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Ramadan in Pakistan

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Ramazan recipes with Images: Vegetable fritters served with teriyaki sauce and a side of nostalgia

This year we bring you our recipes that are well loved by our families and friends in the month of Ramazan.

Marsha Tayyab

Every family has different Ramazan traditions and unique dishes they love to eat during the month and Images is no different. This Ramazan, we wanted to share with you some recipes that are close to our hearts.

Of course there is no Ramazan without pakoras but we have our own take on them. We bring you vegetable fritters unlike any you have tried before. What you may not know is that these fritters have a story of their own.

It all started when leftovers from other pakora mixture was left in the fridge for God knows what we were about to make next. One day my mother came up with the idea of cutting the vegetables differently and giving them a new shape, which including mixing all of them together without even knowing what goes together and what doesn't.

It started out as a flop as we weren't able to nail the consistency. But every Ramazan we made the fritters till we perfected the recipe. Almost 10 years later, these fritters are a staple in our house be it in Ramazan or on a gloomy afternoon or a rainy evening. Not only do we use vegetables for the fritters but the next morning, we mix in eggs that could be the perfect breakfast. The first bite of these treats takes me back to my childhood when I had newly started eating vegetables as a fussy kid and ate these while my grandmother enjoyed them with her tea at iftar.

Years later they still brings back old memories as we continue the tradition of making them all year round, especially in Ramazan.

Here's how you can make this simple yet flavourful dish for your iftar.

Ingredients​

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  • 1 to 1 and 1/2 cup carrots
  • 1 to 1 and 1/2 cup cabbage
  • 1/2 cup capsicum
  • 1/2 cup onion
  • 1/4th or 1/2 cup green onions
  • 1/4th cup ginger (optional)
  • 3 to 4 green chillies
All vegetables to be cut in thin long strips, julienne style.


The batter​

  • 1/2 cup tempura mix
  • 1/2 cup corn flour
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 egg (optional)
  • cold water to mix dry ingredients

Method​

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  • Add the vegetables in a bowl. Mix it well so when you add it to the frying pan you get equal amounts of vegetables in each fritter.
  • You can add more vegetables such as radish, mushrooms and eggplant.
  • Keep the mixed vegetables and the batter in separate bowls. This will allow you to increase or reduce the quantity when mixing the vegetables and batter together.
  • In a separate bowl add dry ingredients and an egg. Then add spices such as chilli flakes, salt, black pepper and white pepper (optional).
  • Start mixing it and slowly add cold water into the batter until it develops a medium consistency. Make sure it's not too thick or too runny.
  • Separate the vegetables in a bowl and add as much as you need at that time. Slowly pour in the batter, making sure that it sticks to the vegetable mix. Adding vegetables all at once will make the mixture watery, hence I suggest you mix it in in batches.
  • Use a tablespoon to scoop out the mixture and add it in a pre-heated wok with oil. Make sure to fry on medium-high heat until golden brown.
  • Once fried, take them out on a metal grill or serving dish for the oil to separate and then they are ready to be served. Avoid using kitchen towel or tissue to soak the oil as it makes the fritters soggy. However, you can lay the tissue on the serving dish to catch the oily residue.
  • Serve with teriyaki sauce or sweet chilli sauce and enjoy!
 
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Ramazan recipes:

Cinnamon Kahva and the warmth of happy memories

I present to you, a cinnamon-spiced concoction my mother has perfected over the years with every brew.

Pernia Mubashir

Every family has different Ramazan traditions and unique dishes they love to eat during the month and Images is no different. This Ramazan, we wanted to share with you some recipes that are close to our hearts.

For me, the warmth of childhood and happy family memories are all brought to the fore as soon as I sip my mother's special kahva, a cinnamon-spiced concoction that she's perfected with every brew made over the years.

It's the first thing her family and friends request her to make as soon as they visit our home, a request that my mother more than happily obliges. Her Cinnamon Kahva is the first thing she makes on rainy days when we want to wrap our hands around a warm cuppa. It's also the first thing that comes my way when I'm feeling a little unwell. Nothing like a hot tea packed with the goodness of cinnamon and ajwain to help lift up your health, and of course, your spirits.

For the family, my mother's Cinnamon Kahva is also one of the joys of Ramazan. A treat for the tummy and senses after we've gobbled down our iftaris and dinner. it is a light, flavourful drink that feels especially calming to have after a heavy meal. Come to our house post 10pm and you'll usually find us huddled together in the drawing room, sipping our kahvas as we jump from one hearty conversation to another.

In case you're looking to ditch those over-the-counter green tea bags for a more healthier brew, look no further. This is my mother's "secret recipe" and it took quite a bit of convincing before she finally let me in on how to make it, a conversation that included promises of her becoming famous in the kahva culinary world.

Ingredients​

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Serves 1
2 glasses of water
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon of green tea leaves
A pinch of ajwain
A pinch of black tea (optional)
Brown sugar as per your liking


How to make it​

Preparation time: Approximately 30 minutes
Start by adding two glasses of water and one cinnamon stick to a pot. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat and let it simmer until the water level goes down to approximately one glass of water, which is half the initial amount poured in. The boiling liquid should be a rich brown colour by then.
Turn the heat down to low. Add a pinch of ajwain and let the liquid brew for another five minutes. Next, add one teaspoon of green tea leaves. You can also add a pinch of black tea for a stronger flavour as an optional step, but not too much because it will overpower the cinnamon and green tea. Let the liquid continue to simmer on low heat for three to five minutes.
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At the end, add as much brown sugar as you like. My mother usually adds one teaspoon. However, you can add more if you like your kahva on the sweeter side,
Use a sieve to separate the kahva from the dregs in the pot and pour into a mug.
Voilà! You're all done.
 
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First Ramzan tomorrow for whole world...

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Ramadan: How to look after your skin during holy month​


Dr Muneeb Shah
DR MUNEEB SHAH

By Harpal Bobby
BBC Asian Network

Ramadan is a month of physical sacrifice and spiritual repentance, where devout Muslims refrain from eating and drinking between sunrise and sunset.

It symbolises dedication, reflection and discipline.

The act of fasting gives insight into the anguish and suffering endured by the millions of people living in famine and poverty around the world.

However, not having enough water, disturbed sleep and a poor diet can impact your body and skin.

So what are Dr Shah's top tips for looking after your skin during Ramadan?

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate​

During fasting, your skin can easily lose moisture and lack hydration, so Dr Shah - who is fasting - advises people to use more hydrating products.

"Praying five times a day and washing your face after your pray can be really drying for some people," he says.

"You should make sure to moisturise after you wash your face, as it is really important, otherwise it can irritate the skin barrier."

Maintain a balanced diet​

Dr Shah explains "some people are going to say their skin gets worse during Ramadan because you are changing your diet significantly, and that means what you're doing when you break your fast".
Heavy eating at sunset and before sunrise, and missing out on nutritious food groups due to the limited time eating, may have a negative impact on your skin.

Dr Shah encourages people to break their fast with food they enjoy, but believes moderation is key.

"Fried foods have no relationship with acne but eating anything in excess can affect the skin.

"I tend to eat a lot of fried foods when I break my fast, I don't think it affects my skin but other people will notice it will affect their skin."

Keep it simple​

During Ramadan, diet and sleep patterns significantly change, so many might modify or update their everyday skincare routine.

But Dr Shah says you can still use your normal products while fasting.

"There's a common misconception that you can't use your traditional skincare products when you're fasting," he says.

"I think you can still use your classic moisturisers and sun creams when you're fasting."
His simple three step routine includes cleansing, moisturising and adding sun cream for the day. And for night, he recommends cleansing, applying a retinol and moisturising the skin again.
 
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