Samosas a tasty, traditional Ramadan snack
Muslims in Palm Beach County and around the world have begun the holy fasting month of Ramadan. It is the ninth month in the Islamic Hejira calendar, a month of peace and mercy, a month of seeking God’s forgiveness and forgiving each other. This is also the month, unfortunately, when some Muslims, the so-called jihadis, are merrily killing each other and everyone else in their purview.
The latest outrage took place in London and Manchester,
England. The targets in Manchester were children, regarded by all religions as innocent angels. The crimes are even more callous and egregious given that the month of Rahmah (mercy), is designed to raise social consciousness and empathy for the sufferings of the poor and the downtrodden.
For the vast majority of the followers of Islam, which is the Arabic word for peace, this month is one of fasting from dawn to dusk — staying away not only from foods and drink but, equally important, from all sinful deeds such as harming others, back-biting, lying and cheating. The goal is to purify one’s body as well as the soul and feel the sufferings of the less fortunate — to feel the pangs of hunger and thirst even though you could afford the finest of foods and drinks.
And the command is to continue to do so for at least a month; perchance the soul-searching can become a pattern and a habit for the other 11 months of the year. This is also the month when the Quran, the Muslim holy book, was revealed 1,400 years ago. By their words and deeds, the jihadis are twisting and trashing God’s commands in this book as well as the precepts of his prophet, Muhammad, peace be upon him.
In addition to the rites and prayers that this month involves, special foods and drinks have always been an essential part of the mystic of Ramadan. Through more than 14 centuries, the rigors of this month have spawned a variety of foods and drinks, mostly ethnic and regional, across the vast and varied panoply of the Muslim lands. Season has played a role, too. The Islamic calendar slides 11 days back every year in relation to the Westernseasonal one, so Ramadan can also be in December or July. A full rotation takes just over 33 years. I am more than halfway through the third cycle.
With no water or any other drinks allowed in the hot daylight hours, the need for hydration has played a big role in the evolution of Ramadan specialties. Unfortunately, I cannot observe the fast now because of my age and diabetes, but I still fondly remember reaching for the tall glass of lassi (a yogurt drink) as the cannon went off in the distance and the muezzin in the neighborhood mosque called for the evening prayers, signifying sunset.
Those were the good old days, growing up in a far-off city on the eastern end of India, when I was young and the future beckoned.
Ramadan was always a time of peace and compassion, though.
Here is one of our favorite Ramadan snacks. In our family, as in most families from the Indian subcontinent, samosa plays a starring role on the iftar table. It is a kind of triangular turnover with either meat or potato filling. Traditionally, the pastry wrapping is rich and homemade, but storebought empanada discs, available in most supermarket freezer cases, work admirably. Here is my wife, Kaisari’s recipe.