Ramadaan food tips
Lutho Pasiya had a chat with chef sisters and cookbook authors Zainab and Faatimah Paruk about Ramadaan
CATERING queens who release their own inspired cookbooks, sisters Faatimah and Zainab Paruk are rising stars worth getting to know. The talented chefs are known as the Chilli Chocolate Chefs, a company they both launched in 2009.
The company has made waves and continues to do so on the Durban culinary scene, both corporate and festive.
The chefs are graduates of two of South Africa’s renowned chef schools; the Christina Martin Culinary Arts Centre and The Fusion Cooking School.
The sisters are observing the Holy month of Ramadaan. The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadaan, is a sacred time for the Muslim community.
Muslims worldwide observe this as a month of fasting, reflection and prayer.
How do you structure your meals during Ramadaan?
As Muslims, Ramadaan is a special month where we abstain from food and drink from dawn to sunset.
We are also encouraged to increase our prayers and charity as this is a month filled with reward and blessings.
We wake up before dawn to have the first meal of the day which is called “Suhoor” or “Sehri”.
The meal that breaks our fast at sunset is called “Iftar”.
People commonly assume that drinking water is allowed during the fast. However, drinking water, as well as smoking are both prohibited while fasting.
Tell us a little more about the meals at Sunrise and Sunset?
Suhoor or Sehri (Early Breakfast) Is an Arabic word which refers to the meal eaten early in the morning, before sunrise. Just as breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so is Suhoor in Ramadaan. It helps our bodies stay hydrated and refuelled with energy and nutrients until the next meal, which will be at sunset.
Suhoor should be a healthy meal to provide much-needed energy throughout the day of fasting. Common Suhoor foods include oats, eggs, porridge, cereals, fruit, bread, milk and dates. Due to the slow energy release of dates, it’s excellent to include them in your Suhoor meal. You will also find people who have a preference for eating full meals like rice and curry. We hav also found that smoothies are becoming increasingly popular to drink at Suhoor.
Iftar (Dinner) is an Arabic word which means to “break fast” and refers to the meal that’s eaten at sunset. It is traditional to break your fast with dates and water. Apart from being a religious recommendation, there is also great reasoning behind this as dates contain countless nutrients and health benefits such as relieving constipation and reducing blood pressure and the risk of heart disease. Water helps maintain the fluid and electrolyte balance in the body and replenishes what was lost during the day.
During Iftar, numerous types of snacks and savouries are prepared. Often, we are inclined to indulge in heavier and richer foods than we normally eat, which can lead to us feeling tired and sluggish. So we should also be very careful about what is being consumed during Iftar. Common Iftar foods include: Samoosas, Pies, Haleem and Naan bread, as well as rice dishes. What tips can you give on how to keep healthy during Ramadaan?
Never skip Suhoor. Stay hydrated. Make sure you have enough water between Iftaar and Suhoor to avoid dehydration when you begin your fast.
Make fresh fruit, vegetables and salad a part of your diet. Cut down on sugary drinks, junk food and deep-fried foods. Walk for a few minutes in the sun.