KOCHI: Prayers reverberate as the smell of delicious food waft through the streets at sundown during Ramzan days at Karukapally. Shops near the mosque stack snacks and other delicious items for the hordes of believers to break their fast. The Thalassery Bakery at Karukapally sees a massive production of Ramadan snacks every day. Mostly Malabar snacks, the list includes varieties of pathiri, unnakkaya, kinnathappam, kallumakkay, kaypola, kilikoodu, beef unnakkaya, kunjikkalthappam, eethapazham pori , mutta appam, kalthappam, irachi ada and much more.
Besides, normal fares like cutlets, samosas and puffs too sell like hotcakes. “We begin the production by morning. The amount of snacks made here is pretty huge. We deliver orders to other places as well. Even people who do not fast come here to buy the snacks made during Ramzan time,” said Shamshad of Thalassery Bakery.
With breaking fast with thari kanji being the norm, the shops have make it available in boxes too. Cashing in on the season, many new shops have come up with a variety of Ramzan delicacies, putting up flexes displaying their menu.
However, shop owners say the Ramzan sales have gone down from the previous years. “Last year, there were more shops offering Ramzan snacks and they did good business. However, this time around close to four of the usual shops have not come up with any Ramzan specials,” said a staff in Marhaba.
Unnakkaya
The spindle-shaped sweet made of plantain with a whiff of cardamom in it suits the Malayali palate and is in huge demand during Ramzan time and a favourite among the Malabar snacks.
Kalathappam
Cooked batter of rice, onion, cardamom, Jaggery and coconut flakes is boiled in hot water from both sides to make this dish belonging specially to Kannur and Kasargod and has its root in Mangaluru.
