Ramzan 2026 : Meet a few chefs who prepare ‘nombu kanji’ at mosques in Thiruvananthapuram

Discover how cooks at Thiruvananthapuram mosques prepare nombu kanji for devotees during Ramzan, blending tradition and community spirit

Out of the frying pan and into the fire. The proverb felt real as I stepped into the kitchen at Palayam Juma Masjid from the blistering afternoon heat outside. As firewood burnt brightly beneath three huge aluminium pots, I struggled to stand in the smoke-filled room. But not Mohammed Arif, who is busy stirring each vessel with a huge ladle. The spicy porridge for the devotees, to break their fast, is getting ready. “Today, we have used 52 kilograms rice. It goes up to 60 kilograms on certain days,” says Arif, 30.

On another day, I meet 47-year-old Jafar Sadik at the expansive kitchen of Manacaud Valiyapally Muslim Jama’ath, cooking the dish in five huge vessels on firewood. He is a picture of calm despite being drenched in sweat and his eyes watering. “Nearly 100 kilograms rice is needed everyday and it can even go up to 150 kilograms,” says Jafar.

Jafar Sadik at work at the kitchen at Manacaud Valiyapally Muslim Jama’ath | Photo Credit: SREEJITH R KUMAR

Arif and Jafar are among the scores of proficient hands hired by mosques to cook the spicy porridge during Ramzan. Nombu kanji is also called oushada kanji or medicinal gruel as different herbs and spices are used in its making. It is prepared in huge quantities for the devotees to break the fast and is also distributed from takeaway counters at the mosques. People from other faiths also collect it from these counters, says Saifudeen Haji, president, Vallakkadavu Muslim Jama’ath.

These cooks take a 30-day break from their regular jobs, mostly as caterers, during the season and work with a team of assistants. Some see it as carrying forward a legacy. “I learnt it from my maternal grandfather, Mohammed Haneefa, who cooked the kanji at this mosque for over three decades. I used to accompany him as a young boy. When he passed away, my cousin took charge. Since he got busy with his business, I took over the responsibility a couple of years ago,” says Arif, who has a three-member team, including his brother, Al Ameen.

Jafar comes from a family that has been preparing the kanji for several decades. “I have been in this for over two decades and have worked at various mosques in the city, the last one being Juma Masjid, Chala. Six members of my family are currently working in various mosques,” says Jafar.