Iftar Ideas

[sister herb]

Basbousa

Basbousa is a term in the Middle east that refers to a very sweet semolina – sort of- cake.

This Basbousa recipe calls for:

• 1.5 cup of coarse semolina.
• 1 cup of granulates white sugar – you can decrease the amount if you are not much of a sweet-tooth.
• 3/4 cup of finely shredded coconut.
• 1 cup of plain yoghourt.
• 1/2 cup of butter.
• 1/2 Tsp of baking powder.
• 1/2 Tsp of baking soda.
• 1 1/2 tsp of vanilla.

For the syrup:

• 1 cup of granulated sugar.
• 1 cup of water.
• 1 tsp of lemon juice.

• Preheat oven to 350F degrees then melt the butter, let it cool to room temperature. Mix the yoghourt and the sugar well then add the rest of the ingredients and mix them all very well.

• Prepare your pan by spraying it with cooking oil pour in the mixture you may top with some nuts of your choice or leave it like this and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

• While your pan is in the oven prepare your syrup by adding the water to the sugar in a sauce pan over medium heat and when it dissolves stir in the lemon juice and let it boil for 5 minutes then reduce heat and allow to simmer for another 20-25 minutes. The syrup should thicken a little when it cools down.
• 

• While both the Basbousa and the syrup are hot, pour the syrup over the Basbousa and let it set for 15 minutes.

Usually served as is with a cup of hot tea or coffee, sometimes topped with cream. Enjoy!

 

[sister herb]

Ok, Ramadan is already over *snif* but I think kind of little foods are suitable also when you for example invite some friends to your home and like to serve something. Here is one more:

Caramelized Onion Tart with Olives

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, leaves
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/4 cup oil-cured small black olives, pitted and halved lengthwise
4 to 6 anchovy fillets (optional), rinsed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Melt butter with oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and thyme, and cook until onions are golden and soft, about 10 minutes.

2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry, and trim to an 8 1/2-by-15-inch rectangle. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, transfer to oven, and immediately reduce oven to 400. Bake until pastry begins to rise, about 12 minutes.

3. Arrange onions in a single layer over pastry, leaving a 1-inch border around edge. Top with olives and anchovies if using. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 375 degrees, and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 15 minutes more (tent with foil if crust browns too quickly). Cut into squares.

 

[sister herb]

Parmesan Puff-Pastry Straws

Ingredients

All-purpose flour, for surface
1 package (14 ounces) puff pastry, preferably Dufour
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/3 cup)
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

2. On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll puff pastry into a 12-by-16-inch rectangle. With the long side facing you, lightly brush bottom half of rectangle with some of the beaten egg. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan and the salt on top half. Fold bottom half over top half. Gently roll dough to seal.

3. Cut rectangle lengthwise into thirds. (You should have three 2-by-16-inch strips.) Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan on 1 strip, poppy seeds on another, and cayenne on remaining strip. Cut each strip lengthwise into eight 1/4-by-16-inch strips.

4. Transfer strips to baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Working with 1 strip at a time, hold each end with your fingers, and carefully twist strip in opposite directions, forming a spiral. Press ends of strips against parchment to prevent unraveling. Freeze or refrigerate until strips are very firm and cold, about 15 minutes.

5. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until straws are golden brown and cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer straws to wire racks, and let cool.

 

[sister herb]

Baked Sweet-Potato Chips

A mandoline or a hand-held slicer will quickly turn out thin, even slices of sweet potato, although a sharp knife and a steady hand will also work fine.

prep: 5 mins

total time: 30 mins

servings: 4

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 1/8 inch thick
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, preferably sea salt
1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, with racks in center and lower positions. Divide sweet potatoes between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with oil, toss, and spread them in a single layer on sheets. Bake, flipping once, until centers are soft and edges are crisp, 22 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, and serve with lime wedges.

 

[Hassan]

Sister Herb - do u have any parcel service?

Funny how often people ask this from me in many forums...

Well, do you??

 

[sister herb]

Well, do you??

Why not... but I should have your postal address.

 

[Hassan]

Why not... but I should have your postal address.

Haha, I thought you would ask for a credit card number

 

[sister herb]

Haha, I thought you would ask for a credit card number

Salam alaykum

One member here has ate my cookies and cakes before. Ask him were they tasty.

 

[Hassan]

I do not doubt you sister.

Wa alaikum asalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

 

[um muhammad al-mahdi]

Assalamu Alaykum,

Well, as the parcel's destination would be UK... Can I get some too?

 

[Hachiko]

Assalaamu WalaikumwaRamatullahWabarakatuhu.
ANDOF COURSE, DATES! 0=)

 

[sister herb]

Assalamu Alaykum,

Well, as the parcel's destination would be UK... Can I get some too?

Salam alaykum

Your address, please?

 

[sister herb]

Ok, Ramadan is coming sooner or later. We need to prepare for it, right? Also need to make some plans for iftar. Here is some new ideas for you.

Moroccan Kefta Stuffed Rolls - Soft Sandwich Rolls with Ground Beef Filling

Yield: 20 to 24 small stuffed rolls
Ingredients:

• --- For the Filling ---
• 1 lb. (or 1/2 kg) ground beef
• 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper (any color), finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• cayenne or black pepper, to taste
• 1 generous tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 to 2 handfuls pitted green olives, chopped or sliced
• --- For the Dough ---
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm milk
• 4 1/2 cups (or 600g) flour
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons butter, very soft or melted
• ---------------------------
• vegetable oil, for brushing the tops of the baked rolls

Preparation:

Make the Filling: (May be made a day in advance and refrigerated until needed.) In a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat, saute the onion and pepper in the vegetable oil for several minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, stirring frequently and breaking up any large pieces of meat with your spoon. Stir in the spices, then thoroughly blend in the tomato paste. Stir in the olives, remove the filling from the heat and set aside to cool.

Make the Dough: Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk and set aside. Combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and milk with yeast, and stir the mixture to form a sticky dough barely firm enough for kneading. (Use small additions of flour or milk if necessary to achieve this consistency.) Knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes, or in a mixer with a dough hook for 5 minutes, until very smooth but still a bit sticky. (The dough will lose its sticky quality after rising.) Transfer the kneaded dough to an oiled bowl, turning the dough over once to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with a towel and leave the dough to rise in a warm, draft free area for an hour or longer, until doubled in bulk.

Shape and Stuff the Rolls: After the dough has risen, turn it out onto your work surface. Divide the dough into smooth 1 1/2" balls. Take a ball of dough and pat it out into a flat circle (approx. 3" in diameter) which is thinner around the edges and a little thicker to the touch in the middle. Add a generous tablespoon of filling to the middle of the dough, and gather the edges up around the filling, pinching to seal and fully enclose the dough. Turn the stuffed ball of dough over and gently roll it under your palm against your work surface to smooth its appearance. Transfer the stuffed dough to an oiled baking sheet (or pan lined with oiled parchment paper) and repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Cover the tray with a towel and leave the stuffed dough to rest for 30 to 60 minutes, until light and puffy.

Bake the Stuffed Rolls: Preheat your oven to 425 F (220 C). Bake the rolls for about 20 minutes, or until medium golden brown. Remove from the oven, brush the tops of the rolls with vegetable oil, and transfer the rolls to a rack. Cover the rolls loosely with a towel and allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Note: Completely cooled rolls can be frozen and reheated at serving time. Allow the rolls to defrost at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes before reheating for 10 to 15 minutes in a 350 F (180 C) oven. Wrapping the rolls in aluminum foil for reheating will help keep the crust soft.

Source: http://moroccanfood.about.com/od/soupsandappetizers/r/Moroccan-Kefta-Stuffed-Rolls.htm

 

[sister herb]

Mediterranean Lentil Soup [aka: Shaykh Yusuf's Lentil Soup]

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

2-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, or about 3 ½ ounces, diced
3 large Roma tomatoes, or about 10 ounces, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups brown lentils (measured after they have been soaked overnight)
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoons dried mint (optional)
1 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoons basil (optional)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups chicken broth
fresh parsley or cilantro
lemon wedges or quarters

Directions

In a large Dutch oven over medium flame, heat the oil. Sauté the onions until translucent, then add the tomatoes then the garlic. Stir well and let them absorb the oil.

Add the lentils and all of the dried herbs and spices. Pour the broth over the top.

Continue to cook over medium-high for about 45 minutes to one hour, after which the lentils should have softened significantly. Turn the heat off then use an immersion blender to blend ½ or more of mixture. Alternatively, let the soup cool significantly then add half of it to a blender, then return it to the pot.

Continue to cook on medium-low heat for another 20-40 minutes before serving. Ladle into bowls and add a bit of fresh parsley or cilantro plus a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top. Serve with fresh lemon or lime on the side.

Source: http://myhalalkitchen.com/mediterranean-lentil-soup/

Step-by-step:

Warm lentil soup is so perfect for Iftar







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Start out by soaking lentils in water overnight, or for two nights if you have a large amount such as in this recipe.

You’ll also need some fresh tomatoes, an onion, a few garlic cloves, salt and pepper, plus fresh or dried herbs.

Always get the best olive oil you can afford- it really does make a difference in the end result. Use{halal} chicken broth for extra rich flavor.
'


Sauté onions in oil until they’re nice and translucent.

then add the tomatoes

and the lentils

then the stock

also referred to as simply “broth”



I start out with two cups at a time to see how much liquid I really want or need.

In this case I ended up with four cups but you could do less or more, depending on how you like your soup- some people like it on the thicker side; others less so.

This actually looks like a lot of liquid, but it’s going to cook down a bit.

for at least 45 minutes

then blend half of the pot with an immersion blender if you have one (and the stove off). Otherwise you can use a regular blender, but you’ll need the mixture to cool off before doing that.

See? It’s thicker now…and even more so after an additional 20-40 minutes of cooking.

Serve with fresh parsley or cilantro on top, a drizzle of olive oil and a few lemon quarters to squeeze on top, too. So healthy and really delicious and nutritious…

 

[sister herb]

Lebanese Kibbeh Patties

(5 servings of 3 patties each)
(Preparation time: 15 minutes, baking 40 minutes)

Ingredients

1 pound of ground lean goat meat (or substitute with lean beef)
1.5 cups of fine Burghul (cracked wheat)
1 small white onion
20 leaves of green mint
10 leaves of marjoram (preferred green but dried is fine too)
1/2 teaspoon Lebanese 7-spices (or substitute with Allspice)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2/3 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/3 green/bell pepper (optional, but preferred)
1/2 green chili pepper (optional)
High quality olive oil

Directions

Soak the Burghul in clean cold water then squeeze them dry.

Place the meat and all spices/greens in a food processor with 3-4 cubes of ice and grind for 3-5 minutes until the ingredients are well mixed and homogeneous. The reason we use ice is to cool down the grinding so the temperature doesn’t affect the meat.

Add the dried Burghul to the ground meat in a large bowl then knead for 2-3 minutes until well mixed.

Oil a cupcake or cookie tray with some quality olive oil then place the meat patties inside the molds to a thickness of no more than ½ inch. Garnish with a few more drops of olive oil prior to baking; alternatively you could use a burger mold to form your patties consistently.

Bake at 360 F/180 C for 35-40 minutes. Some people like kibbeh crispy others like it soft, so this is a personal taste as long as you sure it’s well cooked.

Serve hot or cold with a side of plain Greek yogurt, and a variety of greens such as green peppers, red radish, green mint, tomatoes, etc. You can also try it with a side of Cucumber Yogurt Dip (Khiar bi Laban).

Source: http://myhalalkitchen.com/lebanese-kibbeh-patties/



Use a food processor to combine all the ingredients



Once combined, it should look something like this.



Use the muffin tins to help mold them into shape, then bake.



And when they’re baked in oiled muffin tins, they’ll come out nicely molded and easy to pop out.

 

[sister herb]

Dates & Cream for Iftar



The reason Muslims will do this is to follow the tradition of the way Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) broke his fast nearly 1400 years ago, with dates. There are many varieties of dates: Medjool, Deglet Noor, Halawy, just to name a few.



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

Ingredients

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

Directions

1. Wash and dry the dates. Make a clean cut to open the date and remove any pits.
2. Stuff each date with 3 whole almonds and close them.
3. 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.



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).

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

 

[sister herb]

Maple-Date Bars

1 3/4 cups finely chopped pitted dates (about 12 ounces)
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1 cup regular oats
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Combine dates, water, and maple syrup in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; cook 12 minutes or until most liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. (Mixture will look like jam.) Stir in rind; cool completely.
2. Preheat oven to 400 F/200 C.
3. Beat sugar and butter with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture (mixture will be crumbly). Press 2 cups flour mixture into bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Spread date mixture over flour mixture. Sprinkle with remaining flour mixture. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Note: Wrap these moist bars individually, or place them in a cookie tin between layers of wax or parchment paper.

Source: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/maple-date-bars-10000001120394/

 

[sister herb]

What would be nicer to break a fast after hot day than something cold which also has some dates in it?


Banana Date Popsicles with Cinnamon & Vanilla

Makes 5 popsicles

Ingredients:

10 pitted dates
1/2 cup low-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
1 large ripe banana, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup milk – coconut milk, almond milk or dairy milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Soak dates in hot water for about 5 minutes to soften them, then remove from water and chop them into very small pieces.

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into 5 popsicle molds and freeze.

Note: I had just barely enough mix to fill 5 standard popsicle molds so you may want to add a touch more yogurt and milk to the mixture to make sure there is enough, depending on the size of your popsicle molds.

Source: http://www.onceuponacuttingboard.com/2012/06/banana-date-popsicles.html

 

[sister herb]

Date Filled Cookies

Ingredients

All purpose flour: 1 cup
Powdered Sugar: 1/4 cup
Brown Sugar: 1/4 cup
Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
Butter: 1/2 cup (1 stick)

For filling

Chopped dates: 1/2 cup
Water: 1 cup
Sugar: 1 tablespoon

Procedure:

Step1:
Beat the butter and both the sugar together until light and fluffy

Step2:
Add the flour and vanilla extract and knead it to dough

Step3:
Wrap the dough in cling wrap and refrigerate for 40 minutes so that it becomes easy to work with

Step4:
Meanwhile mix the chopped dates, water and sugar in a medium sauce pan.Bring to a boil and then simmer in low flame for 10 minutes.The filling will thicken once it cools.





Step5:
Divide the dough into 26 balls and flatten each of them to circles

Step6:
Using a cookie cutter cut half of the circles in the center



Step7:
Fill the dates filling in a full circle and place the cut circle on top of it and seal it using fork



Step8:
Bake the cookies in a preheated oven of 325 F/165 C for 15 minutes or until light brown




Tip:
Use the cut cookies and bake them as thumb print cookies with the date filling



Source: http://www.amuthiskitchen.com/2011/04/date-filled-cookies.html

 

[sister herb]

Chickpea Salad

Chickpeas – 1 cup (boiled)
Kidney beans – 1 cup (boiled)
Tomato – 1 medium (seeded & diced)
Capsicum – 1 medium (diced)
Potato – 1 medium (boiled & diced)
Onion – 1 medium (diced)
Ketchup – 1 tbsp
Black salt – just a pinch
Table salt – ½ tsp
Crushed black pepper – ½ tsp
Chat masala – 1/4th tsp (See Note)
Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
Vinegar – 1 tbsp

Procedure

Take a medium bowl and prepare the dressing of your salad by mixing ketchup, black salt, table salt, chat masala, black pepper, lemon juice and vinegar together.

Mix all chopped fresh veggies and grams together, pour your dressing over it and mix again.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Serving: 3-4

Note:
(Chaat masala Hindi चाट मसाला, Urdu چاٹ مصالہ; also spelled chat masala) is a masala used in Indian and Pakistani cuisine. It typically consists of amchoor (dried mango powder), cumin, kala namak (black salt), coriander, dried ginger, salt, black pepper, asafoetida (hing) and chili powder.[1][2] The ingredients are combined and served on a small metal plate, polystyrene plate or a banana leaf, dried and formed into a bowl, at chaat carts (especially in Gujarat, Maharastra, Punjab, Sindh and all across Pakistan, Northern India, and even Southern India).
Chaat masala has both a sweet and a sour taste. It is used to flavour fast foods of Pakistan and India like Bhelpuri, Golgappa, Aloo Chaat and Dahi puri. It is a spice that can be added to foods and drinks.

Ingredients/Substitute of chat masala:
These are the ingredients used to make Chaat Masala: so use what you have on hand. Use fresh lemon or lime juice to mimic the tart/sour taste. Otherwise, add a little garam masala.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon mango powder
1 tablespoon black salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pinch asafetida powder
1/4 teaspoon ginger, ground

Directions:
Toast and grind cumin and fennel seeds and combine with remaining ingredients.

Source: http://blush.com.pk/3-low-calorie-snacks-for-iftar/

Note: Adding grilled chicken to this salad isn´t bad idea.