Ramzan: On a food trail exploring iftar spreads in Thiruvananthapuram

“We call this smiley,” says Mohammed Sanofar M, showing me what looks like a mini bun with a white filling in the middle. “There is a filling of egg masala and when you hold it like this, it looks like the smiley emoji!” explains Sanofar with a smile, before rushing to take orders from the swelling crowd at a make-shift counter in front of his bakery, Shajahan Bakery, on SM Lock Road, Puthenpally Jama’ath, Poonthura. An array of snacks and desserts have been spread out on the counter for iftar, the food to break the fast during the month of fasting.

It is the month of Ramzan, the time when the roads, especially those around mosques in the city, are dotted with vendors selling short eats for iftar.

Besides Puthenpally, where there were at least 10 such vendors on both sides of SM Lock Road, there are several such vendors around mosques in and around Thiruvananthapuram at Beemapally, Vallakkadavu, Manacaud, Paruthikuzhy, Kallattumukku, Karamana, Chala and Attakkulangara among others.

A make-shift stall selling iftar snacks at Vallakkadavu
| Photo Credit:
SREEJITH R KUMAR

A food trail around some of these mosques turned out to be a gourmet’s delight. Fried snacks are a constant everywhere — samosas and cutlets, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, different types of vada (ullivada, uzhunnuvada, parippuvada), bajji (onion, brinjal, raw banana), pazhampori (banana fritters) etc.

“I have been selling these deep-fried snacks for five years now. In addition to samosa, I make different kinds of baji also,” says Shahul Hameed, a vendor on SM Lock Road, who has set up the stall near his vegetable and grocery shop.

Sale of iftar snacks at SM Lock Road
| Photo Credit:
Athira M

Meanwhile Sanofar takes me through a variety of Malabar snacks and desserts at his counter. “Our bakery is almost six decades old and for nine years we have been making iftar snacks. All delicacies are made at our unit and every year we try to make something new,” says Sanofar, as he shows kilikkoodu (bird’s nest, a crispy spicy snack with or without chicken, mashed potato, vermicelli and egg), chattipathiri (multiple layers of thin layers of flatbread with a sweet filling), elanji (coconut-stuffed pancake), kinnathappam (steamed rice cake), unnakkaya (stuffed plantain fritters).

Elanji
| Photo Credit:
SREEJITH R KUMAR

Cut to the footpath near Palayam Juma Masjid where Sulfikar J, an autorickshaw driver and his family and friends have put up three stalls. Except for vada, all the other items are made by his family members at his home near Poonthura, says Sulfikar. “When I started this some 10 years ago, we sold only samosas. Gradually we added more eats and now we make around 40 of them during the month of Ramzan. My wife, sisters and relatives prepare them with the help of labourers,” says Sulfikar.

Sulfikar J (left) selling snacks in front of Palayam Juma Masjid
| Photo Credit:
Athira M

On sale are egg kebab, chicken ada, irachi pathiri, chatti pathiri, chicken kizhi, semiya ada, mutta surka (deep-fried snack made with rice and egg), ottada, kinnathappam in multiple flavours etc. “Our specials include cup shawarma and chapathi shawarma. The women in my family have become experts in making Malabar snacks that they often learn from YouTube,” says Sulfikar, adding that he also makes snacks on order for mosques and shops.

Homemade delicacies is the attraction at one among the many stalls on Eenchakkal-Vallakkadavu road. “I source these from three houses, with most of it made by a group of women at Paruthikuzhy. There are specialists in making Malabar items,” says Al Ameen, one of the vendors.

Madakku chicken pathiri
| Photo Credit:
SREEJITH R KUMAR

Among the specials are kaipola (sweet dish with banana and egg), chicken pola (pan-fried chicken dish), mutta surkka, and so on. “Kilikkoodu comes in two varieties — one with egg wrapped inside the coating and another one with egg outside the coating,” he adds.

It is homemade goodies that have been spread out by a group of friends near Central Juma Masjid, Manacaud, as well. “Elanji, kinnathappam, chattipathiri and a few other items are also homemade. The rest, like egg box, erachi pathiri, meat roll etc are purchased from acquaintances,” says Mohammed Khalid Khan, a member of the five-member group.

Sale of iftar snacks in front of Central Juma Masjid, Manacaud
| Photo Credit:
Athira M

“We all are students of Muslim Association College of Engineering at Venjarammoodu, and this is the first time that we are selling Iftar snacks. We start the sale after our classes,” he adds.

At Beemapally, bakeries, small eateries and tea shops on the road behind the Dargah Shareef, have put up an extra counter to sell the fried snacks. Then there are solo vendors like Noufar Khan who has taken a break from his job as a porotta maker to sell snacks from a make-shift counter. “Since I manage the cooking alone I start my work at 1pm. My nephews often turn up to help with packing and handling the cash,” says Naufar.

Noufar Khan selling snacks near Beemapally Dargah Shareef
| Photo Credit:
Athira M

Groups are also busy selling delicacies here. “We are five friends and all of us have different jobs. During Ramzan we take a break from our work and sell snacks, which we purchase in bulk from shops. As days progress we will have burger, shawarma, kilikkoodu etc,” says Afais Anwar, a member of the group who runs a shop at Beemapally.

Besides snacks, juices, sarbath, fruit salads and shakes are also sold at some stalls.

Sale of snacks in front of the mosque inside Chala market
| Photo Credit:
Athira M

The number of vendors have come down over the years, says Sheikh Mohammed, the lone vendor front the mosque inside Chala market. “There were five to six of them till a few years ago. But gradually they stopped coming one after the another. I have been a regular for the last 20 years,” says Sheikh. The spread is almost the same with Shafeek Shah, again another sole vendor in front of Karupettikkada Juma Masjid in Chala.

All these stalls start business between 4 and 4.30pm and close shop before the evening prayer to break the fast. “People from all religions turn up to buy the eats and we stock enough to meet the demand,” says one of the vendors at Palayam.