TRADITIONAL: The guests were served traditional Pakistani Biryani and chicken dishes.
By Umer Nangiana
Keeping up with its traditions of treating its guest with traditional Pakistani cuisine, Pak Shamaa School expanded its platter of authentic dishes for the grand Iftar banquet this Ramadan.
Annually hosted for members of Pakistani community and the leaders of different community organisations and firms, the Iftar party hosted recently at the school premises featured the signature Pakistani Biryani served with Raita, the condiment made with yogurt seasoned with coriander, cumin, mint, cayenne pepper, and other herbs. You would not find this combination anywhere else in town.
More than 300 people from different walks of life savoured the traditional sub-continental rice dish. Though it was enough a salver to be content with, this year’s menu included roasted chicken, often dubbed as Chicken Daboo back in Pakistan. Every dish was prepared by Pakistani chefs.
For many, simply to be at one of many tables in the grand hall of the school was nostalgic.
“It feels like I am in Pakistan. This food is exactly what we used to have back home. It tastes exactly the same. Surrounded by all the community members and eating this authentic food, it does not feel like I am out of Pakistan,” remarked Muhammad Akram Butt, one of the guests and Managing Director of Modern Electrical Supplies Company.
As per tradition, the guests arrived before time in order to be seated, waiting for samosas and pakoras, characteristic Iftari starters, to be served while they socialised and got to meet friends. President of the school, MA Shahid, who is also Chairman of Pakistan Arts Society (PAS) and was the host of the Iftar banquet, said he was delighted to see the overwhelming participation from the community members.
“I am very happy that so many people attended our Iftar. It has been our tradition and it serves as an excellent opportunity for the community members to get together and socialise. I am extremely thankful to everyone who accepted our invitation and participated,” said Shahid.
Among others, the guests included staff members of Pak Shamaa School, Cambridge staff, Shamaa Maintenance staff, Alfardan Exchange staff and members of the management committee of the host school.
Pak Shamaa’s Iftar banquet is one of the rare dining experiences for the community members that allow them to taste some of the most authentic homemade Pakistani dishes available in town. The management committee said they had explicitly decided to get the recipes prepared by the Pakistani expert chefs.
“We had decided not to host the Iftar in a hotel because it never gives you the environment like this nor does it allow you to taste savoury Pakistani dishes that you otherwise do not get here,” Adeel Akbar from PAS told Community.
To satisfy their palate for desserts, the guests were served Kheer, again the authentic Pakistani sweet dish, prepared with milk and rice. And again, it was something rare in town.
