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If you are following the Ramadan fast this year then you know just how important breaking the day-long fast in the evenings with a nutritious meal is. Since the Ramadan fast starts at dawn with Suhoor and no food is consumed since then until Iftar, your body is likely to be low on electrolytes, glucose and all sorts of essential nutrients. While most people tend to observe Iftar with a large spread of foods and drinks ranging from sharbat to kebabs to korma curries, the first thing you eat has to pack all the nutrition you need. What you need is a starter dish that is nutrient-dense and yet not so oily that you feel too full and unwell.
One sure-shot way of ensuring that your first dish for Iftar packs it all is to prepare the traditional white mutton soup from the Dawoodi Bohra community. Known popularly as Khurdi, this soup is chock full of protein, calcium, minerals and vitamins—all while being very light on the palate. Khurdi is basically a bone broth made of mutton pieces with bones, which means that it is definitely one of the most nutritious dishes out there. But unlike the more famous bone broth, Paya, Khurdi is much lower on the spices, which is why it has a cooling and refreshing effect. The addition of mint leaves also adds to the nutrition levels and the freshness of this white mutton soup.
Video courtesy: YouTube/Yummy Bohra Recipe
The Bohra or Bohri community in India, which has a substantial presence in Gujarat and Maharashtra, prepares Khurdi as a dish not only for Iftar but also throughout the summer months. Usually, Khurdi is made with on-the-bone mutton pieces. Some versions of Khurdi, however, call for other bony meats. For example, Siri Khurdi is made with a goat’s head, including the head bones and tongue—the brain, eyes and ears are not added to the soup. Similarly, another Khurdi version is made with chicken neck bones, and this one is recommended for those who don’t like eating red meat.
When it comes to preparing Khurdi, you can do so easily with the bare minimum ingredients. The white colour of the soup is provided by the milk and the addition of flour to thicken it. Whole spices are used to flavour the soup but the dish is not aggressively spiced, which means turmeric, red chillies and garam masala powder are avoided. Making a traditional Nohra Khurdi at home for Iftar is very easy, and all you need is this recipe. Check it out.
Image used for representative purpose only. Image courtesy: Facebook/Arundhti Bhanot
Ingredients:
250 g mutton, with bones
1 onion, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp black peppercorns
2-3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 green chillies, chopped
1 tbsp refined flour or maida
1 cup water
1 cup milk
Salt, to taste
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 tbsp oil
½ cup mint leaves, chopped
Lemon wedges, to serve
Method:
1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker.
2. Add the bay leaf, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick and green chillies.
3. Once the tempering stops crackling, add the onions and ginger garlic paste.
4. Saute the onions until they turn golden brown, then add the mutton pieces.
5. Mix well, then add salt, black pepper powder and mix again.
6. Now, add the flour and quickly mix while ensuring no lumps are formed.
7. Saute for a few minutes, then add the water gradually while stirring to ensure no lumps are formed.
8. Seal the pressure cooker and cook the mutton for 3-4 whistles.
9. Open the pressure cooker and check if the meat is done.
10. Once the mutton is cooked, add the milk and bring the Khurdi soup to a boil.
11. Now, add the mint leaves, adjust the salt and let the Khurdi soup cook for 10 minutes.
12. Serve the Khurdi hot with Keema Khichdi and enjoy a nutritious Iftar.
