Ramadan in India!! (How 30,000 People Eat Dinner in Old Delhi)

TL;DR

Mark Wiens breaks the Ramadan fast with 30,000 people at Jama Masjid, then eats through Old Delhi's most iconic street food spots.

Key Points

• 1.Jama Masjid hosts 30,000 people nightly for iftar during Ramadan. Built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1656, the mosque fills its courtyard with locals, street food buyers, and strangers sharing donated communal meals.
• 2.The iftar meal follows a strict sequence. Breaking the fast begins with dates for instant sugar, then bananas and fruit, followed by savory fried snacks — a tradition observed globally in Islamic culture.
• 3.Ramadan-exclusive foods dominate Old Delhi's street stalls. Kima samosas (crescent-shaped, fried in ghee), paneer jalabi (paneer soaked in sugar syrup), and giant unsweetened kajala clusters dipped in milk are only available this one month.
• 4.Kureshi Kebab Corner serves chicken, mutton, and buffalo seekh kebabs doused in butter over raging charcoal fire. Buffalo was declared the winner for its oily, smoky, melt-in-your-mouth texture and juiciness.
• 5.Karim's restaurant has operated since 1913 and is considered an Old Delhi institution. Signature dishes include mutton brain curry (creamy, turmeric-spiced, melts instantly), mutton ka (goat meat in yogurt-tangy gravy), and chicken ishtu (whole-spice onion gravy).
• 6.Aslam Butter Chicken invented its own version of butter chicken unique to Old Delhi. Unlike tomato-based national versions, Aslam's marinates chicken, grills it on skewers, then drowns it in melted salted butter, yogurt, cream, and chaat masala.
• 7.Muhammad Hussein's JFC (Jama Masjid Fried Chicken) has been frying since 1975 — 50 years. The owner triple-fries each piece, ripping joints open for maximum surface area, then coats in masala spice blend with green chutney underneath.
• 8.Taufiq Biryani Shop, founded 1998, serves Old Delhi's most famous biryani. Delhi-style distinguishes itself with long-grain rice, less heavy spicing, and a unique topping of achar (green chili pickles) ladled directly from the pot.
• 9.Old Delhi's food culture runs until 4:00 a.m. during Ramadan. The streets remain shoulder-to-shoulder packed all night, with restaurants staying open until sehri (pre-dawn meal), creating a continuous festive atmosphere of eating and community.