Share
With intense prayers, fasting and acts of charity, the Muslims across the world are celebrating the holy festival of Ramadan. It is observed for a period of one month and the date is decided by the Islamic calendar. This year, it began on March 23 and will conclude on April 21. During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs from dawn until sunset each day. This festival is a time of self-discipline, charity, and unity.
The fast is broken at sunset with a meal known as iftar. It is a moment of great anticipation, joy, and is marked by delicious and varied dishes that are as diverse as the communities that celebrate this occasion. Traditional iftar dishes include dates, which are eaten to break the fast, as well as samosas, pakoras, biryani and kebabs. Sweet dishes like vermicelli pudding and baklava are also popular. As, Ramadan is observed for a month-long, it becomes difficult to decide the Iftar menu, each day.
If you are also facing the same issue, give a try to these Persian recipes in your next Iftar feast shared by Chef Subimon Subhagan, Jr Sous Chef at Persian Terrace, Sheraton Grand Bangalore:
Chello Kebab Koobideh
Prep Time – 20 mins
Cooking time – 20 mins
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 150 gm lamb leg (bone less)
- 50 gm lamb fat
- 100 gm onion
- Salt as per taste
- 10 gm white pepper
- Saffron - a pinch
- 20 gm parsley
Method
- Firstly, clean the lamb in cold water and set aside to dry. Once dried Mince the meat through a mincer.
- Put the lamb fat in a bowl. Add onion (remove excess water), parsley, saffron and white pepper to the mixture.
- Then add the minced meat to it. Mix well.
- Take a Persian flat skewer and spread the mixture to the skewer evenly.
- Once the mixture is flattened to the skewer.
- Cook it over the charcoal until it becomes well cooked.
- Serve along with Arabian breads, zereshk (rice) and toum (garlic mayo).
Joojeh Kebab
Prep Time – 15 mins
Cooking Time – 20 mins
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 150 gm baby chicken leg (boneless)
- 50 gm onion
- Saffron - a pinch
- 10 gm white pepper
- 5 ml lemon juice
- salt - as per taste
- 20 gm labneh
- 20 ml oil
- 5 gm butter
Method
- Take the boneless chicken and cut it into kebab chunks.
- To the meat, add salt, white pepper, saffron, lemon juice, labneh, onion and vegetable oil.
- Marinate well.
- Once marinated, pierce the marinated meat into a flat skewer.
- Cook it over the charcoal until it becomes well cooked. Brush with butter occasionally to make it tender.
- Serve along with Arabian breads, zereshk (rice) and toum (garlic mayo).
Burani Espanaaj
Prep Time – 10 mins
Cooking time – 5 mins
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 150 gm blanched spinach
- 5 gm garlic
- 10 gm keshk
- Salt - as per taste
- 5 gm white pepper
- 10 gm saffron yogurt
- 10 gm fried onion
Method
- Thoroughly wash the Spinach in cold water.
- Once rinsed, blanch the spinach and cool off in Ice water (this will help retain colour).
- Keep it in a strainer to drain.
- Chop the spinach roughly.
- Add salt, white pepper, keshk (mixture of hung curd, sugar and salt) and fried onion to the chopped spinach.
- Goes well with warm pita bread.
