Ramadan is the time to celebrate and rejoice for the blessings of the Almighty. It is a special occasion for Muslims across the world. However, as we all know food knows no boundaries, here are some interesting facts about Ramadan food and also a few Ramadan recipes to be relished by one and all.
Ramadan Food Fact File:
o The early morning meal that is eaten before beginning the fast is known as ‘Suhoor’.
o Suhoor is eaten just before dawn sets in.
o Traditionally, Suhoor consists of bread, fruits, dates and porridge.
o It is believed that Prophet Mohammed himself advised the inclusion of dates in the Suhoor.
o The fast is broken in the evening after sunset with some fruits, cheese or bread.
o After the evening prayers, everyone gets together for a grand evening meal called ‘Iftar’.
o Among other things, Iftar usually consists of a spiced vegetable stew.
o After Iftar, people visit kith and kin in an atmosphere of bonhomie.
o The most sought after dishes that are eaten only during Ramadan are dumplings, khameer bread and harees bread.
Some Ramadan Recipes:
Though Ramadan recipes galore, here are a few quickies for Suhoor as well as Iftar. Enjoy!
For Suhoor:
1. Syrian Bread
Ingredients:
3 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 and 1/8 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon white sugar, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
Procedure:
Mix all ingredients and knead the dough. Let it rise. Preheat oven to 245 degrees Celsius (475 degrees Fahrenheit). Put the dough on a floured surface and form 8 equal rounds. Cover these with damp cheesecloth and let it rest for some more time. After that, roll into thin rounds and cook on preheated baking sheets until the flatbreads get golden brown in colour.
2. Rice and Date Pudding
Ingredients:
2 cups of cooked rice, 2 cups of milk, 15 dates (pitted and chopped), 3 tablespoons of sugar
Procedure:
Process the rice in a food processor/ blender until coarsely done. In a pan, combine all the ingredients, including rice. Cook over a low flame. Keep stirring occasionally until the dates have been softened. Serve warm or cold.
3. Black Rice Porridge
Ingredients:
3/4 cup black glutinous rice, 1 and 2/3 cups of water, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1 pandan leaf, 2 cups of coconut milk
Procedure:
Boil water along with the pandan leaf. Add rice and mix. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or so. Discard pandan leaf and mix in the sugars. Cook for five more minutes. Stir in coconut milk. Remove from heat and serve.
For Iftar:
1. Raheb
Ingredients:
80 grams of eggplants, 20 grams of capsicum/ green bell peppers, 20 grams of tomatoes, 10 grams of onions, 20 ml each of olive oil and lemon juice, Fresh parsley, mint leaves and garlic to taste, Salt to taste
Procedure:
Grill the eggplant and chop into small chunks. Finely chop all other veggies. Mix everything in a bowl. Top with olive oil and serve.
2. Banana Dumplings
Ingredients:
2 bananas (peeled and sliced into thick rounds), 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Procedure:
Mix everything except banana slices in a bowl until you get a thick batter. Heat oil in a pan or wok. Dip banana pieces into the batter and fry till golden brown.
3. Lemon Chicken with Figs
12 chicken thighs, 2 lemons, 1 and 1/2 pounds dried figs, 1/4 cups of white vinegar, 1/4 cups of water, 1/4 cups of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped finely), salt to taste
Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit). Take out the juice of one lemon and mix in sugar, water and vinegar. Keep it aside. Place figs and slices of one lemon in a roasting dish. Carefully arrange the chicken pieces over them. In the end, pour in the lemon-vinegar mixture and sprinkle dried parsley and salt. Roast for about 50 minutes. Keep turning if the items begin to brown too much. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Ramadan Mubarak!
1 comments:
nice blog :D i really enjoy arab food :D and i find this to be very appetising
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