Eid

Eid is a table-first holiday — the kind of day where the kitchen starts before sunrise and the dining table keeps growing as relatives arrive. This collection brings together recipes for both Eid ul-Fitr, the sweet, milky celebration that closes Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha (Bakra Eid), the meat-forward feast of qorma, biryani and slow-cooked kebab.

What you'll find here

A mix of heirloom and home-cook favourites from across South Asia, the Middle East and beyond — built around the dishes families actually make on Eid morning and into the long lunch that follows.

• Sheer khurma, sevaiyan and seviyan kheer — the milk-and-vermicelli sweets that traditionally break the morning
• Biryani, mutton korma and haleem — the centrepiece mains, especially for Eid al-Adha
• Sheekh kebab, shami kebab and chicken tikka — starters for the long table
• Nihari, paya and slow-braised gravies for unhurried family lunches
• Baklava, kulfi, gulab jamun and phirni to round out the evening

When to reach for these recipes

Use this tag in the week leading up to Eid, when you're meal-planning for guests, or any time you want a celebratory South Asian or Middle Eastern menu — Mehndi nights, Ramadan iftar parties, or a Sunday cooking project that deserves the effort.

Tips for cooking ahead

Most Eid menus are built in stages. Marinate meats overnight, prep kebab mixtures a day ahead, and soak vermicelli or nuts the night before so morning sweets come together quickly. Garnishes — fried onions, slivered almonds, edible silver leaf — can sit ready in small bowls while the gravies simmer.

For more festive cooking, browse sweet recipes and dinner party ideas.