Rice, milk, sugar and a touch of love
There's something comforting about firni. This simple yet soothing combination of rice cooked in sweetened milk is one of the most popular desserts in the country.
And no wonder, it has made its way to the food lists of many in Ramadan as well.
In the port city, one name stands out when it comes to enjoying this scrumptious treat outside the home -- three-decade-old Cafe Arman, located on DT Road at Dewanhat.
This humble establishment began its journey in 1987. Ershad Hossain alias Arman is the man behind its success. It's a family endeavour, run by Arman and his three brothers. The place mostly sells snacks and tea. But come Ramadan, Arman rolls up his sleeves and churns up pots after pots of this special delicacy, which has taken the port city by a storm.
On average, they make eight huge pots of firni every day during Ramadan. Each pot contains around 150 kilogrammes of firni. Arman, the chef responsible for making the delicious dessert, supervises the cooking process himself.
Talking to this correspondent, Cafe Arman's manager Md Borhan said, "We also make other iftar items, but firni garners the most demand."
This correspondent saw a long queue of people awaiting their turn while visiting the place. The restaurant workers were seen pouring hot firni into small pots, and boxes for selling. Per kg of firni is being sold at Tk 320, while a small cup is sold at Tk 32. To handle the pressure of Ramadan, around 30 to 40 staff members were seen working.
Ariful Haque (60) of Patharghata area, came to the café to get some firni for his family. "I come here almost every week during Ramadan," he said.
Not just Ariful, people from Halishahar, Kotwali, Bakalia, Muradpur, Patenga and other distant places also throng here to purchase firni. Apart from that, seasonal retailers and iftar vendors buy it for selling it at their stalls.
So, what's the secret behind their success? What makes Arman's firni so special? Arman smiled and said, "Rice, milk, sugar and a touch of love."
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