Try These 12 International Iftars Dishes This Ramadan

Ramadan is a month-long period of prayer, abstinence, and self-reflection that begins on 12 April this year. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.

They forgo food and water until the call to Maghrib prayers at sundown. After the daily fast, iftar is served. It traditionally starts with dates and water.

In some homes, the meal that follows prayers is an opportunity to reconnect with family, culture and community over food that is slow-cooked to perfection, charcoal-grilled, and baked using family recipes.

Try These 12 International Iftars Dishes This Ramadan, Ramadan, Beliefs, Pillar of Islam, Holy Month

Here are the best iftar dishes to try during Ramadan, from hearty Moroccan stews to wholesome Bedouin stews.

1. Middle East: short adas

Many Muslims in the UAE and Lebanon start their iftar with a bowl of short ads or lentil soup served with crisp pitta. Short Adas is a protein-rich soup made with red lentils, turmeric, cumin and cinnamon. It’s also seasoned with parsley, lemon and parsley (the exact spices will depend on where you live in the Middle East). To add more nutrition to the soup, you can cook potatoes, carrots and onions with the lentils.

2. Morocco: harira

This hearty soup is usually served with dates and gets its name from an Arabic word meaning.’ harira is a Moroccan tomato soup made with lentils, chickpeas and meat. It’s usually simmered in Morocco’s kitchens in the afternoon. The soup’s creamy texture is due to tequila. This thickening mixture is made of flour and water, which you add while stirring. Each family makes the dish differently. Some prefer rice to broken vermicelli or lamb over beef. The herbs and spices used — cumin, coriander and parsley — also vary. Chakra is the perfect complement to this dish.

Also Read: Is Halal Wingstop Halal?

3. India and Pakistan: Shami kebab

The mutton patties that melt in your mouth are believed to have originated in the Indian city of Lucknow, where they were first prepared for a toothless, gluttonous em>nawab/em> (one of the area’s 18sup>th-/sup> and 19sup>th-/sup> century rulers). These melt-in-your-mouth mutton patties were first prepared in Lucknow by a gluttonous nawab, one of the rulers from the 18th or 19th century. Lamb or beef is cooked with chana-dal (or Bengal gram) and then ground with garlic, ginger and cumin. The patties dipped in egg and shallow-fried to a crisp exterior but almost falling apart inside are then served. The burgers are served with onion rings, ketchup, and mint-coriander sauce.

Also Read: Is Daves Hot Chicken Halal?

4. UAE: Charles

Harees is a dish that Emiratis enjoy, and you can find it in the cuisine of other Gulf countries. The wheat is soaked overnight, then seasoned with the bone-in chicken or lamb and simmered for at least four hours. The meat is then deboned and shredded before being stirred into the wheat. In the past, this mixture would have been pounded using a sizeable wooden teaspoon to achieve a glutinous texture. However, in modern kitchens, a food processor can be used, which reduces both time and effort. The dish is finished with ghee, fried onions and a drizzle of olive oil.

Also Read: Halal Cheese List – Learn Islam

5. Saudi Arabia: Three

The iftar in Saudi Arabia is likely to include three. This rich stew of vegetables and lamb will fill you up and be very tasty. There is a dish that has great cultural significance for the region. It’s said to be a favourite of Prophet Muhammad. The dish is prepared by cooking lamb for an hour and adding it to carrots, potatoes and courgette. This is then simmered with a tomato paste, onion, garlic and stock. The stew is seasoned with turmeric, dried lemons, cardamom and cinnamon. It also contains red chilli, pepper, and coriander.

Also Read: Bismillah Grocer & Halal Meat

6. South Asia: samosa

Samosas, which are popular in South Asia, can be filled with mashed potatoes or minced meat and spiced with cumin and coriander. The keema diced lamb samosa is famous in Ramadan. It is served with mint coriander and sweet-tangy tamarind chutney. This versatile snack is believed to be Persian in origin. It can be baked or fried and has a variety of fillings, including feta cheese, spinach, or minced beef. The somsa is a Central Asian variation, while the Sambousek is a Middle Eastern version.

Also Read: Is Krispy Krunchy Chicken Halal?

7. Jordan: mansaf

Mansaf, with its Bedouin roots, is Jordan’s national dish. Its absence would make social gatherings and festivities incomplete. Jameed, a ball of fermented, dried yoghurt, is added to the stew to give it a unique flavour. The sauce and lamb are served on turmeric rice with a thin shark crust underneath. Pine nuts, almonds, and parsley can be garnished. Mansaf is traditionally served on a platter for everyone to share and is eaten with the right hand. However, cutlery can also be used.

Also Read: 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs Calories

8. Turkey: Ramazan pidesi

Locals queue up in front of bakeries as the sun sets to buy Ramazan Pidesi – a round-leavened loaf whose aroma fills the streets throughout the holy month. This soft, warm bread is served in Turkey to break the fast. It’s served with butter, olives, cheeses and pastirma. The dough is softened with milk and then glazed in a yoghurt and egg mixture after it has risen. It’s then shaped into round loaves by hand. The loaves are then topped with sesame and nigella seeds and baked after creating a diamond pattern. While preheating, a tray filled with water is placed in the oven to moisten the bread.

Also Read: Campbell’s Low Sodium Chicken Noodle Soup

9. Nigeria: moi moi

From Lagos to Abuja, this savoury, creamy pudding is made with pureed beans, and it’s packed with protein-rich ingredients such as beef, eggs, fish, or prawns. Moi moi is made by blending black-eyed beans or honey beans with a slight sweetness with Romano peppers and scotch Bonnets. Then, the mixture is combined with cooked protein. The batter can be poured into banana leaves, plastic containers, or ramekins. It is then steamed in boiling water until it reaches a cake-like consistency.

Suggested Read : What Does Guanabana Taste Like?

10. Levant: stayed

Qatayef is a crescent-shaped pastry famous in Egypt, Jordan and other Arab countries. The semolina is cooked only on one side. It’s then stuffed with cheese such as Akkawi and Nabulsi. Other ingredients include crushed nuts, pistachios or hazelnuts. The pancake is then folded in two, sealed and deep-fried, with sugar syrup drizzled on top. Different versions of the pancakes include clotted cream.

Suggested Read: Is Beef Bacon Halal (Halal Meat)

11. Middle East: kunafa

An iftar becomes a grand affair in the Middle East when kunafa is served as dessert. The soft, melted cheese is hidden within the crisp, golden orange crust. The preparation can vary, with regional and national variations using either semolina pastry, shredded filo, or a mixture of both. The dough or pastry, mixed with sugar syrup and water, is layered with local cheeses, usually unsalted, and baked until golden. The crust is topped with crushed pistachios, a drizzle of orange blossom, rosewater syrup, and clotted milk.

Also Read: Chops & Steaks The Real Meat Fresh Halal Meat

12. Indonesia: kolak pisang

In Indonesia, evenings begin with Kolak. This combines coconut milk, palm or coconut sugar, pandan leaves, and fruit. The dish is delicious, whether warm or chilled and can be made with as many fruits as desired. It provides energy after a long day of fasting. Polak Pisang is the dish’s name when combined with sliced bananas, milk and sugar. Add sweet potatoes, cassavas, jackfruits and sugar palm fruit.

Travel and food are a great combination. Experience the best world cuisine at the National Geographic Traveller Food Festival. This immersive culinary event takes place every summer. Book your tickets and find out more.

Our Latest Ramazan Articles: