What’s special for iftar at Coimbatore’s Kottaimedu?

Experience the vibrant Ramzan festivities of Kottaimedu's Eswaran Koil Street with delicious snacks and unique treats.

Kottaimedu’s Eswaran Kovil Street is enveloped in the heady aroma of meat, masalas, and medhu vadais. The narrow street, packed with restaurants, bakeries, and juice shops, is home to the historic Kottai Thareekathul Islam Shafia Jamath Mosque. As dusk approaches, people pour in to buy snacks for iftar, the fast-breaking evening meal during Ramzan. We join the neighbourhood’s festivities, sampling the specials and picking our favourites.

While make-shift stalls and push-carts selling crispy vadais, bondas, and bajjis are aplenty, Varna Café’s bun sandwiches are a hit among children. These are small buns stuffed with either egg or mayonnaise-coated vegetables. “We wanted to offer something that is easy on the pocket,” says Salman Tarif, the owner of the six-year-old café.

Every year, Varna sets up a special counter at its entrance displaying iftar snacks. “We are open from 4pm to 6.30pm,” says Salman, adding that the sandwiches sell out in an hour. The sandwiches can be had in three quick bites: the soft, sweetish buns pair well with both the vegetable and egg fillings. The café’s chairs are cleared up in time for the evening prayer, and Salman says that they offer free iftar to 20 people who can use their premises to break their fast.  

Priced at ₹10 and ₹15 for the vegetable and egg variations respectively

Kaima Kanji Shop is the only place selling nonbu kanji in the neighbourhood. Preparations start at around 9am, and the kanji is ready by 3pm. The mild and fragrant kanji is flavoured with a heady mix of spices, and consists of lentils (paasi paruppu), broken biryani rice, and minced beef. “I follow the recipe that has been handed down by my periappa (father’s elder brother),” says P Raja who has been running the shop for the past 12 years.

“We make 15 varieties of snacks such as vadais, bondas, and cutlets that can be had with the kanji,” he says, dropping lemon-sized balls of kaima vadai batter into a gigantic pan of piping hot oil. Raja’s uncle M Ibrahim spent three years with a friend in Kayalpatnam, a municipality in Thoothukudi district known for its traditional Muslim cuisine, learning to make the perfect kanji.

Priced at ₹40 for a serving that can be shared by two.