15 Must Try Ramadan Recipes

My favorite time of the year is here! Yes, Ramadan has officially started.

Some of you might be wondering, why do Muslims fast during Ramadan?

During Ramadan, we Muslims would fast from dawn till dusk. This month is all about strengthening one’s faith, thinking of those less fortunate than us, and refraining from food and beverage during the daytime for a month. Fasting also helps us to see the predicament of those who lack life’s basic amenities. It makes us understand the plight of the poor ones who are not able to get food for the whole day.

You might want to read more about Ramadan here.

Few days ago, I was talking to Tanmay and he asked me a very interesting question. “Why do Muslims love Ramadan so much? You guys would not be able to eat and drink but I see the Muslims around me being so glad about that.”

I really can’t be the voice for all the Muslims, but I simply love Ramadan for the peace and tranquility that it brings to me. Ramadan somehow makes me more united with people close to me, specially my family members. We would assemble around the table together every day for our meals, which is a rare occurrence for every other month. Ramadan is also a “network” for all of us Muslims around the globe. Imagine more than a billion of us, fasting and believing in the same faith. Beautiful, isn’t it?

During Ramadan, we also get the best of food choices! There are so many bazaars that sells an array of treats and some of the food that are sold during this month, can only be found during Ramadan!

Note*: Iftar is the evening meal that Muslims take to break their fast and Suhur is pre-dawn meal that we take to start our fast.

Source: Google Images

Thanks to Google, I am able to let you guys have a visual of what really moves along over here during Ramadan!

Ramadan and food somehow go hand in hand and as a youngster, I recall my mom making the additional effort to prepare yummy food for us during Ramadan. I’ve always marveled at the fact that there will be a spread during iftar. I’ve also noticed that whipping up dishes for Ramadan would actually take more preparation and effort than our normal daily meals.

We tend to do quite a lot of cooking during Ramadan, so I thought it would be nice to actually share some ideas in this post. Although a few of the recipes would require some extra effort, most of the recipes are simple, so that you do not have to spend long hours in the kitchen. These 15 Must Try Ramadan Recipes have been specially picked to facilitate in your meal planning during this auspicious month.

Personally, I think Ramadan is the perfect time to eat healthy PROVIDED YOU DO NOT START VISITING THE BAZAAR EVERY SINGLE DAYI! Pardon me for shouting, but seriously food at the bazaar is definitely not good for you, if you were to consume it too often.

I do not know if eating healthy is gonna happen or not, but I do hope that a few healthy habits should arise. More water, more vegetables and more fruits especially after all that ice cream at my cousin’s wedding, sighs. Yeah, we only live once, but I’m not a cat. I doubt that I have nine lives.

Anyways, I would like to wish all my Muslim readers, Ramadan al-Mubarak. May Allah gives each and every single one of us the strength to gain the most of this blessed month. Do remember to drink that extra glass of water you’ll need to keep yourself hydrated for the day ahead. ♥

#1 – ONE POT CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Perfect for Ramadan as this is a fuss-free dish and does not involve much cleaning up. It goes well with both rice and bread or even mashed potatoes. Leftovers are good for suhur.

#2 – EGG STUFFED BAGUETTE

Not into stuffing yourself like crazy for Iftar or you just want to have something light so that you can pile on some desserts on your plate later? Try this egg stuffed baguette for a lighter Iftar. This is perfect for Suhur too.

#3 – PEAS PULAO

Serve it with this Indian Chicken Curry  or this Aloo Gobi (Stir fry potatoes and cauliflower) for a vegetarian meal. Either way, this Peas Pulao is gonna shine.

#4 – EASY TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

Easy, delicious and fresh. What’s not to love about these?

#5 – EASY ITALIAN SEAFOOD SOUP

This Easy Seafood Soup is perfect when you do not have much time to cook or you are not in the mood to fuss too much over dinner but you still want to wow your family members.

#6 – FOUR INGREDIENTS SWEET POTATO DESSERT

A simple dessert that I got in the habit of eating during Ramadan or whenever I am ill. This is really delicious, comforting and nutritious too. With just four ingredients, this is a MUST have for Ramadan.

#7 – HARISSA MEATBALL STEW

Slightly spicy and definitely delicious, do give this hearty meatball stew a try. Perfect with a side of salad or this Delicious Lemon Couscous.

#8 – TANDOORI CHICKEN 

These tender tandoori chicken have incredible depth of flavour. Perfect when eaten with a salad or you can also serve this with Chapati or other types of flat breads. Make a large batch of these, keep in the freezer and you can enjoy Chicken Tandoori for the next few weeks!

#9 – COTTAGE PIE 

The filling is slightly spicy and smoky. The potato topping is creamy and if gives you the warmth and comfort. Perfect for Iftar and Suhor. I personally would have it for both!

#10 –  MEE SIAM ( FRIED VERMICILLI IN SWEET AND SOUR GRAVY)

A very popular one-dish meal that is often enjoyed during Ramadan. Nothing beats home-made cause you really know as to what ingredients that really go in here. Those sold outside would most probably be on a higher sodium level.

#11- RICE KHEER (INDIAN RICE PUDDING)

A traditional Indian sweet. This Rice kheer is made with rice, milk,  sugar and various dry fruits or nuts. Such a sweet start to break your fast.

#12 – CORNED BEEF POTATOES AND EGGS 

I was never a fan of corned beef till this dish came along. This dish is basically seasoned with cumin, coriander and chillis. No salt is required. These when taken with toasted baguette is what you should be eating for iftar later!

#13 – BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING WITH VANILLA SAUCE

Pour a custard made from milk, cream, sugar, eggs and vanilla over a bunch of stale croissants and you get this golden and super delicious dessert. This bread and butter pudding is already delicious on it’s own but why wouldn’t you serve it with the vanilla sauce if it brings the pudding up to another level? This is a favorite in my household!

#14 – DELICIOUS LEMON COUSCOUS

This recipe is SUPER simple yet big on flavors. Did you know that couscous was voted as the third favorite dish of French people 3 years back? I also love couscous and technically that means I am french too.

#15 – INDIAN CHICKEN CURRY

I have a lot of chicken recipes in my repertoire, but I keep visiting this chicken curry recipe cause it is really delicious!