ABAD Hotels

Our Chefs Abdul Khaddar and Sunny sharing a light moment.                                                                Photo credit: Sivaram V

“Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, a month where Muslims fast throughout the day and eat only at night. The coming of the new moon marks the end of the Ramadan and Eid is celebrated the world over,” says Abdul Khaddar, sous chef of Abad Plaza. “Muslim homes bustle with activities like food preparation, prayers and celebrations during Eid. Great care is taken to prepare certain special dishes that are not eaten regularly.”

Photo credit: Sivaram V

The day long fast is broken with a sip of water or lime juice, a few dates or some other fruits. This is followed by light snacks like unnakkai, samosa, cutlets and banana roast. Eid is celebrated with the preparation of special delicacies like patthiri, iddiappam, Shahi mutton biryani, beaf balls, mutton korma and meat kebabs.

“Unnakkai is a spindle shaped sweet dish made of banana (ethakai) filled with coconut and sugar originally made in the Malabar region of Kerala. The cotton seeds are called unnakkai in the Malabar regions and that’s how this sweet dessert gets it name and it looks spindle-shaped just like the cotton seed,” says Abdul Khaddar. 

Irachi puttu is a special preparation during the festival of eid. “The main advantage of irachi puttu is that additional curries need not be prepared along with it. The puttu can be mixed with the gravy-like mouthwatering meat filling which is very filling and a nutritious punch for breakfast,” says Sunny, senior sous chef of Abad Plaza.  

UNNAKKAI

Ingredients

• Banana (half ripe): 2 nos
• Sugar: 2 tsp
• Raisins: 1 tsp
• Chopped cashew nuts: 1 tsp
• Ghee: 2 tsp
• Grated coconut: ½

Cut the banana into 2 or 3 pieces and steam well. Remove from fire. Remove the seeds. Grind the banana to a smooth dough by adding enough water. Keep aside.

For the stuffing: Heat ghee in a pan. Saute grated coconut, raisins and cashew nuts. Then add sugar and cardamom powder.

Grease your hand and make lime-sized balls of the banana dough. Flatten this ball on your palm into a small disc; fill the stuffing and roll with your hand. Heat oil and deep fry till golden brown and remove from fire. Serve hot.

Mouthwatering Irachi Puttu                  Photo credit: Sivaram V

• Ingredients
• Rice flour: 500 gm
• Minced boiled mutton: 250 gm
• Onion (big): 2
• Green chilli: 2
• Ginger paste: ½ tsp
• Garlic paste: 1 tsp
• Coriander powder: 2 tsp
• Chilli powder: ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
• Garam masala powder: ¼ tsp
• Coriander leaves: ½ bunch
• Oil

Prepare the rice flour as for puttu. Cook minced meat with coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt till the meat is soft and water absorbed. Chop onion, green chillies and coriander leaves. Heat oil and sauté onion and chilli. Add ginger and garlic paste and fry for a while. Add minced coriander leaves and garam masala powder. Sauté for a few more seconds and remove form fire.

Boil water in a puttu vessel. Take a puttu kutti, sprinkle coconut, add a handful of prepared flour. Sprinkle a little irachi mixture over it and top it again with a handful of flour. Continue sprinkling alternative layers of flour and irachi mixture till the kutti is filled. Finish off with a layer of coconut. Keep it back on the puttu vessel and cover with lid. Cook till it steams. Remove kutti from the vessel. Place it slanted on a plate and push out the contents with a rolling pin into a plate. The delicious irachi puttu is ready to be served hot.

EID-MUBARAQ to all!!