LUCKNOW: With only two days to go before the Eid ul Fitr festival, the sewain (vermicelli) market is abuzz as people rush to buy a variety, including sewain scented with attar, kewra, rose water and ghee.
A break from the usual strands made of fine flour, the ghee and attar-based sewain is the new attraction.
As per the Lucknow Vyapar Mandal, sale of sewai this year has increased 25-30% compared to last year, with Banarsi sewain, known best to prepare 'sheer khurma', topping the demand.
The special attar sewain, said a seller, Qadir Ahmad, who has manufacturing units in Moulviganj and Chowk, said kewra, rose water and attar are added to the dough before it passes through the plates to be grated into strands.
Usually, the strands are dried in direct sunlight, but the scented sewai is dried in shade so that it doesn't lose the fragrance and it is boxed after roasting to ensure the scent remains.
The scented sewain will cost around Rs 350 to Rs 450 per kg (depending upon the density).
Chef Mohsin Qureshi said there is a huge variety of sewain preparations for festive and other celebrations, the most popular ones being sheer khurma, qiwami sewai, zarda, kheer, zaafrani, and Mughlai sewai.
"The recipe and method for each variant is completely different from the other," said Qureshi, adding that it is common to find at least three to four types of sewain served on the occasion of Eid.
Start a Conversation
Post comment