan, that you’ll find a queue of kebab lovers lining up religiously from six pm for the Kebab Counter at Chinese and Grill that opens even more than two hours later. Don’t even try asking the staff about the choices available or take long to order. They’ll snap and rightly so. The crowds here are crazily huge and patrons are ‘expected to know’ what to order.
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| The Kebabs are the most colourful and juicy during Ramzan at Mumbai's Mohammad Ali Road |
The Fried Chicken here is a favourite and delivered rather differently. Long chicken strips are wrapped in noodles before being fried and served ‘golden’. That, and among other apart from the regular meat delicacies in Khau Galli, is Noorani Milk Centre’s Masala Milk which sell a range of sweets and drinks. The best of the lot, the Masala Doodh in small glass bottles, is served chilled and flavoured with a special masala along with kesar and turmeric. It’s a big favourite with regulars who swear by it and usually buy a dozen odd to take back home.
Among the stories associated with Khau Galli is that one about Sanjay Dutt who “shared a special recipe” with the owners of Noor Mohammadi Hotel years ago. The hotel serves the dish exactly like Sanjay Dutt would like it, as detailed in his own recipe. So, the dish, a chicken leg served in a curry consumed with hot rotis, is actually named after the Hindi film industry’s original bad boy, Sanju Baba Chicken sold at the spot located at Abdul Hakim Noor Mohammadi Chowk.
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| The Bustle of Minara Masjid, as seen in the backdrop, during Ramzan |
And then, after the regular gorging that is closely associated with a visit to this zone, this time of the year, it would be criminal to miss a trip to Taj Ice-Cream Sancha Handmade. The Taj Ice-cream Shop is more than 135 years old and doles out the ‘bestest’ of handmade ice-creams that have been tasting like rich smoothies long, long before the arrival of multiplexes with their food courts selling machine-made versions. A trip to the zone is guaranteed to make you a fan for life. And the feast after a fast couldn’t be better unless it’s at Mohammad Ali Road’s Khau Galli.
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