Meet the meat: Make your Eid platter more diverse and delicious with these dishes

KARACHI:

As always, the season of cities turning into barns has arrived. Camels, sheep, cows and goats are tied to the streets, parked on the roads or are gently grazing inside people’s yards. But as the first day of Eid dawns upon us, the spirit of sacrifice slowly takes over. The time for sacrifice begins early in the morning, and so does the race for a good qasai but eventually what remains religious fervour and some heavenly cuisines. 

Eidul Azha marks the beginning of meat-lovers’ heaven, the next few months have a load of meat dishes in sight – especially the many barbecue nights (yes, even in this heat!). While people may refuse heavy breakfasts on regular days, Eid mornings are supposed to begin with kaleji (seasoned liver) and there are no exceptions to this rule.

For most families who indulge in Qurbani and host their relatives and friends, the day is meant to be full of food. If you haven’t had at least three meat dishes, did you even do Eid right? If you’re still thinking of ways to diversify your Eid menus and make the most out of your meat, here are some ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even snacks that you can make for your Eid feast. 

Meaty start to the day

Start your Eid morning with a burst of flavours and a touch of spice with the mouthwatering Kaleji – it’s an Eid staple. Succulent mutton or beef liver pieces can be marinated in a blend of dried red chilies, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, ginger, and garlic paste. Stir fry them until they’re brown to perfection. The result? A crispy exterior that gives way to tender and juicy mutton liver inside.

While this might not be an easy option for day one, you can always have a big sandwich morning for Eid day two. Chapli Kebabs, the delectable flat patties of minced beef, infused with spices and herbs, are the perfect way to kick-start your day of festivities. Packed with proteins, these kebabs are often a household tradition in Peshawar. Pair your tender kebabs with naan or roti, mint raita, and a side of salad.

Mid-day meat up

You cannot, not have biryani on Eid but if you’re in the mood to experiment, there’s so much more you can have for lunch. Apart from the classic beef biryani and mutton karahi (don’t take me wrong, they’re still top tier), you can have yakhni pulao, lamb chops, and shawarma bowls.

Pulao, inherited from the Indo-Aryan and Mughal Muslim culinary traditions, is quite popular in our cuisine. The Afghani/Kabuli version of it includes rice cooked in beef stock (yakhni) and garnished with fried glazed sweet carrots and dry fruits. A warm plate of pulao with some salad and mango juice will make your afternoon perfect.

Shawarma bowls can be yet another interesting item on your lunch table this Eid. It can be a bit time-consuming but that’s because it has everything you need in a bowl. Marinate your meat with spices, lemon and olive oil and let it cook while you prepare the Middle Eastern special tzatziki sauce.

Mix plain Greek yogurt, lemon juice, diced cucumber, garlic and chopped dill and season with salt and pepper. It can be made one day in advance. Add onions, rice, hummus, some chopped parsley, feta cheese, sauce and meat and your bowl is complete!

Bite-sized meat snacks

Having people over for tea on Eid and don’t know what to serve apart from the traditional Nimco? Fear not! Dumplings can be the best meat snack there can ever be and they’re not even hard to make. Another great option can be beef samosas. The stuffing can be the same for both if you wish but don’t forget to make a chili oil dip for a plate of dumplings and mint chutney for samosas.

Barbecue and so much more

Barbecues are always on the second day of Eid at my house but people often start doing it on the first day only. The dinner dish at our house is Dum Qeema and paratha, mutton kunna and beef korma with rice and bread – whatever people prefer. There’s so much you can make for dinner on Eid from dhaaga and fry kebabs to bihari boti and beef nihari.

Although we’ve already mentioned some traditional favourites here, there’s a Jordanian dish that will win everyone’s hearts this Eid. Beef Galayet Bandora, a truly comforting dish has thinly sliced beef cooked to perfection in a rich and tangy tomato sauce, made from luscious, freshly grown tomatoes. This dinner recipe needs golden-brown onions, fragrant spices like allspice, cumin powder, and cinnamon to infuse the dish with warmth. As the beef and tomatoes simmer together, the flavours meld to create an aroma that makes your taste glands growl out loud. To add a desi touch, add potatoes to the mix. It goes best with kulcha or sheermal.

The possibilities are endless and these classic dishes can be made easily with spices, ample time, a barbecue setup, family and a lot laughter to end the day with. Unfortunately, I don’t think dessert goes well with meat or people would have already figured out a meaty sweet for Eidul Adha by now – but well, no meat is enough meat for Eid right? 

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