It’s that time of year again — Ramzan, the holy month for Muslims, marked by prayers and fasting from sunrise to sunset is under way and will culminate later in August with Id-ul-Fitr. Until then, there’s a festive atmosphere every evening at M.M. Road in Fraser Town.
Already crowded with restaurants and eateries, this season sees shopkeepers along this stretch set up outdoor stalls, and sell food that isn’t usually available during the rest of the year.
Staples and highlights
There’s the staple samosa by the heaps and rose-flavoured sherbet in clear plastic bags. Smoke wafts from open barbecues where juicy sheek kebabs are grilled. But the highlight is fun foods such as chicken shashlik, fried mackerels and whole prawn on a stick, rolls and meats in all their many fried forms.
Try some of the popular Hyderabadi haleem — food of royalty made from meat and lentils, cooked on a low flame for several hours — along with the stuffed kheema baida roti.
Drinks like harira and chai doled out liberally from massive vessels almost seem necessary to help digestion once you finish a meal here.
Take a step back and the scene looks like something you might see on a travel channel. The aromas intoxicate, the tastes tease the palate, but ultimately even the most ravenous appetite is satiated.
Get there early
The entire strip is brightly lit so it’s easy to lose track of time. You have to be prepared to be jostled a bit because there’s always a crowd.
You also have to get here early enough after the prayers at around 7 p.m., otherwise the most popular picks get sold out. And beggars do tend to hassle you for alms.
But all of this is worth the experience of community eating, of culinary celebration. Of sampling street food at its best.
