On a Ramzan food trail in Visakhapatnam

From creamy slow-cooked haleem to paya nihari and sheer kurma, restaurants and hotels in Visakhapatnam offer an array of Ramzan delicacies

Ramzan platter displayed at Fusion Foods restaurant in Visakhapatnam | Photo Credit: KR Deepak

Welcomhotel Devee Grandbay

At Welcomcafe Oceanic, the Ramzan menu is a thoughtful mix of flavours and spices. The hotel has curated a variety of choices available in the form of takeaway and dine-in options for lunch and dinner.

Paya nihari for Iftar menu in Ramzan at Welcomehotel Devee Grandbay in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The hotel’s executive chef Sarafath Khan has dished out slow-cooked Hyderabadi haleem, Hyderabadi paya nihari cooked with lamb shanks in flavourful onion curry served with baked khamiri naan, sheer kurma and sevaiyyon ka muzzaffar which is vermicelli fried in ghee and garnished with nuts and sugar syrup.

There are takeaway combo offers in vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. If you are dining in, start with a bowl of haleem, creamy and slow-cooked to perfection and then move on to the flavourful paya nihar with khamiri naan. You can also try the delightful Hyderabadi gosht (mutton) biryani or curate your own Iftar menu with bowls of phirni and badami subz qorma, a vegetarian dish with cottage cheese and seasonal vegetables.

For details, call 08916600101.

Fusion Foods, Siripuram

The Ramadan platter launched this year at Fusion Foods is a wholesome treat. The platter includes special chicken biryani, mutton paya with bun, sheer kurma, mutton haleem, a bowl of dry fruits and fresh fruits and a refreshing glass of rose-red Rooh Afza.

The haleem here is a highlight with a delightful blend of meat, spices, and deeply caremelised onions. If you are dining in and would like to keep the meal light, the mutton paya with bun is a must-try and can be ordered separately as well.

The platter that is priced at Rs 499 (taxes extra) can be savoured for lunch and dinner and the restaurant also offers takeaway options.

For details, call 9912714462.

People enjoying haleem at a stall as Ramzan month begins. | Photo Credit: KR Deepak

Dil Se Haleem

Dil Se Haleem is one of the most popular haleem stalls at Jagadamba Junction. Stall owner Sheikh Zuber has been serving haleem every year during the month of Ramzan. He has brought in two haleem masters from Hyderabad along with nine assistants. The meat is slow-cooked for hours on firewood starting from midnight in the case of mutton and from the break of dawn in the case of chicken. This is accompanied by periodic rounds of breaking up the meat with wooden ladles. Once the haleem is ready, it is served with a garnish of caramelised onions and cashews.

“This year we will be offering anjeer ka kheer in the last four days of the festive month,” says Sheikh Zuber.

The stall is open from 7pm onwards.

Sheer Kurma for Iftar menu in Ramzan at Welcomehotel Devee Grandbay in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Nawabi Haleem

Among the oldest in the city is the Nawabi Haleem counter, a tiny kiosk stationed right opposite the Mecca Masjid. When it was started in 2004, it was the first to offer haleem. Over the years, many outlets and restaurants have come up, but the clientele of Nawabi Haleem has remained steady.

Haleem is available here in the evening hours.

Other restaurants like Paradise and Green Park hotel have also dished out a Ramzan menu. Most of these are available for takeaway as well as for dining-in.