Ramadan is around the corner, and for Muslims around the world, it’s a month of fasting and spiritual reflection. While fasting during Ramadan can be challenging, it is also an opportunity to focus on healthy eating habits and nourish the body with healthy foods. However, the long hours of fasting can be challenging, especially during the summer months when the days are long and hot. In order to maintain energy levels and stay hydrated, it is important to eat nutritious and nutritious meals in the morning and evening meals called Suhoor and Iftar respectively. So, let’s dive in and discover some lip-smacking Ramadan recipes you must try! (Also read: Ramadan 2023: Know all about the dates and rules of fasting during the holy month )
1. Sheer Khurma
(Recipe by Chef Ranbir Brar)
Ingredients:
½ cup of water
1 tin condensed milk
1 liter of full fat milk
7-8 dates, seedless and chopped
3-4 green cardamoms, crushed
Half a cup of sugar
¼ cup ghee
2 tbsp Chironji
¼ cup golden raisins
7-8 pistachios, chopped
8-10 almonds, chopped
8-10 cashews, chopped
1 cup whole wheat vermicelli (Savion), crushed
¼ cup desiccated coconut
Chopped nuts, for garnish
Saffron, for garnish
Method:
1. Pour water into a pressure cooker and submerge a tin of condensed milk in it.
2. Cover and cook on medium flame for 2 whistles.
3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a deep bottom heavy pan. Add the dates and cook until they start to change color and reduce.
4. Add the ground cardamom pods, let it boil for 3-4 minutes and add the sugar, stirring until the sugar starts to dissolve.
5. Add the cooked condensed milk, mix well and cook till the milk starts to thicken.
6. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in another pan, add chironji and roast until fragrant.
7. Add in raisins, pistachios, almonds and cashews. Roast until they start to brown slightly.
8. Add in Savion and start roasting till it turns brown.
9. Add the fragrant coconut till and fragrant coconut.
10. Add the savion and dry fruit mixture to the milk, mix well and cook until it boils and thickens.
11. Garnish with dry fruits and saffron, serve hot.
2. Chicken Biryani
(Recipe by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor)
Ingredients:
1½ cups basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes and drained
750g chicken, cut on the bone into 2 inch pieces
2 bay leaves
5-6 cloves
8-10 black pepper
2 black cardamoms
6-7 green cardamoms
Salt to taste
2 tbsp ghee
1 inch cinnamon
1 teaspoon caraway seeds (royal cumin seeds)
2-3 green chillies, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp biryani masala
1 teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
Half a cup of fried onion
Half a cup of curd
3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons of screwpine (kevara) water
3-4 tablespoons fresh cream-butter mixture
Saffron water for dripping
Flour wheat flour as needed
Fresh mint sprigs for garnishing
Method:
1. Heat 5 cups of water in a deep non-stick pan. In the absence, add 5-6 cloves, 5-6 black pepper, black cardamom and 3-4 green cardamom and boil the water.
2. Add salt and mix. Add the rice, mix and cook until the rice is ¾ done. Strain into a colander.
3. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in another deep non-stick pan. Add remaining green cardamom, black pepper, cloves, caraway seeds and cinnamon and saute until fragrant.
4. Add green chillies and saute. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent. Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add chicken pieces, biryani masala and salt, mix, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes.
6. Add coriander powder, turmeric powder and chilli powder, mix and cook for 1 minute.
7. Add ¾ fried onion, curd, 2 tbsp coriander leaves and 2 tbsp mint leaves, mix, cover and cook till ½ of the chicken is done.
8. Add the screwpine water, mix and cook until the chicken is ¾ done. Adjust the salt and the mixture.
9. Spread the cooked rice on top of the chicken mixture, cream-butter mixture, saffron water.
10. Spread the rest of the coriander leaves, the rest of the mint leaves and the rest of the fried onions on top, cover with a lid sealed with wheat flour and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes.
11. Serve hot garnished with mint sprigs.
3. Mutton curry
(Recipe from Instagram/@anisagrams)
Ingredients:
1 kg of lamb
3 onions chopped
5 tbls oil
A few cinnamon sticks, cloves, whole pepper, bay leaf
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 tsp ginger/garlic paste
1 tsp coriander and cumin powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tsp Kashmiri pepper
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp curry masala
salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 fresh tomatoes
1/2 tin diced tomatoes
2 tbls tomato puree
Method:
1. In a pot, fry the chopped onion, cinnamon stick, cloves, whole black pepper, bay leaves, whole cumin seeds, onion until golden.
2. Add meat, ginger/garlic, salt and black pepper, turmeric powder. Stir and cook on medium heat until the water from the meat evaporates.
3. Then add coriander and cumin powder
4. Add chilli powder, kashmiri chillies, karhi masala, fresh and tinned tomatoes and tomato puree, cook till the tomatoes melt.
5. Add soup, gravy and baby potatoes depending on how you like the curry. Simmer until the meat is tender and the potatoes are cooked.
6. Garnish with chopped coriander.
4. Chicken Keema Pakora
(Recipe from Instagram/@salmasrecipes)
Ingredients:
Chicken/Mutton/Beef 1 kg (rinse a few times and drain in a colander)
2 large onions (finely chopped)
Green Chillies (chopped into small pieces, adjust as required)
fresh coriander 6-7 Tbs
Ginger paste/grated 1/2 tsp
Garlic paste/minced 1/2 tsp
3/4 tsp cumin seeds (optional)
Salt to taste
Chickpeas 6-7 Tbs (add more if needed, until it binds well)
Oil for deep frying
Seasoning:
Turmeric powder 1/3 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Bold’s hot curry powder 1 and 3/4 tsp (use any brand of your choice)
Method:
1. In a bowl, add onions, chillies, coriander, ginger, garlic, salt and cumin.
2. Mix it up, you can use a large food bag to handle with your hands so the chili doesn’t burn your hands.
3. Add the spices listed above and mix it and add the mince above and mix it. It is best to use your hands to mix it well.
4. Now gradually add enough gram flour so that the mixture binds well.
5. In a deep pan, add enough oil to deep fry.
6. The oil should be very hot and on a high heat when the mixture is batched. You can mold it into small balls if you want before adding it.
7. Once the batches are in the oil, make sure it is on high heat, once all the boms start to solidify you can adjust the heat slightly so that the insides are cooked well.
8. Then put the gas again for a few minutes before turning them all over. These should be fried mainly on high heat to avoid absorbing all the oil.
9. Take them out once done. Place in a bowl on tissue paper to drain excess oil.
10. Repeat the cooking process for the remaining batches.
11. Serve hot with your favorite dip as a snack or starter.
5. Beef Karahi
(Recipe via Instagram/@anisagrams)
Ingredients:
1.5 kg of boneless or boneless meat or lamb
5-6 onions chopped
2 tomatoes
4 – 5 teaspoons of garlic and ginger
1 tsp turmeric (for cooking meat)
1 tsp turmeric (*add to curry with other spices)
1 teaspoon black pepper
Add 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tbls coriander powder
1 tbls cumin powder
1 tbls tandoori masala
2 teaspoons Kashmiri pepper
1 tablespoon chili flakes
1 tsp pickled beef masala
1 tsp dry fenugreek seeds
A few chili peppers
fresh coriander
2 cups of water
6 tablespoons of oil
sharp
A little clove
A little black pepper
A few cinnamon sticks
A little star anise
Method:
1. In a large pot, add the oil, chopped onion, bay leaf, whole cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, pepper and star anise.
2. Saute onion until golden brown, add meat and also add ginger/garlic paste, black pepper, 1 tsp turmeric and salt. Mix and cook for about 15 minutes until the meat changes color and the bubbles disappear.
3. Soak the tomatoes in hot water for 5 minutes, remove the skin and cut into small pieces and keep aside.
4. Now add coriander powder, cumin powder, tandoori masala, kashmir chillies, chilli flakes, dry fenugreek seeds, achar masala and * 1 tsp turmeric powder and chopped fresh tomatoes.
5. Add about 2 cups of water. Stir well and cover and cook on low to medium heat for about 45 minutes or until the water evaporates and you can see the oil on top. The meat should be tender. Make sure to stir occasionally so it doesn’t burn.
6. Garnish with chopped chillies and chopped coriander. Enjoy with naan, roti or rice!