Come Ramazan, and familiar aromas waft through Sayyada’s kitchen. But alongside tradition, there is a transformation taking place at her home in Jamia Nagar in the national capital. For the mother of two, preparing iftar now comes with a healthier twist. Her latest favourite is a modern take on a classic snack—air-fried keema samosas.
“Earlier we used to deep-fry,” Sayyada says with a smile. “Now I make the samosas in the air fryer. They still come out crisp and light, and the children love them just the same.”
The filling remains comforting and familiar—minced meat cooked slowly with onions, green chillies, coriander and a touch of garam masala. Wrapped in delicate samosa sheets and brushed lightly with oil, the parcels turn golden in the air fryer. “By the time the sunset prayer (azaan) is near, the house smells amazing,” she laughs.
For the past two years, Sayyada has introduced healthier cooking methods into her Ramazan routine. Still, the heart remains unchanged. Her iftar spread includes fruit chaat, dahi bada, Rooh Afza with chia seeds and a pot of slowly-cooked chicken haleem. Dessert is rarely skipped—sheer khurma rich with milk, dates and roasted vermicelli completes the meal.
But small lifestyle changes have reshaped the iftar table. “Earlier, plates would be piled high with deep-fried samosas, pakodas and kathi rolls. Those favourites still appear occasionally, but I now encourage the family to experiment with lighter dishes like fruit chaat, yoghurt-based snacks, grilled kebabs and homemade smoothies. I follow a lot of YouTubers for recipes. They share everything from baked samosa recipes to fusion desserts. So Ramazan is not just about food. Cooking for family and sharing iftar together is also part of the blessing,” she says.
Food historian and author Rana Safvi, who is deeply committed to documenting India’s cultural heritage, observes a similar shift across many households. “People are becoming more health-conscious and are moving away from fried food toward baked or less oily savouries,” she says. “Ramazan is a month of detoxing not just the body but also the soul. More people are realising that it’s about austerity and sharing with others.”
Community bonding
Today, Ramazan celebrations reflect a balance between nostalgia and novelty. Adding to this is the spirit of sharing that has taken a new form. Instead of cooking only for the family, homemakers like Sayyada and her relatives now pack small portions of their iftar meals to share with neighbours and people in need. The gesture, they say, deepens the sense of community that Ramazan encourages.
As Eid Al-Fitr is the festival of breaking a month-long fasting, the day marks a celebration of sorts in many ways. One looks the best, decorates the house and eats well. “Ramazan, especially Eid, is a time for pure nostalgia,” says Kolkata-based home chef and foodpreneur Manzilat Fatima. She adds that the traditional iftar dastarkhwan still features familiar dishes such as fried beguni, pyaazu, aloo bada, dahi bada, fruit chaat, kela kachaloo, chana ghugni, kacha chana dal, cut fruits and custard.
Chef and author Sadaf Hussain, who organises iftaar pop-ups, and held one recently at Chor Bizarre in Delhi, says sheer khurma is an absolute must for Eid. He remembers his mother making a rich version in his childhood, and many types of seviyan, including seviyan ka Muzaffar, qiwami seviyan, seviyan ki burfi. “Meethi gujiya is also popular. Dahi bada is a must.
Now people use dates for healthier version of sweets, or just consume stuffed dates. Dishes like qiwami seviyan, made with sugar syrup, are rare now. Even the sheer khurma now made is low in sugar and richness. However, the feast definitely does happen, even if the grandioseness has reduced. Oil and ghee use has come down, people consume less deep fried food. Something like malpua is rarely made, kebabs are grilled not fried. Number of dishes also has reduced,” he adds.
Beyond homes, Ramazan has also become a shared cultural experience. Corporate offices, neighbourhood groups and interfaith communities increasingly organise collective iftars that bring together people from different backgrounds to share the evening meal.
Culture experience consultant Abu Sufiyan Khan, founder of heritage initiatives such as Purani Dilli Walo Ki Baatein and Tales of City, has curated ‘Dastarkhwan-e-Jahaanuma’ rooftop gatherings during Ramazan in the Jama Masjid area. From around 60 bookings last year to more than 300 this year, the experience has attracted families, professionals, entrepreneurs and travellers not just in the vicinity but also from cities such as Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Kota and Kolkata. “While we host iftar and conversations with chef-author Sadaf Hussain, historian Rana Safvi, we serve both vegetarian and non-vegetarian heirloom dishes made by bawarchis in a five-course meal with kachalu, haleem, shab degh, pasande, mutanjan, muttar pulao and sheer,” Khan tells FE.
“It’s more about the vibe this year,” says Mohammed Arshad, an Old Delhi resident, avid biker and social worker, and the founder of biking club, Purani Dilli Motorcyclists. He says community iftars are becoming a trend-setter. He recalls attending a recent iftar that took place at the 18th-century Shahi Masjid in Delhi near Kashmere Gate, a mosque that survived the 1857 Rebellion. “At this historic mosque, people of all faiths—Hindus, Sikhs and Christians—came together for roza iftar. One standout drink I remember is shareefa ka sharbat alongside chaat, pastries and pakodas.”
For Fatima, a descendant of Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh, one dish that still reigns supreme during iftar is haleem. She says, “A slow-cooked dish made with meat, lentils and grains, it has long been associated with Ramazan and is considered both nourishing and comforting during the fasting month. It contains meat, lentils, rice and wheat, and is full of proteins that are required after a long day of fasting.”
Rise of curated dining
Beyond home kitchens, restaurants and food brands are also embracing the evolving culture of Ramazan dining. A quick search for iftar meals on food delivery platforms such as Zomato and Swiggy reveals hundreds of outlets offering curated iftar platters, biryanis and festive sweets. One brand tapping into the trend is Behrouz Biryani. “Our Ramazan menu—from haleem to thoughtfully curated iftar boxes—is designed to remain consistent, comforting and satisfying,” says Nishant Kedia, chief marketing officer at Rebel Foods.
Restaurants are also experimenting with heritage recipes. At AAA Foods & Rooftop Cafe, near Jama Masjid in Old Delhi, complimentary iftar meals are being offered during the holy month. Meanwhile, Waarsa, part of the Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality, has introduced dishes inspired by Awadhi traditions. Chef Mukhtar Qureshi has added unusual creations such as kathal ki nihari, a vegetarian adaptation of the classic slow-cooked stew, and gucchi aur seb ki kaliyan, a rare Kashmiri preparation once commonly cooked by Pandit families but rarely seen in restaurants today. “Today’s generation enjoys colourful, fusion-style food that photographs well for social media,” Qureshi says. “Older diners prefer classic flavours. So we try to bring a mix that appeals to all ages.”
Luxury hotels are also presenting elaborate Ramadan spreads. At Saffron, JW Marriott Mumbai, Juhu, chef Asif Qureshi has curated a menu celebrating the richness of the Awadhi dastarkhwan, with dishes such as bhatti ki kalmi, galouti kebabs and jhinga nisha. Similarly, ITC Hotels have crafted the ‘Ruhaniyat’ menu, a curated Ramazan dining experience featuring favourites such as shahi nihari, haleem, murgh yakhni pulao, dal bukhara and seviyon ka muzaffar across major cities in India.