Ramadan, Iftar – 2013
October 5th, 2013
Each year, I share a post about Ramadan Iftar. I had to post this during Ramadan which means two months ago, but this feast can be prepared for any day – not only for the holy month, except in Ramadan we always serve dates, and drinks like Sharab E’riq Sous and Sharab Qamar Ad-Deen.
Read the Archive:
More pictures with details:
In this Iftar, we made appetizers (Kibbeh Maqliyeh, Hummus Bet-Tahineh, French Fries, Rocket Salad, and Biwaz) and the main course is Kabab Khashkhash.
Above: Kibbeh Maqliyeh (shape Sayyah).
Above: Hummus Bet-Tehineh, chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice and salt.
Above: French Fries.
Above: Rocket Salad is prepared from Rocket, tomatoes, onion, sumac, salt, olive oil and lemon juice.
Above: This is called Biwaz, it is always served with grills (Mashawi in Arabic). This biwaz is prepared from parsley, tomatoes, onion, and sumac. There is another version of Biwaz, read about the other here.
Above: Main course, Kabab Khashkhash
Kabab Khashkhash is from Aleppo, I learned the way of making it from a chef from Aleppo.
In brief description, this is how to prepare:
First, bring tomatoes, cut the stem area off the top of the tomato, then cross-cut a slit into the bottom of the tomato, then put the tomatoes in the oven, till it is cooked, when it is done, peel it and mash it, then set aside.
To prepare the kabab:
Finely Chop hot green pepper, and finely chop red pepper.
Finely chop parsley.
Crush garlic.
Mix chopped hot green pepper, chopped red pepper, chopped parsley, and crushed garlic with fatty ground lamb meat, season with ground Aleppo pepper, salt, and ground black pepper. Then knead to combine. Shape the mixture into Kabab as seen in pictures (to know how to make the shape of kabab go to this post), then cook in the oven, or grill using a charcoal grill. When kabab is cooked, add tomatoes to kabab, and cook in the oven for 15 minutes.
Serve with bread, appetizers, and biwaz.
Traditionally, tomatoes is grilled on charcoal grill rather than cooking in the oven (then peeled and mashed), and the kabab also is grilled on charcoal grill. When both of them are done, put kabab in baking dish and add grilled mashed tomatoes and cook in the oven (same as last step).
In Ramadan, dates, and drinks like (Sharab E’riq sous and Sharab Qamar Ad-Deen) are very important (this is how we break fasting). Sweets like Asabe’ Zainab, Qatayef, and muthallathat As-Smid are prepared during the holy month.
Above: Dates, Drinks, and Sweets
Above: Drinks
Black color: Sharab E’riq Sous
Orange color: Qamar Ad-Deen
Above: Dates
Above: Sweets
