Feature by Liam

Jama Masjid historically called Shahjahanabad, is a place famous for its rich culture and heritage which serves as a tourist destination for foreigners, and its culinary excellence. Known for its juicy and delicate kebabs the site is a mecca-like space for all the non-vegetarian foodies who flock to the area with the famous Masjid-i-Jehan-Numa.

Many vendors sell the food in diverse ways, including visible stalls, famed restaurants, and newly opened eateries with sumptuous décor, all touting mouth-watering Mughlai cuisines. In my recent exploration there, I found unfamiliar foods, piquing my curiosity. I came across Korma and Haleem; dishes which I was not entirely familiar with. Upon tasting these newfound dishes, my taste buds went on a joyride! I had never tasted something so exemplary like this and after returning home; I shared my experience with my mother, and to my surprise, those were dishes which she could fix up on a good Sunday. Long story short, those dishes are now my absolute favorites.

I prodded my mother about how she knew so much about Mughlai cuisine and, much to my astonishment; she has been enjoying such foods since her childhood. These cuisines — Nihari, Haleem, Kebabs, and Kofta- were staple foods for her and her family. As I kept grilling her to learn more about her family's gastronomy. I realized mainstream society does not consume that many of these delicacies. This dawned on me once I started conversing about these foods with my friends and their automatic response would be “What is Haleem?”. I believe that this lack of knowledge is due to the bogey of vegetarianism that pervades North India. However, a Bengali acquaintance of mine was well familiar with these dishes and liked each. 

Haleem is a meat dish that is particularly prepared during the Ramadan festival. Muslims observe Ramadan all across the world as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which requires thorough fasting for about 30 days. During this month, Muslims do not consume food or water from dawn to dusk. They eat Suhur (a pre-dawn meal) and break their day-long fast with 'Iftar' in the evening. Haleem is synonymous with Iftar during Ramadan because it works as an energy booster and it also keeps a person full for long. Cooked with a variety of ingredients such as wheat, barley, lentils, and meat, Haleem is not only delicious, but it is also a powerhouse of nutrition. Its origins are Arabic, and it is prepared by using mutton, whole spices, and dals which are mashed well, and pure ghee is utilized in this preparation. 

People believe that Korma, also known as the king of Indian curries, originated in Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Persia. The name Qorma has been derived from the Turkish word- Qavirma which has roots in Arabic and Urdu. To prepare this dish one is required to marinate meat/poultry, braise it with spices, and roast it in ghee and khada garam masala. Cooking browned onions with the meat forms the gravy, and adding curd or cream enriches it. Ghee and the meat fat create the glaze.

In essence, Jama Masjid, not only stands as a beacon of rich cultural heritage but also serves as a hub of culinary excellence. Its tantalizing kebabs and aromatic Mughlai cuisines that are immensely attractive. In essence, the journey through Jama Masjid not only tantalized my taste buds but also unveiled the intricate tapestry of culture and tradition that defines our culinary heritage.