Feast of the Sacrifice: Savory servings for ‘Salty Eid’

The mutabal is an eggplant dip —MARGAUX SALCEDO

A hearty Eid ul Adha Mubarak to our Muslim friends!

To those who are not familiar with the celebration, Eid ul Adha or Eid al-Adha, also known as Feast of the Sacrifice, is the Muslim festival that marks the culmination of the pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorates Abraham’s sacrifice of his son.

Eid al-Adha is the second of the two main Islamic holidays, the first being Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the monthlong, dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan.

In terms of food, Eid al-Fitr is also known as “Sweet Eid” because of the amount and variety of sweet dishes served on this occasion to celebrate the happy culmination of Ramadan, which honors the mercy of Allah. Meanwhile, Eid al-Adha is referred to as the “Salty Eid” because a larger variety of the dishes served are savory, such as mutton.

READ: June 17 (Monday) declared a regular holiday in view of Eid’l Adha

Eid al-Adha traditionally requires the sacrifice of an animal for meat, usually sheep, as a commemoration of the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah. Here are some ways to serve mutton for an Eid al-Adha menu:

Mutton Biryani. During Eid al-Adha, beef is known to take center stage, especially mutton. In fact, it is said that no Eid al-Adha feast is complete without the aromatic and savory mutton biryani.

Biryani is a layered rice dish made aromatic with spices like saffron and cumin, and for this festival, topped with chunks of marinated mutton. This is served with raita, which cools and refreshes the spicy biryani, and salan, which adds yet another layer of flavor.

The knafeh is a dessert typically layered with cheese and nuts. —Margaux Salcedo

Mutton Korma. Another way to serve lamb is mutton korma, which is a very tender mutton cooked in a delectable blend of spices, yogurt, and cream. The way it is cooked is through slow simmering of the beef, which allows the flavors to mingle, creating a thick and creamy sauce that coats each piece of beef.

Mutton Chops. And yet another way to serve lamb is mutton chops. These juicy and tasty chops are marinated in a spice mixture that includes ginger, garlic, and a variety of aromatic herbs. For a smoky flavor, the mutton may be grilled or pan-fried, giving you a hearty offering for your celebration.

Mutton Curry. Finally, there’s always curry. Mutton curry is a spicy and aromatic curry made with tender pieces of goat or lamb cooked in a variety of spices and herbs. You can serve this with rice, naan, or tandoori roti.

Other dishes that are said to be favorites for an Eid al-Adha menu include:

Haleem. This is a slow-cooked stew made with lentils, meat—beef or mutton—wheat, and spices, topped with fried onions, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Sheer Khurma. For dessert, sheer khurma is very popular. This is a dessert made of vermicelli pudding, cooked with milk and sugar and flavored with cardamom, saffron, and nuts such as almonds, pistachios, and dates.

Shahi Tukda. Shahi Tukda is another popular dessert made with deep-fried bread slices soaked in saffron-infused milk and topped with cardamom and dried fruits like almonds, rose petals, pistachios, and kesar threads.

All of these dishes sound so delicious. The thing is, it would be a rare event for a restaurant here in Manila to serve these so I hope this column inspires even a hotel buffet to serve these, whether in celebration of Eid al-Adha or just because they are simply delicious!

Assalamu alaikum, dear Muslim friends! May all be blessed with love and peace!