10 Best Ramadan Recipes

 

Ramadan and Food:

Here are 10 delicious recipes to prepare for Iftaar – the meal that breaks the fasting during the month of Ramadan.

 

10 Best Recipes that are good for Ramadan:

 

1. Kibbeh Recipe-  These are small fried dumplings that are stuffed with meat.

Ingredients:

  • ½ pound bulgur 

  • 3 cups cold water 

  • 2 Onions (medium) – chop 1 finely, 1 coarsely 

  • 2 pounds of lean ground beef or lamb – divided 

  • 1 ½ tsp of kosher salt – divided 

  • 1 ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper – divided 

  • 2 tsps of Olive Oil 

  • ½ cup of roasted pine nuts – this is optional

  • 1 tsp of ground all spice 

  • ¼ tsp ground cumin

  • Vegetable oil – used for frying

  • Lemon wedges – used for garnish

How to prepare:

Soaking the Bulgur – Steps

  • Get all your ingredients.

  • Put your bulgur wheat into a medium-sized bowl and add water. 

  • Soak the bulgur in water for 30 minutes.

  • Place the bulgur into a cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel and squeeze to remove the excess water.

How to prepare the fine Kibbeh dough – Steps:

  • Mix the coarsely chopped onion with 1 pound of the meat, the soaked bulgur, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper, and stir well to combine the ingredients. 

  • Process the mixture in batches in the food processor. The process to a sticky, smooth, dough-like consistency. Repeat the procedure until all the beef/ lamb mixture has been processed.

How to prepare the coarse Kibbeh stuffing – Steps:

  • Add the olive oil and the finely chopped onion in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and cook until the onions are translucent for about 2 minutes. 

  • Throw in the remaining meat and break it apart with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients are combined. Throw in all the spices and the remaining 1 tsp salt and the ¼ tsp pepper, as well as the cumin, and mix well. 

  • Remove from the heat when the meat is cooked, let it cool off for 10 minutes.

How to Assemble the Kibbeh- Steps:

  • Dampen your hands and take an egg-sized amount of raw and meat mixture and roll it into a ball. 

  • Take your index finger and poke a hole in the middle of the ball- this is the pocket for the filling. 

  • Put the cooked filling in and pinch of the ball closed. 

  • Roll the ball into a football by pinching the ends. 

  • Throw 4 cups of oil into a deep frying pan and set the heat to 350F 

  • Fry the Kibbeh in batches until golden brown for about 5 minutes. 

  • Use a paper towel to drain the excess oil. 

  • Serve them hot

 

 

2.  Keema Samosa Recipe-   These are fritters that are filled with mutton mince and a blend of spices. 

Ingredients:

  • 200gm minced meat 

  • 1 tsp ginger paste

  • 1 ½ tsp garam masala powder

  • 2 tbsp mint leaves 

  • 4 finely chopped green chili 

  • 1 cup of refined oil

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour 

  • 1 tsp garlic paste 

  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 

  • 1 finely chopped onion 

  • 1 tbsp yogurt (curd) 

  • Salt as required

How to prepare the dough – steps:

  • Knead a stiff dough using the all-purpose flour and 4 tbsps of oil and salt

  • Allow the dough to rest for 40-50 minutes 

  • Use the dough to make 20 medium-sized balls

  • Take a dough ball and roll it into a chapati 

  • Put a tawa on medium flame and let it heat up

  • Once the tawa is hot enough roast the chapati bread on one side only. 

  • Cut each chapati into two halves like a half-moon

  • Use a little water to make a thick paste of 2 tbsps 

  • Throw oil in a frying pan and add the onions, chilies, and garlic, and ginger paste, then add in the minced meat and salt for flavor and fry on low heat. 

  • Once that is done cooking, add in the garam masala, the yogurt, coriander, and mint leaves and cook a little more until well done.  

  • Take off the flame and let it cool. 

  • Fold each half of the chapati into a cone and fill it with the mince, then close the open side with the flour paste. 

  • Using the rest of the chapatis in the same way as above 

  • Using a kadhi on medium heat and put oil in it 

  • Deep fry the samosa’s once the oil is hot

 

 

3.  Shorba Recipe-  A gravy made for Biryani.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp. Oil 

  • 1 large onion thinly sliced

  • 2 medium tomatoes cubed

  • 2 green chilies slit

  • ¾ tsp ginger garlic paste 

  • ½ tsp salt 

  • ¼ tsp turmeric 

  • 4 tbsp. coconut (fresh grated)

  • 3 tsp mint finely chopped 

  • 1 tsp red chili powder 

  • 1 tsp biryani masala powder

  • 1 ½ to 2 cups water or stock 

  • 1 ½ tbsp. curd 

  • 1 small bay leaf

  • 1 strand mace

  • 3 green cardamoms

  • 2 petals star anise

  • 3 cloves 

  • 1-inch cinnamon 

  • ½ tsp caraway seeds

How to prepare the Biryani Gravy:

  • Use 1 tsp of oil and throw onions, chilies into a pan. Fry onions until they turn a little brown 

  • Throw in the garlic paste and simmer until you can smell the ingredients coming together

  • Then add tomatoes and salt, fry until all the food in the pan are mushy

  • Grated coconut needs to be thrown into the mix. Fry all of this for 3-5 minutes. Do not burn the mixture and set it aside to cool. 

  • Using the same pan, add oil and heat it, then throw in the dry spices, keep frying until you get a nice smell. Be sure not to burn the spices. 

  • Add mint and simmer for a minute 

  • Pour the ground mix and add red chili powder, masala powder, and turmeric. 

  • Add the yogurt when the mixture begins to boil and simmer for at least 10 minutes

 

4.  Afghani Bolani Recipe-  A stuffed flatbread that originated in Afghanistan.

Ingredients:

  • Flour (350g) 3 cups 

  • Vegetable Oil 2 tbsp 

  • Potatoes (500g) 1 pound

  • Green onions, 1 cup, chopped 

  • Parsley 1 cup, chopped

  • Sumac 1 tsp

  • Chili Flakes 1 tsp red

  • Olive oil 2 tbsp 

  • Salt 2 tsp, divided 

  • Black pepper ½ tsp 

  • Oil for frying 

  • Warm water 1 cup (240 ml)

How to make Afghani Bolani – steps:

  • Wash the potatoes and then using a fork, poke holes into them. 

  • Place them into the microwave on high for 10 minutes 

  • Once the potatoes are soft, let them cool. 

  • Peel and place them into a bowl

  • Add salt, black pepper, sumac, and chili flakes and mix

  • After that, add olive oil, parsley, and green onions

  • Mash and mix all the ingredients in the bowl

  • In a separate bowl, add flour, a pinch of salt and warm water, and olive oil

  • Mix these and knead until smooth and sticky dough balls form

  • Let the dough rest for 30 minutes 

  • Cut the dough into 6 portions, and roll each ball into a circle 

  • Spread the potato filling over the ½ of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the edge 

  • Spread water along the edge of the dough and then fold the empty half into a half-moon shaped Bolani

  • Pinch the edges to close

  • Heat Vegetable oil in a deep-sided skillet 

  • Fry each Bolani for 2-3 minutes per side – until it is cooked lightly brown

 

 

 

5.  Haleem Recipe-  A rich and delectable mutton stew.

Ingredients:

  • ½ tsp lamb (boneless) 

  • 150 gms moong dal (washed)

  • 50 gms dal chana 

  • 100 gms wheat (broken)

  • 500 ml desi ghee 

  • 10 cloves 

  • 4 Bay leaves 

  • 1 gms saffron 

  • 30gms green 

  • Chilly paste 

  • 10gms turmeric powder 

  • 6 gms garlic paste 

  • 50gms ginger – grated 

  • 150 gms onions, fried 

  • 3-4 liter lamb stock 

  • Salt (taste)

How to prepare Haleem – steps:

  • For 2 hours, wash and soak the broken wheat and lentils 

  • Add ghee, and whole spices – cloves, bay leaves, and cardamom to temper it. 

  • Once the spices start crackling 

  • Add in the grated ginger and garlic paste until the color turns brown

  • Add in the lamb with all the spices – saffron, green chili paste, turmeric powder and cook it until half did and add fried onions 

  • After draining the lentils, add it to the lamb and add lamb stock – add salt as well

  • Cook until the lamb is tender, and the consistency is thick

 

6.  Ful Medames Recipe-  This is a traditional Egyptian breakfast of dried fava beans.

Ingredients:

  • Soak 2 cups of unpeeled small Egyptian fava beans overnight 

  • Salt 

  • 1/3 cup of chopped flat-leaf parsley 

  • Extra virgin olive oil 

  • 3 lemons – quartered 

  • Salt and pepper 

  • 4-6 cloves garlic- crushed 

  • Chili – pepper flakes 

  • Cumin

How to prepare – steps:

  • Cook the drained beans in a fresh portion of unsalted water in a pan with the lid on until they are tender. 

  • Keep adding water the beans are covered and add salt once they are soft

  • Once the beans are soft – let the liquid reduce 

  • Serve the beans in soup bowls and sprinkle some chopped parsley

 

7.  Steak Kebabs Recipe

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup of olive oil 

  • ¼ cup soy sauce 

  • 1 ½ tbsp fresh lemon juice 

  • 1 ½ tbsp red wine vinegar 

  • 2 ½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce 

  • 1 tbsp honey 

  • 2 tsp Dijon 

  • 1 tbsp minced garlic 

  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 

  • 1 ¾ lb Sirloin steak – cut into 1 ¼ inch pieces 

  • 8 oz button or cremini mushrooms – halved unless small keep whole

  • 3 small bell peppers (1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow) – cut into 1 ¼ inch pieces 

  • 1 large red onion diced into chunks 

  • 1 tbsp olive oil 

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • ½ tsp garlic powder 

  • 10 wooden skewer sticks soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

How to prepare kebabs – steps:

  • Whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl 

  • Place the steaks into a gallon-sized resealable bag and pour the marinade over the steaks then seal the bag and press out the excess air while massaging the marinade thoroughly over the steaks

  • Put in the fridge and marinate for 3-6 hours 

  • Preheat the grill to 425 degrees 

  • Cut vegetables and drizzle oil 

  • Use garlic powder to sprinkle veggies and use salt and pepper

  • Layer the steak and veggies onto skewer sticks 

  • Using an oil brush, the grill lightly and place the kebabs on the grill for 8-9 minutes

 

8.  Beguni Recipe-  Gram flour batter coated brinjal fritters.

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium brinjals

  • 1 cup gram flour 

  • 3 tbsp rice flour 

  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder

  • 1 tsp red chili powder

  • Salt 

  • 1/3 tsp Nigella seeds

  • Pinch of bi-carb soda

  • 1 tsp black salt

  • 1 tbsp hot oil (to add in batter)

  • ¾ cup water 

  • Cooking oil for deep fry

How to prepare – Steps:

  • Remove stem, wash, and pat the brinjal dry

  • Slice brinjals into thin slices

  • In a bowl add besan, rice flour, salt, chilli powder, turmeric, poppy seeds, soda, and nigella seeds. 

  • Mix all ingredients and add water to get a thick consistency

  • Whisk to avoid lumps

  • Heat oil for deep frying 

  • Once the oil is hot – take 1 tbsp of the hot oil and mix it into the batter

  • Dip brinjal slices on both sides in batter and deep fry 

  • Cook in batches – to avoid overloading pan

  • Fry on medium – both sides until golden brown

  • Once done, drain on a paper towel to absorb oil

 

 

9.  Dahi Vada Recipe-   Lentil dumplings that are soaked in a yogurt sauce.

Ingredients:

  • Soak 1 cup of black lentils overnight/ 4-5 hours

  • Drain all the water and grind the lentils 

  • Add ½ tsp chopped green chilies, 1 tsp chopped ginger. 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 pinch of hing and salt as needed 

  • Add ¼ -1/2 cups of water to grind the mixture

  • Whip the batter for 2-3 mins

  • Fry the batter until golden

  • Place on paper towels to absorb excess oil

 

10.  Fouttash Recipe (Salad)

Ingredients:

  • 1 large lettuce

  • 1 large vine-ripe tomato 

  • 2-3 persian cucumbers 

  • ½ large green peppers 

  • 5 radishes (diced)

  • 2 green onions – chopped

  • ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley

  • 3 tbsp olive oil 

  • 2 tbsp lemon juice

  • 2 garlic cloves 

  • 1tsp sumac 

  • 1 tsp pomegranate molasses

  • ½ tsp dried mint 

  • ½ kosher salt 

  • Black pepper

How to prepare – Steps:

Whisk together all the ingredients and add salt and pepper for seasons. This can be served with pita bread.