RAMADAN 2012
The Feast of Ramadan begins July 20th
and ends August 19th. During this month, Muslims will observe the
Fast of Ramadan between dawn (fajr) and sunset (maghrib).
We who live in a Judeo-Christian country understand almost nothing of the Islamic religion. Most of us never heard the word, Ramadan, until recently. The Jews and Muslims have been at war since Abraham. Genesis 21.9 describes the religious conflict between the two sons of Abraham right after Isaac was weaned. And, the Christian world has been at war with the Ottoman Empire for 1,300 years. Religiously, politically and culturally, we might never homogenize, but we can bond with an appreciation of each other’s cuisine. As with art and music, when we join together to share each other’s talents, we break down social barriers and prejudice. One of the most powerful expressions of mutuality and friendship is sharing a meal together. We tend to eat with people we like and with people who are like us. Shared meals break down social boundaries. All of us need to eat, and when we break bread together we embody common humanity. When we look at countries and how they think about their diet, it tells us about them as a civilization. We also learn about their history and in some sense, about their future. And this Eastern world of which we know so little offers an enormous lesson harmonious with our new quest for a healthier style of eating. Foods that are light and nutritious are ideal during Ramadan. Each day’s fast begins and ends with breads, soups, fresh fruits and vegetables. Dates are the first choice to break the fast at sundown because they are an excellent source of fiber, sugar, magnesium, and potassium, and have carbohydrates which aid the body in maintaining health. The carbohydrates found in dates also make the fruit a slower digesting food, much better than fried or fatty foods that digest fast, leaving one hungry for more. Foods such as squash and watermelon are also suggested to hydrate their bodies after 16 hours of fasting.
We who live in a Judeo-Christian country understand almost nothing of the Islamic religion. Most of us never heard the word, Ramadan, until recently. The Jews and Muslims have been at war since Abraham. Genesis 21.9 describes the religious conflict between the two sons of Abraham right after Isaac was weaned. And, the Christian world has been at war with the Ottoman Empire for 1,300 years. Religiously, politically and culturally, we might never homogenize, but we can bond with an appreciation of each other’s cuisine. As with art and music, when we join together to share each other’s talents, we break down social barriers and prejudice. One of the most powerful expressions of mutuality and friendship is sharing a meal together. We tend to eat with people we like and with people who are like us. Shared meals break down social boundaries. All of us need to eat, and when we break bread together we embody common humanity. When we look at countries and how they think about their diet, it tells us about them as a civilization. We also learn about their history and in some sense, about their future. And this Eastern world of which we know so little offers an enormous lesson harmonious with our new quest for a healthier style of eating. Foods that are light and nutritious are ideal during Ramadan. Each day’s fast begins and ends with breads, soups, fresh fruits and vegetables. Dates are the first choice to break the fast at sundown because they are an excellent source of fiber, sugar, magnesium, and potassium, and have carbohydrates which aid the body in maintaining health. The carbohydrates found in dates also make the fruit a slower digesting food, much better than fried or fatty foods that digest fast, leaving one hungry for more. Foods such as squash and watermelon are also suggested to hydrate their bodies after 16 hours of fasting.
The predawn
meal, suhoor, is their key to
a good fast. It's not just cereal and milk because this is not enough to get
them through the day. The day begins at
3:30 a.m. in order to allow the family about one hour to prepare and eat a
filling meal before the sun starts to rise around 4:30. The meal includes eggs,
vegetables, fruit, smoothies, and coffee, if there is enough time. Ramadan is
not meant to be a hardship to its believers but a time of contemplation and
worship with family and friends. Despite the 16 hours each day when they cannot
eat, Ramadan is not a holiday that's defined by not
eating. It is, rather, a time to be grateful for the miracle of food, to
savor and enjoy the taste and the experience of food on a higher level.
We might
never have the opportunity to break bread with those of the Muslim world but we
can appreciate their culture a little better by partaking of their cuisine. The
five recipes below have been adapted from those found in Islamic cookbooks.
Honeydew Melon Cooler
Combine honeydew, guava, mango and orange juice in a
blender in any proportions that please your palate. Blend with or without ice.
Serve in a tall glass with a straw.
Dates with Almonds and Cream
Yield: 6 servings
6 jumbo pitted dates
6 whole roasted almonds
⅓ cup sour cream or whipped heavy cream or crème fraîche
6 whole roasted almonds
⅓ cup sour cream or whipped heavy cream or crème fraîche
1teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
Optional: Chopped pistachios
1. Slice each date in half and insert an almond. Close it tightly, pressing the edges until they adhere to each other. Arrange the dates on a small platter. Top each with a spoonful of sour cream or whipped cream or crème fraîche. Sprinkle grated lemon and orange rind over and surround with the pistachios.
Baked Eggplalnt
Yield: 6 servings
1 medium eggplant, peeled
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ pound white mushrooms, sliced thin
1 green bell pepper, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 onion, sliced thin on the round
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup bread crumbs or panko crumbs
¼ teaspoon white pepper
2 jumbo or 3 extra large eggs, beaten
2-14.5 ounce cans stewed tomatoes with or without
seasonings of choice
1. Preheat
oven to 350°F.
2. Slice
the eggplant into ¼ inch thick pieces. Remove to a colander set over the sink
or bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and allow it to stand at least 30 minutes. Rinse
under cool water and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Sauté
the garlic, mushrooms, peppers and onions in the oil over medium heat until the
vegetables are limp but not colored.
4. Beat
the eggs. Dip the eggplant slices into the eggs and then coat with the crumbs.
5. Layer
the eggplant with the vegetables in a rectangular casserole dish. Cover with
the canned tomatoes.
6. Bake
30 minutes, covered.
7. This
may be covered with mozzarella cheese, if desired. Cover the last 10 minutes.
Roast Fish with Mango Salsa
1 whole fish with firm, white flesh, such as tilapia,
cleaned
Olive oil
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig thyme or 1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 sweet onion, sliced very thin on the round
1 lemon, sliced very thin on the round
Salt and pepper
Paprika
1.
Preheat oven to 300°F.
2.
Rinse the fish and pat dry. Brush inside and out all
over with oil and place it on a rack set over a pan.
3.
Season the inside with the rosemary, thyme, onion and
lemon slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Close the fish tightly. Sprinkle
with paprika.
4.
Roast 25-30 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork.
Mango Salsa
Yield: Approximately 1 ½ cups
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Hass avocados, diced
2 tablespoons tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
½ cup minced purple onion
2 Hass avocados, diced
2 tablespoons tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
½ cup minced purple onion
Juice of 1 garlic clove
1 mango, diced
¼ cup scallion greens or chives, minced
¼ cup scallion greens or chives, minced
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
Combine
ingredients in the order given and carefully incorporate together in a bowl.
Refrigerate several hours before serving on the side.
Tune in Comcast channel 22 & BrightHouse 199 to watch host, Valerie Hart, interview chefs in their kitchens "The Back of the House", or watch it live on your computer at www.lakefronttv.com. Follow her food page on Wednesdays in The Daily Commercial.
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