Vegan Ramadan

 

 

Ramadan (in Arabic: رمضان, Ramadān) is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. During the whole month, faithful observers of Islam fast from sunrise (Sahour) to sunset (Iftar). During the fast, no food or drink is consumed, and thoughts must be kept pure. Followers of Islam believe that fasting helps the Muslim learn patience, modesty, and spirituality. Meals are served before sunrise and after sunset, and eaten with family or with the local community.
 

Ramadan in 2013 will start on Tuesday, the 9th of July and will continue for 30 days until Wednesday, the 7th of August. Based on sightability in North America, in 2013 Ramadan will start in North America a day later - on Wednesday, the 10th of July. Note that in the Muslim calander, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day, so observing Muslims will celebrate Ramadan on the sunset of Monday, the 8th of July.

Although Ramadan is always on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year, since the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar and the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar. This difference means Ramadan moves in the Gregorian calendar approximately 11 days every year. The date of Ramadan may also vary from country to country depending on whether the moon has been sighted or not.

During Ramadan, two main meals are served; the suhoor, which is served before dawn, and the iftar, which is served after sunset. Since the suhoor is intended to last one throughout the day, it tends to be a heavy and hearty meal. Suhoor ends when the sun rises and the fajr, or morning prayer, begins. At the end of the day, when the sun sets, the maghrib prayer starts, and the day's fast is broken with the iftar meal. Many Muslims break their fast by eating dates before beginning the iftar meal. Muslims can continue eating and drinking throughout the night until the next day's suhoor. At the end of the Ramadan month, Muslims celebrate the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast, called Eid al-Fitr.

Both of the suhoor and iftar meals can be vegan, by having fresh fruit, vegetables, vegan breads, non-dairy cheeses and sweets.


Some foods that may be served at a Ramadan suhoor or iftar:

Dates, pistachios, other nuts, and dried fruits
Fresh seasonal fruits
Fresh seasonal vegetables
Sherbet - made from fruit juices, extracts of flowers, or herbs, and combined with water and sugar
Lavash - a soft, thin crackerbread.
Fattoush - a salad made of vegetables and pita bread.
Tabbouleh - a salad made with fresh tomatoes, parsley, garlic, and bulgur wheat.
Mujadarra - a dish made with rice and lentils 
Kolak - a fruit dessert made with palm sugar, coconut milk, and pandanus leaf. Fruits such as jackfruit or banana are added, or mung beans


Recipes

Cous Cous and Roqaq Vegan 

This fulfilling and nutritional summer salad can act as a main dish on its own. A traditional Moroccan styled dish that just livens up the summer months with its neat texture.

1 cup Couscous,
1 cup Kalamata olives, halved
1/2 cup Parsley finely chopped,
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock (available at supermarkets)
2 tomatoes without skin (soak in hot water for 5 minutes and then remove skin)
2 cups (steamed or lightly boiled) Broccoli
1 Tbs Cumin
1 Tbs cinnamon
Vegan Chili to your liking

Start by adding the spices to the Couscous and cover; set to side and leave for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes, mix it with the parsley. Add the mixture to the Couscous. Next, add in the olives and top with the broccoli and sprinkle some olive oil on top. Serve cold.


Main dish – Egyptian Roqaq with Vegetables

Note: Roqaq is thin-layered wheat strips. You buy them hard and soften via water and they are used similarly to lasagna.

This traditional Egyptian lasagna-style dish is commonplace in restaurants, cafes and in the home. Usually served with ground beef and loads of cheese, you can make this dish animal cruelty-free.

5 layers of Roqaq pastry
1 1/2 cup Vegetable stock 

Filling:
2 cups olives, finely chopped
1 large onion or two medium ones, sliced
2 garlic gloves, minced
3 cups bell peppers, diced 

2 Tbs olive oil

(You can add vegan Parmesan)

Begin by preparing the filling. Fry the onion lightly until it becomes transparent; add the garlic and stir. Next, add the peppers until they become soft. Remove from skillet, add the olives and set to the side.

Tip the Roqaq layers one by one quickly in the room temperature vegetable stock until they become semi-soft. Do not prolong this process or they can get mushy. Add some olive oil to the round and semi-deep tray. Add the first two layers then add in the filing, then add the remaining layers of the roqaq.

Bake in the oven over medium heat for approximately 25 minutes.

Take out and serve with leafy green vegetables. 

 

Walnut Stuffed Dates

2 cups large pitted dates (10 ounces)

1/2 cup shelled walnuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

Slit one side of each date to open then fill with chopped walnuts and enclose. Roll filled dates in powdered sugar in a bowl, then transfer to another bowl.

Dates keep in an airtight container 1 week.

 Citrus Turkish Delight

4 cups sugar
3 3/4 cups water, divided
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 orange, zested and juiced
3/4 cups cornstarch
2 drops each (or 1 drop each) yellow and red food coloring (optional)
1/2 cup shelled green pistachios, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon orange flower water (optional)
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted 
            
Equipment: a deep-fat thermometer 

Put sugar, 3 cups water, and zest and juice of lemon and orange in a 4- to 5-qt. heavy pot and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil until thermometer reaches about 230 F, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and discard zests.
 

Stir together cornstarch and remaining 3/4 cup water and stir into syrup. Continue to boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until thermometer reaches 240 F (soft ball stage), about 25 minutes. (Mixture will be very thick and take a while to return to 230 F and reach 240 F.) Stir in pistachios and orange flower water, if using, and remove from heat.
 

Have ready a lightly oiled 9 x 9 inch square baking pan lined with plastic wrap and lightly oil plastic wrap. Pour mixture into pan and let stand overnight at room temperature to firm.

Turn Turkish delight out onto a cutting board and remove plastic. Cut into roughly 1-inch squares, then toss squares in confectioners' sugar.

Keeps in an airtight container about 1 week.


Other Recipes

Vegan Ramadan
 

The Raw Ramadan
 
Vegan Ramadan Recipes