Spending time with my family is one of the things I love most about Ramadan. But when youāre both the mum and the cook/host, things can get pretty hectic.
Iāll often have the whole family over for the iftar dinner during the month of Ramadan. And as usual, my mum will be watching me cook and telling me to do things differently. Then my mother-in-law will also share her ideas on how I should do it.Ā
The old problem of too many cooks in the kitchen is not something anyone wants to handle when trying to get things done. So while I agree with their suggestionsāthey are excellent cooks and I do learn a lot from themāIāll still do it my way since I know very well how my boys and Gus like the food.Ā
Meanwhile, my sisters will be having their own conversations in the living room with the children hanging around playing, stopping only to ask if the food is ready yet.Ā
And then thereās also the ārush hourā, as I like to call itāthat last hour before the breaking of the fast when I no longer have the kitchen to myself as everyone comes in to chat, complain and give their opinion on this and that. Itās no wonder Iām always late, to be honest.
What Iāve discovered over the years is that the key when preparing food for a family gathering is not to get carried away. A little bit of everything will be just enough, especially during Ramadan. We mainly avoid having leftovers other than soup since they cannot be eaten for lunch during the day. So if I have enough leftovers to last me the night, Iām more than happy.
Moreover, Iāll always stock up on essential pantry items a few days before hosting an iftar dinner to skip those last-minute shopping trips. Iāll also save myself some time by setting the table the night before and prepping the main ingredients after suhoor or a bit later in the day.Ā
Itās little things like these that help me successfully navigate the hustle and bustle of my crowded kitchen during the ārush hourā.
Whatās for Iftar Dinner?
When it comes to planning the iftar menu, I make sure that Iāve got everyone covered, including my boys. They will also be fasting, so Iāll add some of their favourite recipes to that list.Ā
First things first, every iftar table starts with dates. Most times, a plate will get passed around in the kitchen when it’s the exact time to break the fast, and thatās because itās highly likely Iām still in there doing the last touch-ups.
Then itās time for some warm, comforting soup. I will either heat the soup Iāve made that day or the leftovers from the day before. The best thing is that soup can be heated up to 30-40 minutes ahead and kept warm until dinner time.Ā
Weāll also have kibbeh nayeeh (lamb tartar), a must at our Iftar table. I usually plate the raw lamb, then cover and refrigerate it without adding the garnish. Just before everything else is ready, Iāll get it out and drizzle it with olive oil.
Another favourite on our menu is the batata hara (spicy roast potatoes). Since this meal should be served warm, Iāll partially cook the potatoes earlier in the day without placing them in the fridge. Then Iāll also dice the remaining ingredients so that all I have to do just before dinner is cook the potatoes for another half an hour and toss everything together.
I like to prepare some Arabian rice as well since itās the perfect comfort food that will feed my entire hungry family. But Iāll also have some chicken chops in the oven, which I make sure to time so theyāre ready 5 minutes before dinner. In those last minutes, Iāll be in the kitchen carefully plating them with my children continuously rushing me to get on with it.
As a side dish, Iāll make a bowl of fattoush salad, a crowd-pleaser that wonāt take more than 5 minutes to dress. This is also one of those last-minute tasks I have to take care of, as the fried bread will get too soggy if I add the dressing too early.Ā
Sometimes I will disregard the menu Iāve promised to stick to and throw in the chickpea fatteh recipe as itās one of my all-time favourites. Moreover, I convince myself that since Iām already frying the bread for the fattoush salad, I might as well go ahead and fry some more for a small bowl of fatteh.Ā
The only thing is that I need a stove burner to cook the chickpeas. And since this dish can only be assembled in the last few minutes, it will make me a little late. Not an issue for me considering its delicious taste, but for my hungry boys, every minute over dinner time feels like an hour.
As everything is almost ready and the dishes are being put on the table, I find myself planning how and when Iāll finally be able to make some coffee.Ā
Last but not least, thereās the matter of the dessert. After a full day of cooking, no one wants to be in the kitchen after the iftar dinner. Therefore, Iāll often make use of the desserts I have at that time in the freezerāeither a cheesecake or another freezer-friendly treat.
After dinner, the atmosphere eases up as everyoneās belly is full. My family is lazily hanging around the table chatting and laughing. And I am sitting there enjoying the peacefulness of that moment until someone asks, āWhat are you making for tomorrowās iftar?ā.Ā
Then everyone starts pitching in with what they would want to eat while Iām seriously wondering if itās too late to have a second cup of coffee.
What does a typical Ramadan day look like in your family? Looking forward to your stories.Ā Ramadan Mubarak!
With LoveĀ Ā
5 Responses
Hi Rouba,
Thank you for sharing your family meal but can’t help feeling fairly exhausted after reading. I think you deserve more than a second cup of coffee.
I am new to your site and am anxious to try out all your lovely recipes.
Cheers, Penny B
haha, I feel like I’m still exhausted and ramadan was over mid April. thank you so much ā¤ļø
There is definately a lot to find out about this subject. I like all the points you made
dear Ruoba thank you for sharing al your meal with us ,if i could travel and shar you and your family ramadan month it will be my best thing i do in my life
Thank you so much Mohammad