Haleem
You don’t have to be Muslim to love it!
Bismillah-er-Rehman-er-Rahim. This is a sacred phrase in Islam, used before starting anything good or divine. And Iftar â the feast at the end of the Ramadan fasting day â is both good and divine, and an apt setting for saying, âGod the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.â
As wonderful as the phrase, and the feast, is, one might wonder why itâs being said â and eaten â at the Park Calangute. Isnât this the place for bikini brunches, pool parties and beach revelry? Well, turns out itâs also very much the place for Iftar.
At The Park Calungute, the good old Rozas (Ramadan fasting) come to an end with something so tantalizing that fasting for a month to seek Allahâs blessings seems totally worth it. During the weeks preceding Eid-ul-Fitr, the kitchen at the Park Calangute has arranged for the fasters an indulgence like no other. The authentic Hyderabadi Iftar feast is not to be missed this Ramadan season. And guess what? You donât have to be Muslim to love it.
Here you will find the delightful aroma of âKewdaâ, the subtle flavor of saffron, the entrancing taste of clove & cardamom, and perfectly tender and juicy meat followed by the richest desserts reflecting the best of the Mughal influence in India. Itâs all happening this Ramadan month at Love, the Parkâs fabulous multi-cuisine restaurant.
Iftar is derived from the Arabic word âFatarâ which in the literal sense, means to tear or to break. Itâs quite apt, as youâll not only be breaking the fast on these sumptuous offerings but youâll also be tearing apart your assumptions of Mughlai food being too sweet or heavy. The Iftar meal usually consists of a high protein diet full of fat and rich creams to rejuvenate the body after a long day of fasting. Here at the Park, you get the proteins but somehow it doesnât weigh you down.
Hereâs a little secret about Ramadan. Lots of people use it as a chance to shed some extra kilos. After all, you donât eat at all during the day! However, if you gorge yourself at the end of the day on fatty proteins, weight is not likely something youâll be losing much of. But guess what? At the Park, this is all beside the point. Because what youâll be thinking about is not the weighing scale, but what this food does to the tiny little spores on our tongue called taste buds. Simply put, itâs to die for. I call it âSporegasmsâ.
Sheermal and Mutton Paya
Taking in the Iftar feast at this seaside restaurant, you will savour a traditional Mughlai culinary experience with servings like Hyderabadi Haleem, Nalli Biryani, and Mutton Paya, with a sweet yet savory bread known as Sheermal. What ignited my âsporegasmsâ the most was the Chicken Korma and Chicken âKachchiâ Biryani, which I scoffed with âKhamiri rotiâ and âRaitaâ. Not to forget the âmelt-in-your-mouthâ desserts, including the Sheer Khurma, a vermicelli preparation, and Khubani (aka Khwani) ka meetha, prepared from dried almonds and apricots roasted in ghee.
If at this point your mouth is still not watering, fast for a day and read this again at the peak of your hunger. This Ramadan is indeed going to be full of flavours. Rejoice in each one of them. Eid Mubarak in advance!