FLIPPING FANTASTIC

With Ramadan and Pancake Day falling at the same time, Queenie Shaikh explored the best malpuras, qatayef and gozleme 1 in one of Europe’s most mugteicuitural cities, London

- Queenie Shaikh

The scent of saffron and cardamom was in the air as I stepped off the train at Southall station. Outside Sri Guru Singh Sabha gurdwara, the Sikh temple, a queue had formed at a stall selling malpura – small south Asian pancakes made from flour, semolina and eggs – paired with cups of masala chai. Men in thobes and women in abayas moved with quiet urgency, balancing their newspaper cones, each filled with three golden malpuras and a steaming cup of the spiced tea. In the distance, the loudspeaker at Southall Central Mosque announced that there were 20 minutes left until Zuhr (the Islamic afternoon prayer).

Outside the station, a notice invited people to Istaqbal-eRamadan, an event marking the beginning of Ramadan on 1 March – the 30-day period of fasting that Muslims across the world observe each year. Further down, another sign announced that Ealing Council was hosting an International Women’s Day community iftar (sunset meal). Right beside it, a reminder highlighted that Southall’s gurdwaras regularly distribute free vegetarian food to all, regardless of religious beliefs.

My journey to Southall was being driven by a realisation I had while staring at the calendar on my kitchen wall. This year, for the first time in 30 years, Ramadan is set to coincide with Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, on 4 March – the final indulgence before Lent. Both religious observances are rooted in fasting.