Iftar Ideas 2015

[sister herb]

Salam alaykum

For helping you to find tasty, delicious, easy to make, healthy and nutrutious ideas for your coming soon iftar menus, check these ideas and recipes. Remember also iftar ideas from the previous years:

http://turntoislam.com/community/threads/iftar-ideas.92378/page-5#post-615063

Let´s start by... dates (not so surprising, huh?).

Dates & Cream for Iftar

Serves 3 (if you are serving one date per person, otherwise double or triple this recipe)


Ingredients

3 large dates
9 whole roasted almonds
3 tablespoons or dollups of creme fraiche
lemon or orange zest
several pistachios, roughly chopped

Directions

Wash and dry the dates. Make a clean cut to open the date and remove any pits.
Stuff each date with 3 whole almonds and close them.
On a plate or platter, arrange the dates in a row. Dollup the creme fraiche on top of each one. Finish with lemon or orange zest and chopped pistachios.

Serve at room temperature with small forks for those who prefer it.

Source: http://myhalalkitchen.com/dates-cream-iftar/


When breaking the fast it is sunnah (a tradition of Prophet Muhammad) to say, “Allahumma laka sumtu wa ‘ala ridhqika aftartu” (O Allah! For You did I fast and with Your bounties did I break the fast).

 

[sister herb]

Savory Zucchini Fritters

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

3 zucchinis, skinned and grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 white onion, minced
1 egg
¾ cup flour
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley or chopped chives
oil for frying

Directions

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except the oil.
Warm the oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan.
Use an ice cream scoop to drop enough of the zucchini mixture into the oil for each cake.
Saute for 4-6 minutes per side or until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels before serving.

Note: You can also fry them in the pancake pan.

Serve with fresh thyme and lemon slices.

Source: http://myhalalkitchen.com/savory-zucchini-fritters/?SocialMedia

http://sweet-n-savory.com/2014/07/21/savory-zucchini-fritters-for-mark/

 

[queenislam]

Assalamu'alaikum!
Amazing threads sister herb thank you for sharing ,
Take care,
~Wassalam

 

[queenislam]

nice fruit platter for iftar

 

[sister herb]

Lamb, Spinach and Feta Gozleme

Dough
2 cups of self-raising flour (or all-purposes flour and yeast)
1 cup Greek style yoghurt
1 teaspoon sea salt

Filling
Olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sumac
2 tablespoons ground cumin
500g lamb mince
Medium bag of baby spinach (about 120g), roughly chopped
Handful of fresh mint, chopped
Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
200g feta, crumbled
Handful grated cheese (any type that will melt nicely when grilled)
Handful of pine nuts, lightly toasted
Sea salt to taste

In a medium bowl, add the flour, salt and yoghurt and bring together with a spoon. Pour the dough onto a clean surface and knead for 5 minutes, or until the dough is very smooth and elastic and forms a perfect ball. You can add a tablespoon of water at any stage should the dough be too dry - it needs to be smooth and slightly sticky.

Place the dough in a bowl and allow to rest in a warm spot for half an hour while you work on the filling. I like to put it in a pre warmed oven, turned off and with the light on.

For the filling, add a little olive oil to a fry pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent. Add the spices, stir well, then add the mince. Turn the heat up to high - you want the mince to fry, not braise. Remove any liquid if you mince releases water.

Place the mince mixture into a large bowl, add the chopped spinach, mint, parsley and pine nuts. Allow to cool very slightly before adding the feta and grated cheese. Taste for seasoning.

Place the dough on a floured surface, divide into four balls, the start to roll each ball into a long oval shape (roughly 40cm x 20cm). The dough should be about 3 - 4 mm thin. Place a quarter of the filling on one half of the dough, then fold the other half over and press the edges so it comes together. Add a little grape seed oil (or an oil that doesn't smoke) to a frypan over a medium heat, then add the filled gozleme and cook for 4 minutes each side, or until they are nice and golden and the cheese has melted inside. Place it in a warm oven on a wooden board while you make the rest.

Serve with lemon wedges, yoghurt and chilli sauce.

Source: http://www.foodonpaper.com/2014/11/lamb-spinach-and-feta-gozleme.html

 

[sister herb]

Date and Semolina Bars

Makes about 16

75g fine semolina
200g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
50g ground almonds
100g caster sugar
100g unsalted butter
1 tbsp (pomegranate) molasses
1 medium egg
25ml each of rosewater and orange‑flower water (Use orange juice if you haven´t rose/orange-flower waters.)
A handful of sesame seeds
Caster sugar, for sprinkling

For the date filling
500g pitted soft dates
100g unsalted butter, cubed
1 tsp ground allspice

1 For the dough, put the semolina, flour, baking powder, salt, almonds and sugar in a bowl. Melt the butter with the molasses, pour this into the bowl then rub through with your fingers until the mixture resembles golden breadcrumbs.

Guardian

2 Add the egg and stir in the rose and orange-flower waters, mix and form into a ball and leave covered at room temperature for 1-2 hours so the semolina absorbs the moisture and slightly firms the dough.

Photograph: Guardian

3 Make the date filling mix by simply pureeing the dates, butter and allspice in a food processor until very smooth. If the paste feels soft, just chill it until firm.

Photograph: Guardian

4 Roll half the dough out at a time to about 20 x 18cm, roughly 5mm thick. Cut in half lengthways. Take a quarter of the date filling, form into an 18cm log, then place this along the centre of one dough rectangle. Roll the dough around the filling to seal it inside, then repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Photograph: Guardian

5 Press seeds on to the outside of each bar, cut into quarters and place in a tray lined with nonstick paper. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/400F/gas mark 6 and bake the rolls for about 20 minutes until they brown and slightly singe at the edges.

Photograph: Guardian

6 As soon as they're out of the oven, dredge with caster sugar and cool.

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/may/17/dan-lepard-semolina-date-bars

 

[sister herb]

Turkish Semolina Dessert

2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup oil
½ cup melted margarine
½ cup water
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 bowl semolina
A pinch salt

For Syrup
3 cups warm water
3 cups granulated sugar

Add the eggs, melted margarine, oil, water, salt and granulated sugar into the mixing bowl and mix. Meanwhile add the flour little by little.

Knead the dough until it is soft like earlobe. Then set aside for 10-15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 175 °C (347 °F).

Take pieces from the dough that fit in your palm and roll them.

Spread the dough you rolled and press on the middle of it and try to make a shape just like in the photo above.

Take pieces by using a knife just like in the photo again. Dip these pieces into the semolina (dip only one side of them) and put equally onto the oven tray with greased paper on it.

Bake until their top turn pink. Meanwhile prepare the syrup.

To prepare the syrup, whisk the boiled warm water with sugar in a pot until the sugar grains melt completely.

When the baking is completed, set aside for a minute. Then pour the syrup onto the semolina slices equally.

Set aside for 3-4 hours until desserts drain the syrup completely.

http://www.turkishfoodblog.com/recipes/semolina-dessert/

 

[sister herb]

Olive Bagels

1 egg
1 cup olive oil
1 cup warm milk
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon fresh yeast
1 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
7 cups flour

For Filling
4 tablespoons olive paste * See Note
100 grams (0.220 pounds) margarine

For Topping
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon sesame
1 tablespoon black sesame (or poppy seeds)

Pour the milk and water together into the pot.

Add the granulated sugar and fresh yeast. Wait for 10 minutes until the yeast dissolves.

Add the salt, olive oil and egg. Then add the flour little by little. Knead well until it is soft enough.

Cover the pot and set aside for an hour until it rises.

Take palm sized pieces from the dough and roll them on your palm.

Spread dough pieces by using the rolling pin. Butter and smear olive paste equally.

Do the same for the remaining dough and put them onto the oven tray with greased paper on it.

Set aside for an hour and after setting aside, preheat the oven to 180 °C (355 °F). Then egg wash all of them and sprinkle sesame and black sesame.

Bake until their tops turn brown.

http://www.turkishfoodblog.com/recipes/olive-bagels-turkish-acma/

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Black Olive Paste

Ingredients:
250 g / 8¾ oz of black olives (kalamata)
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Pour into a pot the pitted olives, the garlic and 1,5 tbsp of the olive oil and heat at medium heat for about 2-3min. Do not fry! The purpose of this step is to let the heat help intensify the flavor of each single ingredient.

Remove from the stove and pour the mixture into a food processor. Blend until creamy or until the consistency that you prefer.

The olive paste can be stored for several days. You can use the jar that the olives came with or any kind of bowl. The important thing in order to make it last longer is to cover the top of the paste with the remaining olive oil. This will prevent mold.

If you store it in the fridge, you might wanna take it out and let it rest before you eat it, as it tastes best at room temperature.

http://mediterranealicious.com/2013/10/25/pate-dolive-black-olive-paste/

 

[zaman-gm]

Savory Zucchini Fritters

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

3 zucchinis, skinned and grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 white onion, minced
1 egg
¾ cup flour
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley or chopped chives
oil for frying

Directions

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except the oil.
Warm the oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan.
Use an ice cream scoop to drop enough of the zucchini mixture into the oil for each cake.
Saute for 4-6 minutes per side or until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels before serving.

Note: You can also fry them in the pancake pan.

Serve with fresh thyme and lemon slices.

Source: http://myhalalkitchen.com/savory-zucchini-fritters/?SocialMedia

http://sweet-n-savory.com/2014/07/21/savory-zucchini-fritters-for-mark/

 

[sister herb]

The recipe made you hungry, huh?

Please don´t eat the cook.

 

[zaman-gm]

Please don´t eat the cook.

Of course not. She is my everything.

 

[sister herb]

Gazelle Horns (Almond Paste-Filled Pastries)

To cover 35 to 40 gazelle horns, you will need:

1 and 1/2 cup all purpose flour – about 200g
3 tbsp melted butter – about 40g
2 tbsp orange blossom water (I have used orange juice)
1 egg and 1 pinch of salt
6 tbsp water to add at the end

Mix all ingredients and knead the dough with the water like when you make bread for at least 5 minutes without breaking its elasticity. When ready, cover and let it rest while you are making the almond paste.

Recipe to make the almond paste for Gazelle horns

You will need:

1 pound raw whole almonds – about 500g
1 cup sugar – about 250g
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp orange blossom water (or orange juice)
2 tsp cinnamon

First start by peeling the almonds: pour them into boiling water then reduce te heat to low and let simmer for 2 min {They should not be cooked too much as they should be chewy}. Then drain a small quantity at a time and peel it before draining more, etc.

Mix the almonds and the sugar in a food processor to form a paste {If you are using dry blanched almonds instead of raw whole almonds, it would be a powder texture and you may need to add 1 or 2 tbsp of orange blossom water}, then mix with the rest of ingredients and mix again to get the traditional flavored Gazelle horns’ almond paste. It’s quite soft and full of wonderful flavors.

Form small rolls or sausage shapes of about 6 cm (3 inches) long.

Technic to create Gazelle horns pastry



To create a gazelle horn, spread part of the dough in a very thin layer of 5 inches wide then put one almond paste roll on top and cover it with the dough.

Shape the pastry in a crescent form by gently pressing the dough against the almond paste using both hands’ thumbs and fingers.

Use a wavy cookie cutter to cut the dough and have a traditional look for the Gazelle horns then place the cookie on a baking pan covered with parchment paper.

Repeat until you cover all almond paste rolls.

How to bake Gazelle horns



If you have time, you can let the pastries rest for 3 to 12 hours (a morning, an afternoon or overnight) before cooking them in order to allow the dough and the almond paste to form a single cookie… or cook them straight away after making small holes using a fork or a toothpick in each cookie to make sure it doesn’t puff-up when it bakes.

Preheat the oven at 180 C (350 F)

Bake the cookies for 10 to 20 mins depending on their size.

Remember, Gazelle horns are supposed to be soft and chewy pastries, so make sure you don’t overcook them, even if the dough is still quite white after 20 mins, they are ready.

http://www.crazyaicha.com/gazelle-h...elle-the-best-ambassador-for-moroccan-pastry/

 

[sister herb]

Yemeni Honey Cake

Ingredients:

1 packet yeast
0.5 cup warm water
5 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
4 cups flour (I needed 5-6 cups)
0.5 teaspoon salt
1.25 cups butter, melted
1 cup honey
Method

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Mix yeast with eggs and milk. In a separate bowl, mix together flour and salt and form a well in the middle. Pour the yeast mixture into the well and stir into a dough; knead dough adding 0.25 cup melted butter. Knead until a smooth elastic dough results (you may need to add more flour). Cover and allow to rest in a warm place for 1 hour.

Divide the dough into 12 balls and place on a floured surface; cover with a damp towel and allow them to rest for another half hour.

Roll each ball of dough into an 8 inch round. Place one round into a buttered pie pan and brush with melted butter. Add 5 more rounds, buttering each, and pressing edges to attach rounds.

In a second buttered pie pan, repeat with the remaining 6 rounds.

Mix the remaining butter with honey and brush the top of each stack with some of the honey-butter mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 C) for 25 minutes or until the top round is golden. Remove from oven and pour remaining butter-honey mixture over both pans. Allow to rest for 20 minutes and then slice into wedges.

Source: https://100daysofhoney.wordpress.com/2011/05/22/yummy-yemeni-honey-bread/

 

[sister herb]

Shaabiyat Kacha

Ingredients
Ready to roll frozen puff pastry

For The Kacha Cream Filling
100 g cream cheese
75 g icing sugar
5 g rose water
10 g pistachio chopped for dusting

For The Sugar Syrup
1000 g sugar
500 g water

Method

1. To make the kacha cream filling: Mix all the ingredients together.
2. To make the sugar syrup: Boil together the water and sugar until it reduces by half.
3. Now roll the puff pastry into 3 mm thickness.
4. Cut squares 4 x 4 cm in size and fill with kacha cream, then fold.
5. Bake at 180 C for 15 minutes.
6. Take it out of the oven and brush it over with sugar syrup and dust it with chopped pistachio.


Source: http://www.ahlanlive.com/shaabiyat-kacha-195242.html

 

[sister herb]

Limonana (Middle Eastern Frozen Mint Lemonade)

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients
6 tablespoons (115 g) sugar
½ cup (120 ml) plus 6 tablespoons (90 ml) water, divided
½ cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice
4 stems worth of mint leaves (about 40 leaves, which is about 2 g) with the stems discarded, plus a few extra sprigs for garnish if desired
18-20 ice cubes
1-2 drops orange blossom water (optional)

Instructions
Add the sugar and 6 tablespoons of water to a small saucepan; heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
Add the cooled sugar syrup, remaining ½ cup water, lemon juice, mint leaves, ice cubes, and orange blossom water (if using) to a blender. Pulse a few times to break up the ice and then process until slushy.
Pour into 2 tall glasses, garnish with mint leaves if desired, and serve immediately.

Source: http://www.anediblemosaic.com/limon...rprise-baby-shower-for-liz-of-the-lemon-bowl/

 

[sister herb]

Tzatziki with Feta Plate

Ingredients
2 (7-ounce) containers Greek yogurt
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
Kosher salt or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For serving:
1/2 pound feta, sliced
Good olive oil
Fresh thyme leaves
1/2 pound large kalamata olives with pits
Toasted Pita Triangles, recipe follows

Toasted Pita Triangles:
1 loaf pita bread

Directions

For serving:
Place the yogurt in a medium bowl. Grate the cucumber on a box grater on the largest grating side and squeeze it with your hands to remove most (but not all) of the liquid. Add the grated cucumber to the yogurt. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and combine. Taste for seasonings.

To serve, artfully arrange salad plates with slices of feta, drizzle them with olive oil, and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Add the olives, pita triangles, and the tzatziki and serve cold or at room temperature.

Toasted Pita Triangles:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/175 C.

Slice the pita bread into 8 triangles and place them on a sheet pan. Place the sheet pan in the oven and toast the bread for 10 minutes.

Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/easy-tzatziki-with-feta.html

 

[sister herb]

Sesame Crusted Bread Rings



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon dry yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup warm water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups warm milk
1/2 kilo (1.1 lbs) all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten with a few pinches of sugar
1/2 cup white sesame seeds

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 F/190 C.
2. In the bowl of a mixer, place the yeast, warm water and sugar. Mix gently. Let sit for 10 minutes or until yeast foams doubles in size.
3. Sift the flour. Add the salt to the flour.
4. Once the yeast is ready, add the vegetable oil and milk to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed.
5. Slowly, add the flour one spoonful at a time, while the mixer is on low. Mix until all flour is incorporated, then turn off the mixer immediately. Do not overwork the dough.
6. Dust your hands with flour, and remove the dough from the mixing bowl. It will be very sticky, but do your best to form it into a ball and move it to a clean, flour-lined bowl. Surely, pieces of the dough will have stuck to the sides of the mixing bowl. Remove them from the mixing bowl, and add to the top of the dough ball.
7. Cover the dough-filled bowl with a towel and let sit in a warm spot for 30-40 minutes.
8. The dough will double in size. Punch it down and remove it from the bowl. It’s consistency will have softened and it won’t be as sticky. Sprinkle flour on a working surface. Place the dough over the flour. Knead the dough for 5 minutes.
9. Then, cut the dough in half. Roll out each piece into a long log and form into a ring. See picture below.



10. Brush the rings with egg wash on all sides and roll in sesame seeds.
11. Place the rings on separate sheet pans. Put an oven-proof pot of boiling water in the oven, underneath the bread. Cook for about 25 minutes, or until the bread turns a light brown color.
12. Remove and place on racks. Devour one loaf while piping hot, save the other loaf for sandwiches.

Source: http://palestinianmissionuk.com/welcome-to-palestine/culture-events/recipes/

 

[sister herb]

Mjaddara

A fully nutritious meal, Mjaddara is easy to make and very tasty.

Ingredients (for 4 persons)
2 cups of rice
1 cup of brown lentils
One onion
Vegetable oil

Preparation
Clean the brown lentils and boil them in a pot until they are soft and edible (15 minutes on medium heat.)

Wash the rice and cover it in hot water and leave aside until the lentils are done.

Cut the onion in stripes and fry in vegetable oil until golden brown.

Drain the water from the lentils and from the rice as well. Place the rice on top of the lentils in the pot and mix. Add a teaspoon of vegetable oil, and mix the ingredients together over medium heat for two minutes. Add salt, pepper, cumin, and cardamom to taste. Cover with hot water (1 cm above the mixture). Let simmer on low heat until the water evaporates (about 15 - 20 minutes).

Turn over (like a cake) in a big plate, and cover the top with the fried onion stripes.

Serve with yogurt and green salad.

Variation: half the onion stripes can be added to the mixture before adding the water and letting it simmer. The remaining onion stripes can be used for garnish.

Source: http://www.webgaza.net/palestine/recipes/Mjaddara.htm

 

[zaman-gm]

Limonana (Middle Eastern Frozen Mint Lemonade)

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients
6 tablespoons (115 g) sugar
½ cup (120 ml) plus 6 tablespoons (90 ml) water, divided
½ cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice
4 stems worth of mint leaves (about 40 leaves, which is about 2 g) with the stems discarded, plus a few extra sprigs for garnish if desired
18-20 ice cubes
1-2 drops orange blossom water (optional)

Instructions
Add the sugar and 6 tablespoons of water to a small saucepan; heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
Add the cooled sugar syrup, remaining ½ cup water, lemon juice, mint leaves, ice cubes, and orange blossom water (if using) to a blender. Pulse a few times to break up the ice and then process until slushy.
Pour into 2 tall glasses, garnish with mint leaves if desired, and serve immediately.

Source: http://www.anediblemosaic.com/limon...rprise-baby-shower-for-liz-of-the-lemon-bowl/

 

[sister herb]

As the Ramadan is soon running out, I add few Eid recipes to the end.

Indian-Spiced Whole Chicken



Serves 6

Ingredients
3 cups red potatoes, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 whole chicken
2 ounces real butter or solid ghee
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground turmeric powder
1 teaspoon ground cloves
4 large bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon mild curry powder
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 cups water

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 F/190 C. To a deep pan, baking dish, or oven pan with a rack, add the cut potatoes, garlic and onion.

Loosen the skin of the chicken’s breast and stuff it with small cubes of cold butter or ghee. Push it in and use your fingers to spread it to other parts of the chicken, such as the thighs and in between the creases of its wings. Flip the bird over so that it is now breast-side down.

Add all the spices to the roasting pan and rub all over the chicken. Mix up the spices with the vegetables, too.

Flip the bird again so that it is now breast side up (optional).

Add water to the pan, but not over the chicken.

Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes to allow the breast of the chicken to be nicely browned. Turn the bird gently over so that the breast is faced down for the remainder of its cooking time.

Reduce heat to 325 F/165 C. and bake, covered with foil, for an additional 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Remove chicken from the oven and check internal temperature of the meat away from the bone. It should read at least 165 F/75 C. Allow the meat to rest, covered, for at least ten minutes before cutting.

Source: http://myhalalkitchen.com/indian-spiced-whole-chicken/