Taha M.J. has no time to take calls or talk to strangers. It is the season of Iftar parties and Taha has his hands full as he is catering to some of the biggest feasts this month. So will he see to it that the kanji is cooked to perfection or merely talk about the kanji and the pathiri? Taha is busy ensuring that everything is just right for the bigwigs who attend the Iftar dos that are the talk of the town. “Minister of Education Abdu Rabb organised an Iftar party of which I did the catering and I am also cooking for Social Welfare Minister M.K. Muneer’s party, the date of which is yet to be fixed,” says Taha. The Kollam-based caterer cooks the food and brings it to the venue or, if there is ample space and facilities, does the cooking on the premises of the venue itself.
As Ramzan brings together families and friends to pray, fast and feast, caterers all across the city have their hands full, cooking and organising the food for the gatherings held in high-end hotels and houses. Politicians, right, left and centre, are busy attending and throwing Iftar parties, with tables groaning under the weight of all the goodies.
Iftar parties are not only thrown by politicians and wealthy entrepreneurs. “Many families also get-together and break the fast after prayers. For instance, I had one in my house a few days ago. All the cooking was done by the women in the family. My siblings, their families and some close friends gathered in my house and the only food that was bought were the parathas,” says E.M. Najeeb, chairman and managing director of ATE group of companies.
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His son Zaheer Najeeb points out that unless you are staying in a hostel or are abroad, hardly any one breaks the fast in solitude. It is done at the mosque, at home or with friends. He is usually at home to enjoy a light dinner after the prayers. “Whether it be at the mosque, at home or at Iftar parties, the idea is to observe the feeling of community and kinship.”
At 6.45 p.m. after the evening prayers, the devout officially end the fast on that day with fruits, fresh juice and short eats such as cutlets and samosas. Then the main course of pathiris, curries and desserts follow. “We have prayers from 8.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. and then there might be a feast again followed by an early breakfast before 4.55 a.m., which is called suhoor,” explains Najeeb.
Cooking the food to break the fast is also seen as a pious act for “we are feeding those who have fasted in the name of God,” says Omana Sadiq. “It is the holy month of Ramadan. So those who cook and organise the food for those fasting also see it as a mark of piety,” she says.
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Which is what Ayesha Marikar does during the holy month of Ramzan. The fastidious cook and fond grandmother is popular for her short eats, cakes, puddings and ethnic eats. Although she has cut down on her assignments she still gets a lot of orders for certain delicacies like unakkai, samosas and kozhi ada. “Cutlets, different kinds of pathiris, mutton curries… are all hot sellers. Then I also have to cook for my family. Today, for instance, I am trying to make an ethnic delicacy called Pulivaral. I saw a new recipe in a magazine and I want to try that,” she says. However she points out that nowadays youngsters are choosy about what they eat even during the feasting after the fast.
Zaheer is one such youngster who is careful about what he eats. “I break my fast with lemon juice and a few dates. Fasting is not an excuse to turn into a glutton. Moreover, we go back to the mosque to pray as soon as dinner is over. So, while it does bring family and friends together, it is also the holy month to pray, to give charity and to help others.”