‘Id Mubarak: Snacking at the Masjid
Traditionally, ‘Id-ul-Fitr is a many-day celebration as we, muslims (strict), have only two celebrations1 and in muslim countries, this is honoured. Thus this will be the second of many posts commemorating ‘Id especially since Chennette won’t be arriving until Friday when we shall do some extra special cooking and thus have our ‘Id lunch on Saturday, as close to our whole family as we’ve been able to get any time the last four years, as my other sister, usually in Guyana with her offspring and spouse is now in the UK and my brother and his new family is in Saudi Arabia2.
When I was a child, we used to go house to house (muslim), following the Imam and at every house there would be a table set with sweets and savouries and other things. And we’d eat. Can you imagine? Every house? Or every “muslim” house? But it was fun. When we arrived at a house, we would gather around and he would lead us in the qaseeda:
Ma hay ramzan chaldiya
Eida kadin nagaya
Eida ho subako mubarak
Eida kadin nagaya
The above is from memory. I don’t know how accurate it is or even any more than those four lines. But it was and still is my favourite (only?) qaseeda. I wish someone could tell me how it goes…and sing it like he did.
After awhile, this was discontinued. I mean we’d spend all day going and stuffing and somebody would have to be at the house waiting for the rounds and thus missing out on the rounds and some people we would probably never even see at the masjid. It wasn’t very fair all around.
Then, at some point, we started having people bring something to the masjid. You know, you fry some aloo pie, make some barfi, bring some. If everybody would bring a little of what they made, then we could all lime and celebrate a bit at the masjid before going back home.
I like this idea…except some times it seems people only bring sweet stuff, and then to compensate, the next year/next ‘Id they only bring savoury :-)
Our contribution this year was cheesecake. I made Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Cordon Rose Cream Cheesecake. I doubled the recipe and cut it into little squares to share. It was so rich that…even for me, that was a decent serving. I loved it…I think others did too.
Here’s a plate of what some people brought. Somebody put it together for my dad, and seeing as I’d been taking pictures all month, told me okay, Lilandra, take a picture and give it to him ;-)
- The two celebrations in Islam are ‘Id-ul-Fitr (at the end of Ramadan) and ‘Id-ul-Adha (the sacrifice). Some muslims may celebrate other events for example Meeladun Nabi (the birth of the Prophet) or Meerajun Nabi (the ascension of the Prophet) but the Prophet did not celebrate these, just the two ‘Ids.
- And I, am in Trinidad, and also *from* Trinidad and Tobago, just in case you followed an old link ;-)
Sweet pictures! Geez I wish I could the food you photo!
And I so love your descriptions. They are so informative and I am learning so much! (And if keeps me away from Google. :P~ )
Comment by PJ — Wednesday 1st, October 2008 @ 3:17 pm
Well, I”m trying to make it not so dry as dust…you know…sort of interesting to read.
Keeps you away from Google…oh my…but that might be bad! :)
Comment by Lilandra — Wednesday 1st, October 2008 @ 3:22 pm
Eid Mubarak to you! It was a joy to follow your journey…until next year Insha Allah!
Comment by isme — Wednesday 1st, October 2008 @ 4:15 pm
Mahay Ramzan, chaldiya OWR
Eid ka din agaya …
your recollection might be phonetic, but i believe the transliteration of the urdu might be horribly funny or horrifying to someone who knew :-D I don’t think they spelled out the “ah” sound in Eid-A or sub-A-ko
I liked Chiragh dil ke jilao, ke Eid ka din hai
Comment by Chennette — Wednesday 1st, October 2008 @ 5:02 pm
i like that one too
ohh i should’ve said originally in Urdu, but “phonetically” from my memory
remind me to edit :)
Comment by Lilandra — Wednesday 1st, October 2008 @ 5:26 pm
Hmmm… you did not mention the Imam was your grandfather and he sang lustily at each house as if it was the first house , never was he tired and when he arrived home after this , he would proceed to go house to house to share sawaine for all the non Muslim neighbours …..
Is that why it is your favourite Qaseeda????
Comment by trinimom — Wednesday 1st, October 2008 @ 10:45 pm
well what you think?
it actually have memories associated with it
it actually meant EID
Comment by Lilandra — Wednesday 1st, October 2008 @ 10:47 pm
@isme: Eid Mubarak to you too! I’m glad you enjoyed the month…
(It’s not done yet! Well the posting…I think I’ve been blogging too much thus hand hurting, slowing me down)
Comment by Lilandra — Thursday 2nd, October 2008 @ 1:58 pm
Hi there,
Discovered your blog when looking for pastelles. Thanks for the pics and step by step on how to get them done! My only question is about the boiling. Do you submerge these in water or do you do them like conkies where you have a small amount of water in the bottom of the pan with a few ribs of the banana leaves (can I use banana leaves instead of fig? Do they taste differently with foil or it doesn’t make a difference?)and basically steam them? Thanks for your help and your delicious foodie blog!
Lisa, a reader from Barbados.
Comment by Lisa — Thursday 2nd, October 2008 @ 10:14 pm
Hi Lisa!
Sorry about the confusion.
In Trinidad (or at least in my little corner), we seem to call banana fig :-D
I might have not been clear…I should go edit the pastelle recipe then.
So, banana leaves are the same as fig (I can’t remember…I was probably an adult before I saw a real fig).
I don’t think it makes a difference which you use, foil or leaves…leaves are more authentic…I like it :-D
I’m not sure about conkies, but we filled the pot with water and pushed them down (tho they floated to the top and we didn’t worry too much, turned them over). So, I’m thinking you don’t necessarily need to fill the pot, about half-full? steam on one side and then the next?
thanks for your comments!! :)
Comment by Lilandra — Thursday 2nd, October 2008 @ 10:23 pm
[...] Well, a couple weeks ago I went to a Ladies Eid dinner (small group) where they also invited mom and her family to wish us a good hajj. They sang a couple qaseedas and I took the opportunity to leaf through the qaseeda book to find…tada! the song I tried to share with you earlier. [...]
Pingback by Lily’s Blog, Dragon Absconded! » Maahay Ramzaan: The very late last of the eid posts — Friday 31st, October 2008 @ 10:31 pm