Yesterday was the first Friday of Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims around the world. And there are some really delicious Mediterranean dishes shared at this time of year.
That said, my dedication writing about food and culinary traditions is what keeps me writing about food and to share recipes and traditions in the hopes of preserving them for future generations as well as to inspire nutritious eating and a healthy way of life overall.
Normally, after a day of fasting from just before sunrise to sunset, families gather at the table to partake in the Iftar, or meal to end the fast. It’s also very often done in communal surroundings such as mosques around the world or outdoors in neighborhood blocks in Muslim countries. People tend to be very intentional about hosting an Iftar or at least sharing their food, holding the belief that there is a reward from God for feeding a fasting person.
our homemade Iftar
Iftar dishes are highly regional and vary throughout the world. Someone in Indonesia will have a completely different Iftar meal than someone in Tunisia, yet all of the food will be Halal (from permissible sources, as dictated in the Holy Qur’an). If you’ve ever been to an Iftar, you’ll probably notice that the food provided is typically from the region of the host; if you’ve never been to an Iftar but are invited by a Muslim to attend one, this is your chance to experience some of the best global cuisine you’ll ever be served outside of a restaurant. Last night, for example, our local mosque served East African cuisine for the community: meatballs in a coconut curry served with Basmati rice and a thick Naan bread. It was tasty, somewhat of a cross between Indian and Thai food in my mind, but nonetheless uniquely East African.
East African Cuisine Iftar served at our local mosque
At home, I typically make Sicilian-style Mediterranean dishes for the main meal or at least something similar. I do tend to make a lot of soups, as they acclimate the body to food after a long day of fasting. For the initial breaking of the fast, everyone around the world will typically consume a date with water, as that is what the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) used to do. For something crunchy and savory (a common treat after having a date and something to drink), I typically make a Moroccan savory pastry with lamb or beef, which is what I’m sharing today. They’re easy to make and you can use a couple variety of wrappers to make them. They’re often called either briouat or briwatin Arab speaking countries (North Africa) and to me, are very similar to the Turkish borek when made with phyllo dough.
Moroccan Style Briouates with Ground Beef, Raisins & Almonds
Yields 12-14briouates
Briouats are Moroccan sweet or savory appetizers of phyllo sheets rolled, stuffed with ground meat and aromatic spices, and typically lightly fried in olive oil. You can also use egg roll wrappers which are quite sturdy and can hold a lot of meat and other ingredients, which makes them particularly filling. Any ground meat like beef, veal, turkey or chicken will substitute well for the lamb in this recipe and make great starters to the Iftar meal or serve as any party starter.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil plus more for frying the briouats
½ cup yellow onion, diced
1 pound ground beef or lamb
1 cup slivered almonds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon fleshy ground black or white pepper, or to taste
¾ cup raisins
2 tablespoons fresh or dried mint leaves, chopped
¼ cup finely chopped fresh or dried parsley
1/2 of one packet of phyllo dough or one pound egg roll wrappers
1 egg, beaten (only if using the egg roll wrappers)
Fresh lemon or lime wedges (optional)
Directions
Heat oil in a large saut. pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent.
Add the meat and the garlic. Stir and cook until the meat has slightly browned then add the almonds and ground spices, including the salt and pepper.
Add the raisins and stir until they become slightly larger in size. Continue to cook for another ten minutes. Add the chopped fresh herbs and cover the pan.
Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes, adding a bit of water if necessary.
Remove lid and drizzle meat with olive oil. Set aside to cool.
Using one sheet of egg roll wrapper or 1/4 of a phyllo sheet, place one heaping tablespoon of meat mixture in the center. Bring each side to the center then roll from the bottom upwards. Close by brushing the end with egg wash (egg roll wrappers only- egg wash doesn’t need to be done with phyllo). Repeat this process with all of the wrappers.
Once finished wrapping each one, heat an additional 2-4 tablespoons of oil in a large saut. Pan and fry the briouats. Do not crowd the pan; instead fry only as many as will fit comfortably at one time. Cook for several minutes on each side, or until each side is nicely browned.
Once finished, line a plate with paper towels to capture any excess oil. Serve warm with a dipping sauce and/or fresh lemon or lime wedges.
Enjoy this crunchy appetizer, whether Ramadan or not. Your family, your guests, will love them!
And Ramadan Mubarak to all who observe.
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This is a great appetizer or party dish for weekend gatherings, Iftar during Ramadan, or even Eid. Or, just make it for yourself and family, as it’s not complicated and super fast to put together.
You don’t need much except for the shrimp, a few spices, and good quality olive oil. Parchment paper for the oven tray prevents the shrimp from sticking to the pan and tearing, which keeps them looking nice and presentable for your guests.
Baked Shrimp Arrabbiata
Ingredients
1 pound jumbo shrimp, deveined
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil + more for drizzling
Directions
Remove the tails from the shrimp. Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels.
Arrange the shrimp on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
In a small bowl, combine the oregano, salt and pepper flakes. Add the spice mixture pepper to each of the shrimp. Drizzle with the olive oil.
Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes. When the shrimp is done, sprinkle with a little more oregano and a little more olive oil. Pin each shrimp with a toothpick for easy serving.
One thing I love to do in Ramadan is to experiment with super simple ways to serve dates for Iftar. This one was inspired by my desire to make yogurt cheese, or labneh instead of creme fraiche or mascarpone cheese. I didn’t fill the middle of each date with any nuts, but you can if you want. Aside from pitting the Medjool dates, this was just so very easy.
To the top, I added crushed pistachios, light Acacia California honey, and a sprinkle of bee pollen just because I wanted to get those into my diet. If you have allergies to bees, you might want to be careful adding bee pollen, plus it doesn’t have the most desirable taste, but I’m used to it (I put it in my cereal).
To make your own yogurt, check out my quick-to-prepare recipe here and here.
Either way, this is so incredibly easy and quick to whip up for your guests or just for yourself at home. I think they’re pretty, too. Ramadan Mubarak!
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As Spring begins to approach us, we look towards new growth, new life and optimistic things coming our way for the whole world inshaAllah. This salad I just made actually made me feel happy and energized, perhaps because of the bright and varied colors ad their super healthy ingredients I couldn’t hold back from sharing immediately. And, if you buy the shredded carrots this salad literally takes about 5 minutes to make! How perfect is this going to. be during Ramadan when you need a healthy, quick salad for Iftar…
INGREDIENTS
2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 purple onion, thinly sliced (you can soak these in water for about 20-30 minutes to soften their intensity if you have the time and/or inclination to do this)
To your salad bowl, add the carrot and onion. In a separate cup or bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour the liquids over the veggies then place the avocado slices on top. Mix gently so as not to mush up the avocados. Garnish with parsley and serve.
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My friend and sister Zainab Ismail is a powerhouse of a teacher of Prophetic foods (the foods that the Prophet Muhammed, peace be upon him, used to eat). She always posts really beautiful photos of sunnah foods on her Fit for Allah Facebook and Instagram pages and recently posted a photo of dates with cucumbers because this combination is a sunnah. it’s also said to make a person gain weight, which is not a bad thing for people who actually need to safely put on a few pounds/kilos. It should be done healthily and safely, right?
*That said, I need to make a disclaimer here and say – this information is NOT intended as medical advice. Please seek professional medical attention when necessary.
It’s also interesting because the reason for combining the two is a way to gain weight. Well, who really wants to gain weight? I wouldn’t think so, but in terms of calories, fasting in Ramadan would actually be a great time to gain highly nutritious calories. This is one way to do it.
According to Tib-e-Nabi (Medicine of the Prophet), there are not only numerous benefits to cucumber and date alone, but the combination proves a healthy, complementary marriage of nutrition.
Cucumber is insipid and tasteless, and dates are sweet which results in the cucumber also tasting sweet. Both are opposite to each other & cucumbers are rich in water contains.
Tib-e-Nabi
Combine Medjool dates with fresh cucumber and add some mascarpone, creme fraiche, sour cream, or labneh on top. Or, to keep it dairy-free, simply toss it in a salad with oranges, cucumbers, add some other greens, if you like. You could even add some extra virgin olive oil, too. There are so many ways to eat clean, healthy, and Halal. Bismillah!
On the dairy side of things, I have already included links to individual products, but I’d like to say that my favorite dairy products (USA) come from several key sources. These are places I have been to personally, visited and spoke with farmers and locals– and seen the cows! So, I believe their farmers and businesses, many of which are co-ops, should be supported so that they can continue to bring us the very best of what they do.
I also show you how to make your own mascarpone and creme fraiche in the My Halal Kitchen cookbook, and there is a recipe for homemade labneh on this site.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links at no extra cost to you.