Breaking fast at a favourite place

The holy month of Ramazan is a time of fasting, sacrifice and religiousness, it is also seen as a time to reconnect with family, friends and the larger community as a whole. This month has its own charm and Pindiites look forward to celebrate it by planning Iftar with our loved ones.

“On our fourth roza my parents and brothers and sisters decided to plan out Iftar at Auntie Fatima’s house. It’s our all-time favourite place where we usually go every Ramazan as she is an expert cook,” says Naeem Naqvi, her nephew.

“We usually don’t eat enough at Iftar, but the dishes prepared by auntie seems so appealing to us that all of us have our fill. The items on the plate are just delicious, worth the labour put in them,” adds Naeem.

“It was an adorable evening. The entire atmosphere was bursting with overpowering aromas. ‘Pakoras’, samosas and vegetable rolls were being cooked. The moment was magical. Soon the dishes were laid on the dining table but we were waiting for the clock to tick 6.59pm for Iftar,” says Imtiaz Naqvi, the brother of Naeem.

“Lip-smacking food was all over. Juices, fruit ‘chaat’, ‘dahi bhallay’, spaghetti etc. “It's tough to resist pleasing food but fasting is all about this, one must learn to control,” says Abida Hussain, the mother of Naeem and Imtiaz, while adjusting the dishes.

“Finally, came the time we were all waiting for, before starting Iftar the family members prayed before meals. I was craving for the food cooked by auntie and decided to sit at the dining table right on time. I love everything prepared by auntie and I am fortunate that I live in Rawalpindi so I can come to meet her often,” says Aalia, the sister of Naeem.

“Slowly we all started discovering the real taste of iftar items, at the same time engaging in conversations. Dinner served later included mouth-watering ‘haleem’, ‘biryani’, ‘kebabs’, ‘nihari’, ‘paya’,” says Abeera, the sister of Aalia.

Nazia Batool, the daughter of Fatima says: “It's essential to keep a check on fitness because people end up eating more after fasting for so many hours. We can't exercise in Ramazan but at least can eat light and in moderation during Ramazan. We eat Iftar as light as possible, however, we eat ‘paratha’ with fried eggs for sehri.”

“For us such a powerfully fascinating experience of Iftar is unforgettable. Simplicity and charm of the host family left us mesmerized,” says Shabbir Hussain Naqvi, the head of the family and brother of Fatima.

The fascinating evening was concluded with a fresh cup of green tea which Fatima made sure to have after Iftar.