Festival · March / April
Ramadan & Eid al-Fitr.
Written by Abdulla K P, Founder.
The Ramadan & Eid al-Fitr food culture
Iftar — the meal that breaks the daily fast during Ramadan — is the busiest food window of the year in Mappila households across the Malabar coast. By 6 pm the kitchen has been working for hours, and what comes out is not a single dish but a spread: a glass of strong sweet milky tea or Sulaimani, two or three dates, then a parade of small fried savouries and one or two sweet bakes.
What's specifically Malabari about this Iftar isn't the timing — every Muslim community breaks fast similarly — it's the food itself. Kozhi Ada, Mutta Surka, Unnakaya, Pazham Pori, Chatti Pathiri: each is a small, dense, hand-shaped item that you can eat with your fingers, three or four to a sitting, before the main meal arrives.
Calicut Cravings ships these for the Ramadan window. We open the hamper line about six weeks before Ramadan starts and close it the day after Eid al-Fitr. Order to your own address or to family's — most of our Ramadan orders go from Gulf-based Malayalis to family back home in Kerala or the Indian metros.
What to order for Ramadan & Eid al-Fitr
- Kozhi Ada — The single most-ordered Iftar item for us. Reheats from frozen in 10 minutes. Filling, savoury, spice-driven.
- Unnakaya — The classic Mappila banana-and-coconut sweet. Sweetness balances the savouries.
- Maamoul — Date cookies. Works as a post-fast first bite and as the Eid gifting item the next month.
- Sulaimani chaya tin — Strong black tea with cardamom, lemon and clove — the actual drink served at most Mappila Iftars before milk tea arrives.
- Ramadan hamper — A curated combination of the above with a handwritten note. The most-ordered SKU during the Ramadan window.
Timing
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 6 weeks before Ramadan | Hampers open. Best pricing on bulk family orders. |
| 2–3 weeks before Ramadan | Order to ensure pre-Ramadan delivery; couriers slow down closer to Eid. |
| During Ramadan | Weekly fresh-Kozhi-Ada orders for ongoing Iftar restocking. |
| 1 week before Eid | Eid gift hampers; expect a 2–3 day delivery extension vs normal. |
What's in the hamper
Our Ramadan hamper combines one fresh savoury (Kozhi Ada), one sweet (Maamoul or Unnakaya), one tin of Sulaimani chaya and a handwritten note. Designed for the Malabar Iftar table or as a gift to a family member observing the fast.
Common questions — Ramadan & Eid al-Fitr
When should I order Ramadan hampers?
Two to three weeks before Ramadan begins for safest delivery. Last-week orders can slip due to courier congestion approaching Eid.Are all your Ramadan items halal?
Our halal certification status will be published on the About and Contact pages once the audit is complete. Until then, please ask before ordering meat-based items.Can I send an Iftar hamper directly to my parents in Kerala?
Yes — this is one of the most common things we ship during Ramadan. Add their address at checkout; the handwritten gift note is free.Do you ship internationally for Ramadan?
Not yet. The standard pattern for Gulf-based Malayalis is to order to a family address in India.Can I order Kozhi Ada in bulk for breaking fast at a mosque or community gathering?
Yes — write to us via the Contact page with the date, address and quantity. We do bulk Ramadan orders most years.