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MANGALORE: Mutton Kichda from Mumbai has replaced Hyderabadi haleem, a dish that is synonymous with Iftar parties held in the holy month of Ramzan.
 
Haleem, which was introduced for the first time in the coastal city by an eatery here last year, has made a quiet exit since it did not excite the Mangalorean palate. Now, people here are lapping up the Mutton khicda, a popular Ramzan delicacy in Mumbai.
 
Danish Food Court owner Yousuf Khaleel said, "We wanted Mangaloreans to taste haleem and they did not like it. We have now replaced it with khicda this year and there is good response."
 
Mutton khicda is prepared using six types of dal, basmati rice, mutton and dollops of ghee. Apart from this, his outlet serves mutton, chicken and vegetarian samosas, rolls, egg vada, simla chilli vada, the ever popular onion pakoda, kheema parotas and payasam.
 
Chef Moideen Kunhi from Manjeshwar working at the outlet said that he learned to prepare khicda when he was in Mumbai. "I’m glad Mangaloreans are liking it unlike the haleem," he added.
 
Earlier, the month of Ramzan was heralded by the availability of mutton samosas in Bunder and other Muslim-run restaurants in the trading capital of the city.
 
In Bunder, people wait for the festival as mutton samosas are prepared only in the holy month at the 80-year-old Bombay Lucky restaurant. They also prepare sweets like phirni (milk and soji), sheer kurma (vermicelli, milk, cardamom). Samosas will be available from 2 pm onwards and sweets after 3 pm.
 
Preparation for the special mutton samosas require a lot of time and during Ramzan we have a lot of time. They are prepared with mutton kheema and onions, after removing the moisture. The process takes a long time and hence we cannot do it every day,’’ said Mohammed Iqbal, son of the restaurant’s owner Mohammad Sulaiman.
 
Bombay Lucky opens in the month of Ramzan at 7 pm and shuts down by 12 midnight