Ramzan 2025 | Chefs Sanjeev Kapoor, Ranveer Brar and Kunal Kapur share their favourite Eid delicacies
Ahead of Eid al-Fitr, chefs Sanjeev Kapoor, Ranveer Brar and Kunal Kapur give HT City a peek into their favourite festival delicacies
Pateti kebabs and Sheer Khurma: Ranveer Brar
My all-time favourites have been sheer khurma and hamesha rehaga. I remember on Eid, in Lucknow, my friends and I would end up consuming 2-3 litres of sheer khurma. That will always be my number one! Pateti ke kebab that is cooked at home is my festive favourite. These kebabs are regular for many, but I used to request my friends to get them made on Eid, as that day unka swaad kuch aur hi ho jata hai! For me, the festival culture of Lucknow matters a lot – Holi ek ghar, Eid doosrey ghar, woh cheez meri yaadon se bahut zyada judi hai.
Sheer khurma in original form: Sanjeev Kapoor
In all festivals, we have several dishes, but the significance of mithas (sweetness) of the festivity stands out. For me, the connection with Eid is sheer khurma, which has constantly and consistently stayed for centuries.
I focus and plan out what I want to eat outside, like kebabs and stuff, and what I would prefer to have at home or a friend’s home I visit. The feeling of festivity is when you eat from home and at home! So, that homely feelingI get from sheer khurma. Also, it has not changed over time. I say Holi, Diwali or Eid ko toh kha hi lena chahiye. Things like reducing ghee or sugar can be kept for normal days but not on festivals. There are other items, like biryani and kebabs too, that I enjoy.
Love the mithas of the festival: Kunal Kapur
The best part of Eid is that it falls after 30 days of fasting, and people look forward to celebrations and iftar at home with family and friends. What interests me isn’t making that one dish but the love with which people prepare all kinds of food at home. They then share it with their neighbours and friends, and a bond is formed over food— be it the flavourful nihari, sweet kimami seviyan, perfectly spiced biryani, delectable haleem or fragrant sheer khurma. For me, desserts are my kamzori! My personal favourite is sheer khurma. If you’re in the UAE during Eid, they prepare this dessert with ajwa dates. I prefer to make either kimami seviyan or sheer khurma at home on Eid. A trick to remember is to keep the dish on the thinner side as it thickens with time.
