Ramzan begins, get set for an iftar trail at this famous spot

The city’s iconic Minara Masjid lane welcomes food lovers with traditional delights such as malpua, kebabs, phirnis and more...

The month of Ramzan has begun and while it’s a time of prayer and reflection, this is also when city’s old areas like Mohammed Ali Road and Bohri Mohalla present delicious food. We took a walk down the famous Minara Masjid lane at Mohammed Ali Road where swirling hot malpuas with cream and dry fruit, rich haleem and chilled phirnis are second to none. Tradition involves a stop here post sunset for an iftar trail with office colleagues, friends and family to enjoy the savouries and sweet dishes, amidst the stalls with twinkling lights and bonhomie.

Every Ramzan, the bustling Minara Masjid Lane turns vibrant with stalls selling traditional sweets and savouries (Ismat Tahseen/HT)

Hot off the tawa and grill: Kebabs, cutlets and rolls
Make sure you come here with an appetite and start your trail with some tangy chana chaat, one of the fastest-selling items in the lane.

Cutlets, kebabs and baida rotis are a popular buy (Bhushan Koyande/ HT )

Warm naans to go with the savoury fare (Ismat Tahseen/ HT)

Move on to sample a crispy samosa or two and soon the aroma of kebabs on the grill will lure you to have them piping-hot off the skewers with a dollop of chutney and some onion!

Piping-hot baida rotis, rolls and tandoori being sold here (Bhushan Koyande/ HT)

Other must-haves include tandoori chicken, naan-sandwich and baida roti. They have such a variety from chutney kebabs and Hyderabadi kebabs to Lucknowi kebabs.

Sweet way to end the trail

The sweet offerings warrant another trail of their own, but as you are already here, make space and time to have them from Suleman Usman Mithaiwala and Modern Sweets & Confectionery, two of the oldest establishments in the lane.

Slices of of soft, sweet shahi tukda (Ismat Tahseen/ HT)

Chilled phirnis set in earthen pots (Ismat Tahseen/ HT)

The go-to choice of course, are cold firnis, set in earthen pots in kesar and malai flavours. In addition, you also have 'phool' khajas, a flaky sweet centred with mawa that tastes as good as it looks, doodhi halwa and aflatoon.

Enjoy your malpuas with a dollop of cream and nuts (Bhushan Koyande/ HT)

A must-do is to get out your phone and make a reel or two at the malpua sections of these shops where the sweetmeat maker skilfully swirls the egg-maida-sugar pancake into a smoking kadhai.

Malpua makes for the perfect meal-ender (Bhushan Koyande / HT)

It comes out dripping-hot and is either had plain or garnished with a generous topping of cream, saffron and nuts. Gulab jamun lovers will also relish the dark-hued mawa gulab jamuns. All in all, a complete treat that goes on until the wee hours!