Eid is the festival quintessentially known for their flavourful aromatic cuisines- like seviyan (vermicelli) kheer, pheerni, pulao –biryani and different kofta items. Presenting Dawat-E-Eid with these special recipes, carefully chosen for you!  

Without some interesting rice preparation any occasion seems to be incomplete! Pashtuni Zarda Pulao or Mitha Pulao is one among the Eid-special recipes which is traditionally prepared since a long time with lots of dry fruits, sugar and saffron-milk.  

Paneer Zarda Pulao

Ingredients

• 750 gm basmati rice
• 200 gm Purabi ghee
• 250 gm Purabi Paneer
• 1 gm saffron soaked in one cup of Purabi milk
• Whole spices: 6 cardamom, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 bay leaves, cloves
• 150 gm khoya
• 5 gm fennel seeds
• 200 gm sugar
• Dry fruits: 25 gm pistachios, 25 gm almonds, 50 gm cashew nuts, 50 gm raisins
• 1/2 tsp of rose water

Method

•  Soak rice in water for 1 hour and drain. Mix milk, saffron, rose water and sugar in a bowl.
•  Heat 10-15 cups of water in a pan. Once it comes to boil, add the soaked rice and cook further till the rice is about 80% cooked.
•  Strain the water from the rice and mix half of ghee. Heat the remaining half of ghee in a pan. Add dry fruits and fry till golden-brown.
•  Add whole spices and fry for about half a minute. Add paneer cubes and fry until golden.
• Add the rice and cook on low flame for 10-12 min with cover.
• Add the milk mixture and cover again cover for another 5 minute.
• Garnish with khoya, nuts and serve hot.

A beautiful kofta preparation of is a must have in any occasion.  Fried meat balls are served in a yogurt based spicy, smooth and creamy gravy to taste the perfection. 

Mutton Kofta

Ingredients

• 500 gm minced mutton
• 3 tablespoon Purabi (curd)
• 2 tablespoon Purabi cream
• 1 Tbs ginger-garlic paste
• 2 pinches asafoetida
• 2 Tbs gram flour (besan)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• Salt & Sugar- as per taste
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoon whole garam masala

Method

• In a large bowl add minced mutton, besan, 1 Tbs curd, salt, asafetida, half red chilli powder, half garam masala powder. Mix well and prepare the kofta balls.
• Put a kadhai on medium flame and heat oil in it.
• When the oil is hot enough, add these kofta balls carefully and fry them till a golden brown.
• In the same oil (check the measurement), add dry red chillies and black cardamoms to the kadhai.
• Saute them for a few seconds and then add all the spices, ginger-garlic paste. Fry for a few minutes and add the beaten curd and tomato puree.
• Cook till done. Then add about 1-2 cups of water and let the masala cook for a few minutes till the gravy is thick.
• When the gravy is almost cooked, add the fried mutton koftas in. Cook for about a minute and garnish with cream.
• Best served with butter naan/ roomali roti, rice and pulao.

A delicious dessert made with vermicelli, cooked in milk and dry fruits, is the most integral part of the festivity. The festival of Eid-Ul-Fitr is named as Mithi-Eid in some places literally, synonymous with sweet seviyan!

Sheer Korma

Ingredients

• 500 ml Purabi (standard) milk
• 1/4 cup fine vermicilli
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp Purabi ghee
• 1 Tbsp rose water
• A small pinch cardamom powder
• Nuts & Dry Fruits: 2 Tbsp dates - finely chopped, 2 Tbsp raisins, 1/3 cup cashews, almonds, pistachios chopped finely.

Method

• Soak dates in warm milk and set aside for an hour.
• Boil milk in a pan until it shrinks to almost half in volume.
• Heat ghee in a pan and add the nuts and raisins fry till slightly browned and crispy. Set aside.
• In the same pan add vermicelli and roast till golden brown.
• Then add half of milk and let the vermicelli get cooked.
• Once the vermicelli turns soft add sugar, cardamom powder, give a quick stir.
• Add remaining milk and let it boil in low flame.
• Once it is thick add the roasted nuts, dates, rose water give a stir and cook for 2mins then switch off.
• The Kheer thickens with time so switch off accordingly.