In Erbil’s old town, boiled birds for fast-breakers
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Although all-night eateries in the traditional Taajil neighborhood of Erbil offer an array of delicacies for customers eager to end their day-long fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, several certain dishes are flying out of the kitchen.
“Most visitors do not come here to have kebab with rice,” said Ahmad Shahab, owner of a steakhouse in Taajil while stirring large pot of rice over a gas stove.
“They’re here for the boiled birds.”
A visit to this bustling open-air district near the Qaysaria bazaar and a few minutes’ walk from the capital’s iconic Citadel proves Shahab correct. Here on a recent night, partridge, pigeon, sparrow, duck and other poultries are served both fried and boiled for hungry visitors who come from across the country.
“I prefer it boiled. It tastes much better that way,” said Hasan Daneshvar, a fast-breaker who had just devoured an entire boiled partridge with a full plate of rice.
“It keeps you full all day,” Daneshvar said.
The bazaar area is thronged with visitors from the early hours of the evening, when Muslims break their fast, until dawn the next morning when worshipers begin a new day of fasting.
“We usually have boiled birds from late Fall to early Spring every year,” said Shahab, explaining the increased demand for boiled poultry during cold weather.
“But in Ramadan there’s even more demand. That’s why we put it back on the menu for the whole month.”
Many people head to to Taajil as soon as they arrive in Erbil just for the wide range of poultry dishes on offer. One visitor from Makhmour, some 35km south of Erbil, said he regularly comes to the bazaar just for the boiled birds.
“I come here regularly during Ramadan and break the fast over boiled duck or pigeon,” said this poultry pilgrim.
But one is not enough for this Makhmour resident. He has the same mean just before dawn the next morning as he then enters a new day of fasting and travels back to Makhmour.
“Most visitors do not come here to have kebab with rice,” said Ahmad Shahab, owner of a steakhouse in Taajil while stirring large pot of rice over a gas stove.
“They’re here for the boiled birds.”
A visit to this bustling open-air district near the Qaysaria bazaar and a few minutes’ walk from the capital’s iconic Citadel proves Shahab correct. Here on a recent night, partridge, pigeon, sparrow, duck and other poultries are served both fried and boiled for hungry visitors who come from across the country.
“I prefer it boiled. It tastes much better that way,” said Hasan Daneshvar, a fast-breaker who had just devoured an entire boiled partridge with a full plate of rice.
“It keeps you full all day,” Daneshvar said.
The bazaar area is thronged with visitors from the early hours of the evening, when Muslims break their fast, until dawn the next morning when worshipers begin a new day of fasting.
“We usually have boiled birds from late Fall to early Spring every year,” said Shahab, explaining the increased demand for boiled poultry during cold weather.
“But in Ramadan there’s even more demand. That’s why we put it back on the menu for the whole month.”
Many people head to to Taajil as soon as they arrive in Erbil just for the wide range of poultry dishes on offer. One visitor from Makhmour, some 35km south of Erbil, said he regularly comes to the bazaar just for the boiled birds.
“I come here regularly during Ramadan and break the fast over boiled duck or pigeon,” said this poultry pilgrim.
But one is not enough for this Makhmour resident. He has the same mean just before dawn the next morning as he then enters a new day of fasting and travels back to Makhmour.