Preparing breakfast during Ramadan requires exceptional effort and focus because there are certain considerations that can make cooking during this holy month smoother. The first is ensuring you are comfortable and not reaching the point of exhaustion, and the second is pleasing the people around you and making them grateful in the end. Whether you're a professional at preparing breakfast or this is your first time preparing it yourself, here are several tips that will help you minimize mistakes in the kitchen during this blessed month.
Don't Shop While Hungry
We’ve all been through this experience! You haven’t planned your Ramadan breakfast, and it’s an hour before sunset, and you have no idea what to cook. You rush to the store, and everything looks delicious, so it all ends up in your shopping cart. And you may not have the time or space to eat all those snacks you just bought.
Instead, create a weekly meal plan for what you’ll prepare for both Iftar and Suhoor, and list all the ingredients you'll need before heading to the grocery store. It’s also best to shop first thing in the morning when the chances of buying food because of hunger are low. This will help you stay within your budget and may also reduce food waste.
Don’t Prepare Too Much Food
It’s easy to get caught up in making too many options for Iftar. Not only is this unnecessary, but it also detracts from the essence of the blessed month. Stick to a simple division for Iftar with protein, grains/starches (brown rice or quinoa), and vegetables (try different spices and pickles while roasting). Traditionally, soup and/or salad (fattoush and lentil soup) are served for Iftar. Besides these additions, keep things simple and offer fewer dishes to ensure everything gets eaten!
Reuse Leftovers
Despite your best efforts to avoid waste, you’ll still have leftovers from time to time. It can be challenging to get creative with leftovers, especially during fasting when you feel tired. Reusing leftovers is a great way to extend the dish you've already prepared, reduce waste, and avoid serving the same thing to your family day after day. Soups and stews are excellent leftover dishes because the flavors develop over time and can be extended for several days! You can also reuse rice and enjoy it at Suhoor with yogurt.
Make leftovers work for you! It could be as simple as chopping leftover chicken into lentil soup and topping it with yogurt for a decorative dish or turning leftover quinoa into quinoa cakes. Plan breakfast recipes that can be used during Suhoor too.
Discover: Tips for Preparing Meals Faster and More Efficiently
Don’t Cook High-Fat and High-Sodium Foods
Some of the most desired foods, like sambosas and kebbeh, are high in fat and sodium. Be aware that eating these tasty, high-sodium foods can lead to dehydration, especially if Ramadan falls in hot summer months.
So, when planning your menu, think about the nutrients your body needs to get through the day. Prepare a salad with grilled chicken, which is the perfect way to get all the vitamins, minerals, and calories you need without sacrificing flavor.
Don’t Overburden Yourself with New or Complicated Recipes
During Ramadan, when cooking every evening is the norm, trying out complicated recipes or unfamiliar ingredients that you can’t taste while cooking is not a good idea. Imagine spending four hours preparing Beef Bourguignon—it would be exhausting.
Stick to the recipes you're familiar with, or at least those that lean toward the simpler side.
Tips for Cooking Without Tasting During Ramadan
Preparing a luxurious Iftar meal during Ramadan is an important tradition that’s been around for a long time, and it all starts with preparation early in the day. But one may wonder, how can someone fasting cook such wonderful food without tasting it?
When it comes to cooking, you can judge the final outcome of the dish by its color, texture, and smell. With practice, the ingredients and dishes become more familiar, and the appearance and aroma can give you an idea of how successful the meal is. Here are some helpful tricks:
- If the dish isn't too sweet, it may not need much salt. If it’s a little sour, it might need a bit of sugar.
- Stir the pot often, and in this way, you stay in constant contact with the food and can always smell it. This is what they do in Italian kitchens.
- To avoid seasoning mistakes, season your food gradually, not all at once, so you can control the cooking process.
- Cook the dishes you know well during Ramadan to be cautious.
By following these tips, you can make your cooking experience during Ramadan more efficient, enjoyable, and stress-free!
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