A new moon rises in the western horizon. It marked the birth of Hijara, ninth month of Islamic calendar. The next 30 days are fully devoted to Allah. The doors of hell will be closed and heaven will be opened for all.
Coming with the new moon, the festival marks the end of 'Ramadan' - a month when Muslims fast throughout the day and eat only at night Prayers.
During Ramadan, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds. As compared to solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan vary, moving forward about ten days each year as it is a moving festival depending on the moon. Ramadan was the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were claimed to have been revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
During Ramadan the people who fast are not allowed to eat or drink anything (including water) from dawn to after sunset. Also one has to restrain other body parts, which may render the fast worthless despite the main factor of hunger and thirst; so the tongue, for instance, must avoid backbiting, slander, and lies ;the eyes should avoid looking into things considered by the Lawgiver as unlawful; the ears must stop from listening to conversation, words, songs, and lyrics that spoil the spirit of fasting; and finally restraining of the heart, and mind from indulging, themselves in other things besides zikr or Allah (remembrance of Allah).
Also when one is fasting and feels hunger and thirst he has to remember other people in the world who do not have food and water. Charity is one of the extremely recommended acts during fasting.
God says, ‘All the deeds of man belongs to him. But, fasting is for me. Iam going to give the reward for that.’

Ingredients:
Chicken - 500 gm, boneless
Capsicum - 2
Onion - 2, medium-sized
Tomatoes - 2, medium-sized
Lemon juice - 1/4 cups
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper - 1 tsp
Soya sauce - 1 tbsp
Hot sauce - 1 tbsp
Oil for deep frying

How to prepare:

1. First cut chicken into 1 inch pieces
2. Place the chicken in a round dish with the lemon juice, salt, black pepper, soya sauce, and hot sauce.
3. Combine them well, cover, and leave for 2-3 hours to marinate.
4. Cut the onion, capsicum, and tomatoes into small cubes.
5. Now, skew chicken and vegetables closely on bamboo skewers.
6. Heat oil in a big size frying pot and fry skewers until chicken begin to change its color and the vegetables are soft.
7. Take off from oil and put it on absorbent paper. (You can also grill the chicken over hot charcoal).
8. Decorate with lemon pieces and mint leaves.
9. Serve hot with mint chutney.

For the Kofta:

Mutton - 1 Kg, boneless
Onion - 2
Green chillies - 6, finely cut
Besan (roasted) - 2-1/2 tbsp
Egg - 1
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Ginger - 2 inch piece, finely cut
Oil for frying
Salt to taste

For the curry:

Coriander leaves - 2 tsp
Haldi powder - 1 tsp
Onion - 3
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Garlic - 3-5 cloves
Tomato - 1 cup, boiled and skinned
Ginger - 1-1/2 inch piece
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

How to prepare:

1. First to make kofta, grind the meat with all other ingredients and shape it into small balls.
2. Heat oil in a wok and deep fry these balls until golden brown. Keep aside.
3. Now for the curry, first stir fry the onions, garlic, and ginger until golden brown.
4. Add rest of the curry ingredients with enough water to make a gravy.
5. Bring it to a boil, add fried koftas, and simmer for 45 mins.
6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Ingredients:

Meat - 1 cup
Sliced onion - 2 cups
Green Chillies - 5, sliced
Garlic - 5 flakes, crushed
Ginger - 1" piece, crushed
Coriander leaves - little
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Refined flour - 2 cups
Oil - As required
Turmeric Powder - little
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

How to prepare:

1. First, combine meat with turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, and salt, and cook. Mince the meat in a mixer.
2. Heat oil in a pan and sauté onion, ginger-garlic paste, green chillies, and salt until golden brown.
3. When it is done, add minced meat, garam masala powder, and coriander leaves. Mix well.
4. Also, add a little gravy left from the cooked meat and sauté well. Remove from fire.
5. Now, make a dough with refined flour, water, and salt.
6. From the dough, make small balls and shape into thin rounds.
7. First, take one round and spread the meat masala over it, and then take another round, cover the first one with it, and seal the edges by twisting.
8. Deep fry in oil.
9. Meat Pattiri is ready.

Ingredients:

Vermicelli - 1 packet
Whole milk - 1 gallon
Sugar - 1 cup
Whole cardamom pods - 20 cloves
Cardomom powder - 1/2 tsp
Almond, Cashews, and Pistachios - 1 cup, slivered
Fresh cream - 1/2 cup
Saffron strands - 1/2 tsp
Charoli nuts - 3 tbsp
Light brown raisins - 1/2 cup
Rose water - 1/2 tsp
Butter - 1 tbsp

How to prepare:

1. In a pan, fry vermicelli in butter until well browned, but not burnt. All the butter will get dried by the time it gets cooked.
2. To this, add 1/4 cup sugar and mix well.
3. Cook for a few seconds and then add the whole milk, cup by cup. Stir continuously and bring it to a boil.
4. Add raisins, whole cardamom, and 1/2 cup almonds, cashews and pistachios, along with the remaining sugar.
5. Now, reduce the heat and thicken the sheer korma to three-strand consistency, letting the milk boil until it is halved.
6. Quickly add rose water, charoli and fresh cream to this, and let it simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
7. Decorate with saffron strands and powdered cardamom, and serve immediately

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 325 gms
Mutton - 1/2 Kg, cut into small pieces
Onion - 3, sliced
Ginger-garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 3, small-sized
Cinnamon - 1 piece
Beaten curd - 1/2 cup
Green cardamom - 3
Pepper - 5
Cloves - 5
Shahjeera - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Milk with saffron - 1/4 cup
Coriander - 1 pinch, chopped
Apricots - 5
Dry Fruits
Ghee, as required

How to prepare:

1. Fry the dry fruits and apricots in 2-1/2 tbsp ghee with a little salt (to taste).
2. Grind the fried onions and red chillies to make a fine paste.
3. Now, marinate the mutton pieces with curd, ginger-garlic paste, onion paste, turmeric powder, and salt.
4. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and add marinated mutton and cook until done.
5. In another vessel, heat ghee and add the whole spices. Fry for a while and then add washed rice.
6. Add salt and warm water enough that it comes 1-1/2 inch above the rice. Cook until the rice is done.
7. Remove the rice from the pan, spread out to cool, and remove the whole spices.
8. To assemble, apply ghee to a heavy bottomed vessel, add the cooked mutton, and sprinkle some garam masala.
9. Cover with a layer of rice, followed by melted ghee, and then the saffron milk.
10. Finally, add the fried nuts, cover tightly, and keep it for 15-20 minutes.
11. Mix and serve hot after garnishing with chopped coriander leaves.