Ramzan 2024: Mumbai chefs pick their favourite dish to enjoy during this time

While the festival of Eid is still a month away the faithful in Mumbai await the sunset to spread out a wide variety of sweet treats for foodies to choose from We reach out to a few Mumbai restaurateurs and chefs to know their favouritesPhirni at Mohammed Ali Road Pics CourtesyWikimedia CommonsDecadent and deliciousMunaf Kapadia founder The Bohri KitchenMalai khajaOne of my favourites during the festival has to be the malai khaja It is a pillow pastry stuffed with malai and coated with sugar syrup You get it in multiple places especially at the Bohri Mohalla As I have grown older though it has become difficult to eat an entire malai khaja as itrsquos quite decadentJalebi in rabriApart from that another favourite is jalebi with rabri Typically a lot of these desserts came down from the ustads in Uttar Pradesh The key with the dish jalebi with rabri is to eat it fresh Even in that there are variants like the dark brown jalebi thinner or thicker My favourite is the thin brown jalebi with the rabriThe last one is the phirni Not just any but the kesar matka phirni What distinguishes a good phirni from the average one is the flavour of the clay pot My mom makes it best as she uses rava as an alternative to make it healthy It is perfect when you eat it the day after since it takes on the flavour of the clayGoing aflatoonPrashant Issar founder IshaaraAflatoonThe good thing about Ramzan is that you want to try different things at different places every night I visit Mohammed Ali Road once every year during the month of Ramzan I love phirni and khubani ka meetha But my favourite is the aflatoon I have it even when it is not Ramzan It comes in so many different qualities I never made it always ate itThe amazing thing is that its price varies from Rs 10 to Rs 300 It is loaded with desi ghee and dry fruits The magic is that anyone who eats it is easily spotted since their hand is coated in ghee My pick would be a visit to Zam Zam in Byculla or Suleman Usman Mithaiwala for a taste of it The festival is about piety but is also very festive I think it has the perfect balanceNostalgic hitsUrvika Kanoi founder Cafe DucoHalwa puriMy favourite is the halwa puri on kiosks along the bylanes of Mohammed Ali Road Once the month ends you will not find them again In fact I can tell you which one exactly My favourite cart is a green one behind the Shabbir Tawakkal SweetsThe halwa puri is a nostalgic treat and is specially made for Ramzan The phirni or sevaiyya might be made again for a festive occasion Also to crack the balance of sweetness for the halwa puri is difficult The simpler a dish is the more nuances there are to itGet your own tastegtgt Ammeez KitchenFrom rabdi malai to malpua and mohabbat ka sharbat there is a treasure trove of delicacies for the monthTILL April 11CALL 9820009857LOG ON TO ammeezkitchenPic CourtesyInstagramgtgt ARB KitchenWhile they focus on the special Iftar box this Dockyard Road home kitchen does have the twin delights of gajar and above dudhi halwaCALL 9833758444LOG ON TO arb_kitchenCOST Rs 500kggtgt Sabrinarsquos KitchenFor the festive month food curator Sabrina Suri is whipping up desserts from custards to shahi tukda and below rabdiCALL 9920538085LOG ON TO the_sabrinas_kitchenCOST Rs 100 onwardsRabrigtgt Jaffer Bhairsquos Delhi DarbarThe iconic hotspot also offers a delightful section on desserts from dudhi halwa phirni gulab jamun and caramel custard Take your pickCALL 18001235656LOG ON TO jbddcoingtgt BayrouteSample a touch of Middle Eastern magic with baklava or a pistachio mafroukeh from this special menuTILL April 13AT Bayroute Hiranandani Business Park Powai North Avenue Maker Maxity BKCLog on to bayroutedining