Ramadan, the month of mercy is around the corner. Due to the long hours of fasting, it’s advisable to consume healthy food and take proper care of your health. A good way of doing this is exploring mouth-watering Ramadan recipes for Iftar.
Remember, preparing the best Iftar for your household is an act of worship duimg Ramadan.
Here are five delicious recipes that provide shortcut solutions in the kitchen to maximize your Ramadan in 2024. Read on for brief overviews of each Ramadan recipe along with lists of ingredients needed to cook them.
1. Kabsa (Saudi Arabian Style)
This fragrant and flavorful rice dish is loaded with traditional spices that will transport you straight to the heart of the Middle East. Choose your protein of choice and let the combination of aromatic spices work their charm on your senses.
From cardamom to cloves, cinnamon to saffron – every bite is a flavor explosion. Whether you’re a fan of chicken, lamb, or even fish, Kabsa is versatile enough to suit any taste preference.
How to Make Kabsa
Duration: 2 hours or less to be exact
Servings: 8-10
Ingredients
Spice Mix
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Cardamom
- ½ teaspoon Saffron
- ½ teaspoon Allspice
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Ground Dried Limes
Chicken Kabsa
- 3 pounds of boneless chicken (thighs or breast cut into 8-10 pieces)
- 3 cups of long-grain basmati rice
- 4.5 cups of Water
- 1 Chicken Stock Cube (Bouillon)
- ¼ cup Butter
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 1 bell pepper (thinly sliced)
- 3 carrots (peeled and gated)
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 whole cloves
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Curry powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground Coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground Nutmeg
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- ¼ cup Raisins
- ¼ cup Slivered almonds
Directions
- Mix the spice mix ingredients together and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large pot of dutch oven and add the garlic and onion. Soon after (about 5 minutes), add the chicken chunks and cook until light browning (another 10 minutes). At this point, add in the carrots, 4 tablespoons of tomato paste along with ½ cup of water.
- Add in the following spices: cloves, nutmeg, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, and the pre-made spice mix. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes followed by adding the remaining 4 cups of water and chicken stock cube.
- Allow to boil then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir into the mix.
- The, cover the pot and let it simmer for another 40 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed by the rice completely. Add in the raisins in the last 10-15 minutes.
- Once done cooking, remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes before fluffing up the Kabsa with a fork and serving hot with your friends and family!
2. Nasi Goreng (Indonesian)
This ramadan recipe is one of the best ways to switch up your rice.
Nasi Goreng is an Indonesian staple is packed with flavor, thanks to its combination of savory fried rice, fresh vegetables, and juicy shrimp. It’s a perfect dish for Ramadan Iftar made with chicken, eggs, and vegetables to get a delicious, one-pot meal. Plus, making nasi goreng is easy. So grab your ingredients and get ready for a taste of Indonesia in your kitchen!
How to Make Nasi Goreng
Duration: an hour or less
Servings: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked long-grain white or jasmine rice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red chili
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 onion (sliced into thin strips)
- ½ cup frozen peas and carrots
- 1 large bell pepper (sliced into thin strips)
- 3 boneless chicken thighs (or other proteins of choice), cut into small cubes
- 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chili peppers and cook for 20 seconds.
- Stir in the onion, peas, carrots, bell pepper and chicken and cook until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add in 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and let the chicken caramelize.
- Afterwards, mix in the rice into the chicken and vegetable mix and add the second tablespoon of soy sauce
- In a separate pan or skillet, scramble or fry the eggs. Once cooked through, add them in with the rest of the ingredients in the pan. Serve warm and garnish with chopped green onions or pickled ginger!
3. Lahmacun (Türkiye)
Lahmacun is a must have addition to your Iftar table is. This Turkish flatbread-style pizza will compliment your next iftar. The crust is thin and crispy, just perfect to hold the flavorful beef topping.
Speaking of which, the topping is out-of-this-world delicious. Spiced with savory herbs, garlic, and tomato paste, the beef mixture is a symphony of flavors. It’s a little spicy, a little tangy, and a little salty, creating a mouth-watering experience with each bite.
You won’t be able to resist seconds (or thirds!) of this amazing dish. Don’t know how to cook it? Check out the ramadan recipe below.
How to make Lahmacun
Duration: 2 hours or less
Servings: 8 flatbread Lahmacun.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground meat (lamb or beef)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 Pepper (chopped)
- 1 ounce chopped parsley
- 6 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for the filling)
- 1 pound of dough
- Sliced black olives (for topping)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Further chop (or using a food processor), combine the onion, pepper, parsley, and garlic and pulse until mixed
- Mix in the ground meat (lamb or beef) with the processed vegetable mix, spices and salt.
- Add the olive oil and tomato paste to the mix until everything is well combined. Pulse for 15 seconds
- Roll out dough for lahmacun on a lightly floured surface into 8 inch rounds (roughly 2 ounces per round).
- Then, spread the meat mixture over each round of dough then top with sliced black olives.
- Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes or until edges are golden brown and crispy
- Serve hot with lettuce leaves or lemon wedges!
4. Molokhia (Egypt)
Have you ever tried Molokhia?
It’s a green soup that hails from Egypt and can be made in so many different ways! But, the most famous one is the Egyptian Molokhia. This soup packs a flavorful punch and is known for its unique taste.
Molokhia is actually made from leaves of the jute plant, which gives it a slightly slimy texture (don’t be scared, it’s seriously delicious!). It’s also packed with protein, vitamins and minerals.
Molokhia pairs well with white rice and a choice of protein. Try to cook this ramadan recipe and let your taste buds do the rest!
How to make Molokhia
Duration: 30 minutes or less
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh Molokhia leaves, finely chopped (frozen works too, but make sure to buy the chopped option)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons ghee (or butter if ghee isn’t available)
- 3 tablespoons dry coriander
- ¼ cup of tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 cups chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Heat the ghee in a medium/large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, and sauté until browned (20-30 seconds). Add the coriander and mix for another 20-30 seconds.
- Add in half the chicken broth into the pot and mix constantly, reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer. Add in the Molokhia leaves and continue to whisk until it is completely mixed in with the broth. Add in the tomato sauce and mix as well.
- Molokhia should have a slight thickness in consistency, but preferences may vary. If you find the mix too thick, then slowly add additional chicken broth to dilute the mix to your desired consistency.
- Serve over cooked white rice with a drizzle of lemon juice and protein of choice if desired.
5. Biryani (Pakistani)
If you want to treat your taste buds to an authentic southeast Asian flavor, then you should definitely give Biryani ramadan recipe a try!
This traditional rice dish is made with a unique blend of aromatic spices that will have your senses tingling with excitement. the combination of fragrant saffron-infused rice and succulent meat will leave you satisfied and feeling like you’ve taken a culinary trip to Pakistan. So, why not spice up your Iftar this year by trying out this classic recipe?
How to make Biryani
Duration: 2 hours or less
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
Chicken Marinate
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Chili Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg Powder
- 2 cups Basmati rice, rinsed and soaked for 30 minutes
- ½ cup plain Yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoons Biryani Masala (homemade or store bought)
Spice Mix
- 2 tablespoons ghee (or butter)
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon ground Turmeric
- 4 Star Anise
- ¼ teaspoon Fennel
- 2-3 Bay Leaves
- 3–4 Cloves
- 3-4 Cardamom Pods
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- ½ teaspoon Black Peppercorn
- Salt to taste
Additional Biryani Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless chicken, cut into small pieces
- ¼ Cup Oil
- 2 Cups Basmati Rice
- 2 White Onions (finely chopped)
- 1 Tomato (finely chopped)
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh ginger (5-6 crushed Garlic Cloves)
- 1 tablespoon Ginger (crushed)
- 2 Green Chili Peppers
- 4 Dried Plums
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Chili Flakes
- 1 ½ teaspoon Lemon Juice
- ¼ teaspoon food coloring (orange or yellow)
- 1 tablespoon Milk or Water (to be mixed with food coloring)
- ¼ Cup Cilantro (Chopped)
- ½ Chaat Masala (homemade or store bought)
- 6-8 circular slices of lemon
Directions
- In a bowl, mix the pieces of chicken with the ingredients in the Chicken Marinate section above. It is recommended to do this step the night before you plan to cook the Biryani as it allows for the flavors to penetrate the chicken (refrigerate the chicken if you plan to marinate for extended periods of time).
- In a pan, heat the oil and ghee on medium heat and add in the chopped onions. Sauté for about 15 minutes or until the onions become golden.
- Deglaze the pan and add in the ingredients in the Spice Mix section along with the Garlic and Ginger, allow to sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add in the previously marinated chicken and cook for a few minutes until they start to change color (3-4 minutes). Add the chopped tomatoes, green chili pepper and dried plums.
- Add in ½ cup water and lower the heat to a simmer. Allow the chicken to cook for 25-30 minutes, stir the chicken halfway.
- While the chicken is cooking, bring a medium sized pot over high heat and add 8 cups of water. Allow to boil and add 1 ½ tablespoons of salt, 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix in the rice and cook for 5 minutes (the rice will be partially cooked). If there is any remaining water, drain and set the half cooked rice to the side.
- Once the chicken is cooked, uncover and allow any remaining water to boil out (recommended to raise the heat to medium level).
- In a separate Dutch oven or pot (recommend using one with a thick bottom to prevent burning the bottom layer of rice), lightly coat the bottom with oil and layer half the partially cooked rice and sprinkle half the chaat masala. Add in the cooked chicken and cover with the remaining rice and sprinkle the remaining chaat masala.
- Mix the food coloring with water or milk and drizzle over the rice. add the cilantro and place the lemon slices on top
- Cover the pot and allow the dish to cook for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to the lowest option and allow the rice and chicken to steam cook for 15-20 minutes after which you should turn off your stove. Allow the biryani to rest in the pot for an additional 10 minutes before serving.
- No need to stir the pot, gently serve directly from the pot and make sure to eat with yogurt on the side!