Ramadaan RECIPES to break your fast

If you are looking for cooking inspiration, we have the perfect recipes for you, writes Lutho Pasiya

FASTING from sunrise to sunset is an important part of how Muslims observe Ramadaan, serving as a mark of compassion and gratitude during this holy month, as well as an act of religious dedication. Also important, however, is the breaking of the fast, which occurs twice daily at a meal before the sun rises (suhoor) and another after the sun sets (iftar).

If you are looking for cooking inspiration, we have the perfect recipes for you.

ZA’ATAR AND CHEESE SCONES

Ingredients

350g flour

4 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

100g butter

150g grated Cheddar cheese

2 tbs crushed garlic flakes

2 tsp fennel seeds

150ml milk

2 eggs

Za’atar spice

Method

Heat the oven to 180ºC. Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and break it into small pieces. Add in the Cheddar, garlic flakes and fennel seeds.

Whisk the eggs and milk and form a light dough. Do not over-mix. Lightly flour the tabletop and place the dough there. Cut into rounds and place on baking paper. Brush scones with egg and sprinkle with za’atar and extra grated cheese. Bake until golden.

Serve warm with butter.

Recipe by the Chilli Chocolate Chefs.

LAMB TAGINE STEW

Ingredients

800g lamb steaks, cut into cubes

salt and pepper

30ml olive oil

2 red onions (halved and sliced)

5ml chopped garlic

5ml chopped ginger

10ml paprika

10ml ground cumin

5ml ground coriander

1 cinnamon stick

500ml beef stock

50ml honey

125ml dried apricots (chopped)

125ml whole almonds (toasted)

125g dates (pitted and chopped)

500g orange sweet potato (peeled and cubed)

125ml chopped fresh coriander

Couscous

Method

Season the lamb cubes with salt and pepper.

Heat some oil and fry, in batches, until browned. Remove and set aside.

Heat more oil in a large pot and fry the onion, garlic, and ginger until softened about 5 minutes.

Stir in the spices and cinnamon stick and fry until fragrant. Pour in the beef stock and honey.

Return the lamb to the pot and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Add the apricots, dates, and sweet potato and simmer for a further 30 minutes, until the meat is tender and the sweet potato is cooked.

Stir the coriander.

Check salt and pepper.

Serve on a bed of couscous sprinkled with extra almonds.

RATATOUILLE SHAKSHUKA EGGS

Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 tbs butter

1 onion, chopped

1 yellow or red pepper, seeds removed and diced

1 brinjal, diced

4 courgettes, sliced and diced

125g button mushrooms, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tbs tomato paste

400g tin of chopped tomatoes, blended

½ cup of water

Handful of fresh basil, chopped

Pinch of salt

4 eggs

Method

In a wide pan, melt the butter on medium heat.

Add the vegetables and gently fry until soft. Add the garlic and fry for a minute. Stir the tomato paste into the pan and fry for another minute.

Add the tomatoes and the water and simmer slowly for about 20 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Add the chopped basil and a little salt. At this stage, you could serve the ratatouille as a vegetable option with a dish or as a delicious Mediterranean sauce. (It freezes well, so hang on to the leftovers.)

To complete the shakshuka, make hollows in the ratatouille mixture and crack in the eggs.

Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for about 5-10 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your preference. Serve straight from the pan.

MOUTH-WATERING DATE AND COFFEE MUFFINS

Makes: 8

Ingredients

250g dates, pitted and chopped

250ml milk

20ml instant espresso coffee powder

500ml flour

125ml brown sugar

5ml ground cinnamon

15ml baking powder

100g pecan nuts, chopped

2 eggs

60ml sunflower or canola oil

160ml Greek yoghurt

For the icing

10ml coffee powder dissolved in 15-20 ml hot water

250ml icing sugar

Method

Combine the dates, milk, and espresso powder in a pot and heat gently. Simmer over low heat until the dates have softened. Remove and cool.

In a bowl combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and pecan nuts. In a jug combine the eggs, oil and yoghurt and mix well. Add the cooled date mixture and egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix gently until all the dry ingredients have been moistened. Spoon the mixture into 8 extralarge muffin cups which have been greased.

Bake at 180°C for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the muffin comes out clean. Remove and cool.

Drizzle with a little icing and decorate with extra chopped dates or chocolate-covered coffee beans.

For the icing

Add enough dissolved coffee to the icing sugar to make a thick icing.

Recipes: IOL Archives.