24 May,2026 12:20 PM IST | Mumbai | Nasrin Modak Siddiqi
Bone cappuccino
Eid is often remembered through its recipes prepared once a year, tables crowded with family, and dishes that carry generations of memory. For many chefs, these celebrations shaped their relationship with food and also their thoughts about hospitality, tradition, and cooking with intention.
Some of the fondest Eid memories of Hussain Shahzad, Executive Chef at The Bombay Canteen, Hunger Inc. Hospitality, revolve around food and family coming together around the table. He says, "Sheer Khurma was an essential part of the celebration but when Raan would arrive at the table as this grand, generous centrepiece, it felt incredibly special because it was reserved for truly celebratory occasions. It carried a sense of abundance, sitting with the entire family, carving into it, passing plates around are memories that have stayed."
The celebrations at his home included nihari, mutton curries, kormas, and biryanis and as the days went on, even the bones, hoofs, and paaya would be used to make broths, soups, and slow-cooked dishes. Looking back, that idea of cooking with respect, using ingredients thoughtfully, and creating meals meant to be shared over conversations has stayed with Shahzad. The upcoming Nose-to-tail festival is about honouring everything that the animal gives you, rather than focusing only on the so-called prime cuts. For me, the creativity lies in taking parts that are overlooked or considered unglamorous and showcasing them with respect. In our society, cooking with offal still carries a certain stigma and is considered less refined but that's exactly what makes it interesting for chefs. There's something rewarding about transforming these cuts into dishes that feel exciting, refined, and delicious. Across the menu, we have worked with ingredients like kidneys, liver, heart, and even brain. Each one requires a different approach in terms of technique, balance, and flavour. The goal was never to shock people, but to present these ingredients in a way that feels thoughtful, celebratory, and approachable," he signs off.
Ingredients
50 gm ghee
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 black peppercorns
1 black cardamom
2 green cardamoms
100 gm onions, thinly sliced
15 gm ginger, chopped
15 gm garlic, chopped
6 green chillies
10 gm coriander stems
300 gm mutton stock
2 gm coriander powder
1 gm turmeric powder
2 gm garam masala
10 gm fresh coriander leaves
10 gm fresh mint leaves
Lime juice, to finish
Method
Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, black cardamom, and green cardamom. Sauté until fragrant. Add the sliced onions and cook until lightly translucent. Stir in the ginger, garlic, and green chillies. Cook until the raw aroma disappears. Add the coriander powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala. Cook gently for 1-2 minutes. Add the chopped coriander stems and sauté briefly. Pour in the mutton stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the soup develops depth and reaches the desired consistency. Add the fresh mint and coriander leaves, switch off the heat, and allow the soup to infuse for 20 minutes. Strain the soup, season with salt, and finish with a squeeze of lime.
Ingredients
½ cup toasted almond flakes
250 gm almond milk
60 gm cream
Method
Combine the toasted almond flakes, almond milk, and cream in a blender. Blend until smooth and strain through a fine sieve. Froth before serving, or whisk lightly to create a light foam texture.
The Bombay Canteen's Nose-to-Tail Feast, honours every part of the goat with a feast that draws from regional recipes, forgotten techniques, and festive cooking traditions, reimagined through dishes designed for sharing. Think Smoked Tongue, Bheja Pakoda with Ocietra caviar, Bone Cappuccino, Rib Chop Puff with Kolhapuri rassa, and Raan Mussalam, alongside a specially crafted cocktail programme.
WHEN: May 24 and 25
Growing up, Thai Naam's founder-chef Jawairia Merchant's Eid was centred around the kitchen, waking up to the aroma of sheer khurma simmering slowly, and the smell of saffron filling the house. "Biryani was the heart of our Eid table, cooked slowly, every step done with patience and love. What stayed with me most was the sense of togetherness around it, family members cooking side by side, tasting, adjusting and sharing stories. Those moments taught me early on that food is emotional and communal. It has inspired my cooking, made me respect tradition and understand the importance of balance in flavours, For my mom, biryani during Eid is tied to a feeling of quiet joy and the sense of contentment that comes from seeing the house full, the table crowded, and everyone eating together. Her favourite memory isn't a single moment, but the feeling of watching everyone take that first bite, knowing she had played a part in creating happiness and comfort for the people she loves," says Merchant.
Ingredients
For the Mutton Masala
1 kg mutton
3 onions, thinly sliced
Oil as required
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
Salt to taste
Whole Spices
1 tsp black pepper
1-2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
Masala Powders
3 tbsp red chilli powder
2 tsp coriander powder
3 tsp Sindhi biryani masala
1 tsp garam masala
Other Ingredients
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup yogurt
4 onions, fried until golden brown (birista)
Potatoes, cooked separately
For the Rice
1 kg rice
Cardamom (elaichi)
Cumin seeds (jeera)
Cinnamon
Whole garam masala
Lemon slices
Salt
Method
Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds, black pepper, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Sauté for a few seconds until aromatic. Add the sliced onions and cook until golden brown. Add the mutton and sauté well for 5-7 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix properly. Add a little water if required, close the cooker, and pressure cook for 3 whistles on medium flame, then 5 minutes on low flame.
Allow the pressure to release naturally. Open the cooker and place it back on medium flame. Add Red chilli powder, Coriander powder, Sindhi biryani masala, chopped tomatoes, and garam masala. Cook) The mutton is well-cooked until the tomatoes soften, the masala becomes thick and aromatic, the meat is almost done, and the oil starts separating. Add Yoghurt & Birista Switch off the flame and let the mutton cool slightly. Add yoghurt and mix well. Crush half of the fried onions (birista) and mix them into the masala for extra flavour. Prepare the rice by boiling water in a large pot, add salt, cardamom, cumin seeds, cinnamon, whole garam masala, and lemon slices. Add the soaked rice and cook until it is 70-80 per cent done. Drain the rice completely.
Layering the Biryani: Spread a layer of rice at the bottom. Add a layer of mutton masala. Add another layer of rice on top. Sprinkle remaining birista
saffron milk (optional but recommended). Add the boiled potatoes between the layers if desired. Cover the pot tightly with a lid and cook on a low flame (dum) for 20-25 minutes. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot with raita or salad.
Waarsa by Rahul Akerkar, Mukhtar Qureshi and ABNAH has a specially curated Eid al-Adha Thaali celebrating the spirit of Awadhi mehman-nawaazi through a refined festive spread. Think coolers like Kaanji and Aamjhora, kebabs like Gosht Ka Pasanda, Tawa Boti Roast and Shammi Kebab, alongside classics such as Bheja Masala, Kaleji Gurda, Bhindi Mutton Ka Salan, Khada Masala Ka Kheema and Kofti Biryani. Desserts like Badam Sev Ka Halwa, Sheer Qurma and Kulfi round off the experience.
WHEN: May 26 to 31
WHERE: Waarsa, NCPA
For Chef Needa Khan, founder, Chantilly, Bandra, Eid was about waking up to a house full of wonderful chaos! "Everyone running late, someone searching for shoes, someone ironing clothes at the last minute⦠yet somehow, there was always time to gather around a bowl of warm sheerkurma before the day began. Those memories shaped the way I cook today. Food, to me, is less about perfection and more about emotion and the feeling of being held by tradition."
In her home, Shahi tukda is made on Eid morning, a recipe deeply woven into her family's history. "My mother learned it from her mother and then passed it on to me. That, to me, is what Eid truly represents! Not just celebration, but continuity."
Ingredients:
1.5 litres full-fat milk
225 gm sugar
10 gm almond flakes
1 tsp vanilla extract
250 gm unsweetened khoya
Ghee, for deep-frying
1 pack sliced bread, corners trimmed and cut diagonally
A generous pinch of saffron
Pistachio flakes, for garnishing
4-5 sheets silver warq
Method:
Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed pan and bring it to a boil. Add the sugar, vanilla extract, and almond flakes. Simmer on low heat, stirring intermittently, until the milk reduces by nearly half. Heat the ghee in a deep pan and fry the bread slices until golden brown on both sides. Drain on absorbent paper.
Dip the fried bread slices into the reduced milk for 8-10 seconds, ensuring they absorb the liquid without becoming too soft. Arrange them in a single layer on a platter. Transfer the remaining sweetened milk back to low heat. Crumble the fresh khoya into the pan and add a few saffron strands. Stir continuously until the khoya melts into the milk. Pour the warm saffron-khoya sauce generously over the soaked bread slices. Finish with a generous sprinkling of almond and pistachio flakes. Garnish with saffron strands and silver warq.
