Morocco - First class food diversity

Assalamualaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu. I've recently returned from a few days trip to Morocco and thought I'd do a destination food on the country. Morocco also known as Maroc or Maghreb is located in the Northern part of Africa and has a very rich culture where Arab culture meets the Western; indeed Morocco's other name translates into "The Western Kingdom". They mainly speak a variety of Arabic, French and Berber with most people able in the major cities able to understand some amount of English. You could imagine the shame and the horror I felt after realising that my French was better than my Arabic! And although neither was anything to write home about, at least some of the French I studied in high school came in to use. The currency is the Moroccan Dirham and 1 Dirham is equivalent to about 8 to 9 pence. Religion is mainly Islam with more than 97% Muslims and the rest Christians and Jews. Moroccans are very accommodating; at least that was the feel I got whilst in Marrakesh which was my main destination. I realised after coming back that not everyone has a positive story to tell as some who have previously been were not impressed of being harassed by local touts. From what I gather, the less touristy the area, the better you're likely to enjoy your stay which I guess isn't much different from anywhere else in the World.

Hassan II Mosque

Marrakesh Rail Station - exterior

Interior Marrakesh station

Cassablanca beach at sunset

Palm and Oranges: This is arguably the first thing one notices; they sure have palm, they clearly have oranges and most certainly make good use of these two in beautifying the city. The roads are enhanced by what looks like rows and rows of tangerine trees which are occasionally enriched by a palm tree or two. Subhanallah - the orange trees and the palm oasis (mainly date palms) are just picturesque in addition to the Atlas mountains that appear as if floating in the Background. Every single time I pass by the mountains, I was reminded of Allah's Greatness as it was a sign for me to see the mountains which are white due to the snow that covers them reflecting the sun. It certainly isn't something that words can describe nor is it something that pictures can cover.

Date palm oasis

Orange tree

Sliced oranges

Bread: I loooooooove bread; any type of bread Pitta bread, sliced bread, leavened bread, arab bread, turkish bread, I could honestly go on. My addiction to bread used to be so bad that I'd have bread for breakfast, a mini bread snack for lunch then also for dinner. Thanks to the French influence, there was abundant bread in Morocco with a wide range to choose from. Even better, the bread were freshly baked - you know that smell of oven baked bread was just everywhere you go, bliss! I fell in love with one of their breads / crêpes called Msemen or Rghaif. Basically it is sort of crêpes which are square in shape and tastes absolutely wonderful. Insha Allah will share the recipe once I've made it myself.

Leavened bread

The making of Msemen

Tagines are basically dishes which are named after the traditional clay pot in which it has been cooked. Basically it serves as both a pot and a serving dish. Originally designed by the Berber, it ensures that no condensation leaves the pot giving you a succulent and tender finish to whatever you cook in it; either meat or vegetables. This trip I was more adventurous with my meals and actually had the traditional food such as chicken Tagine,  Lamb Tagine - mainly with couscous whenever I got the chance. Having said that, I didn't get to eat at a proper Berber restaurant as every one was convinced that it'll make us tourists sick. I wasn't too keen to find out if they were right. 

Tagine

Tagine served on a normal plate

Tagine earthenwares

Oils,Herbs and Spices: Moroccans are known for their herbs and spices and now oil as well; thanks to all the craze for Argan oil. The herbs are usually a mixture of your normal herbs so actually are the spices. It was actually beautiful to be able to visit a garden where most of these things were grown and see how they're processed. I also confirmed that I cannot haggle to save my life so got cheated so much it hurts to even think about it. Now I know the other reason apart from convenience (ahem lazyness) why I prefer internet shopping, it gives me the opportyunity to haggle by comparing prices online. Needless to say I brought some of the 35 spices in one back with me as well as herbs that goes in their traditional tea. I don't know if it is the hospitality but all I know is that whenever you get anywhere, market, etc you're offered tea constantly and because it's herbal- I always accept graciously! Having said that, I'm still yet to recreate the taste of the tea I had in Morocco - probably due to lack of a traditional tea pot.

Oils and spices

Dried fig (tin) and dates

Bush basil

The making of Argan oil - L'huile d'argan

Argan oil - for cosmetic use and for cooking

Spice grinder

Miscellaneous and the wonderfully wierd: The night market was definitely different and I didn't understand it at all. It looked like everyone was just waiting till sunset before they can go about their business. Actually it was a little unnerving seeing so many people in a market at night; didn't just feel right. If you're squirmish, now is the time to look away. One of the oddities of the night market is the street food and outdoor tent restaurants. A favourite with the locals are snails; in particular, baby snails. These are pots of stewed baby snails made with local spices. You can buy different sized bowls, and get to eat them with toothpick after which you drink the soup. I still actually can't believe I tried them and they were not too bad.

Baby snails

The Berbers: It was lovely experiencing the actual traditional cuture in the midst of all the civilisation. We went into the ourika valleys and got to see the amazing ways in which the Berbers manage without much technology. For instance they'd put their drinks under the water that's falling from melted snow of atlas mountain and that's their refrigerator sorted. In fact I sometimes saw Tagine under waterfalls too.

Berber kitchen

Berber restaurant

Manufacturing couscous

Maroc is a heaven when it comes to food diversity but it isn't for everyone. Your experience will depend on where you visit but I loved it and insha Allah would be visiting again - once my Arabic and haggling skills get better.

Eating when expecting : getting the right nutrition in pregnancy

Assalamaualykum warahmatullahi wabaraktu. I've been inspired to write about this topic now rather than later as several people I know are expecting or have just had babies which is pretty exciting for everyone involved! Pregnancy is an amazing thing with its highs and lows; the cravings, the spurns, the tiredness as this little individual takes over your body. Not to talk about the heart burn, the nausea, the vomiting, the emotional turmoil and the fact that you will be needing to use the bathroom more times than you ever thought you were capable. Subhanallah, no organ in the body of a woman is spared of undergoing a change during pregnancy.
And although we all know that having a healthy diet is good; I'm sure you'll agree that it's even more important during pregnancy. Some consider the foetus as a "parasite" that will take all it needs from you; the good and the bad depending on what you're pumping yourself with making healthy eating necessary during this period. In fact pregnancy is known to act as a great motivator because most women will always want to do "what's considered best for the baby".
So what are the things you require to help get yourself and the baby through this period and beyond? I will discuss some important ones.

Energy : you will need more energy as the pregnancy progresses. This will obviously vary from woman to woman and whether or not you have a multiple pregnancy but it is estimated that you will require at least extra 200kcal per day in the 3rd trimester. Obviously if you were underweight to start with, you will probably require more. The good news is all foods and drinks will provide you with some kind of energy. But you want something that will hopefully provide a good souce of dietry fibre, good amount of protein, enough carbohydrate to keep you going and the good dietry fats (minimise the bad ones eg ghee, cheese, palm oil, coconut oil,etc). The aim is to have a little bit of these categories as too much of anything is bad as we all know. This is especially important if you've been told you have gestational diabetes which can be managed with diet.

Micronutrients :  These are your vitamins (A,B12,C,D,E, B12, Folic acid,etc)  and minerals (Iron, Calcium, Magnesium,etc) which are very important during pregnancy and although you'll expect that a healthy diet should provide all of your micronutrients in gestation, it often doesn't; leaving a lot of pregnant women deficient in one or more. And as people will usually overestimate their healthy eating habit, the additional nutritional requirements that pregnancy brings will tend to tip most expecting mothers into moderate to severe deficiency. Here are some of the common important ones.
Iron: this is very important for you and for your baby as it is essential in the making of haemoglobin which helps store and carry oxygen to your organs. This means lack of Iron can make you feel tired, short of breath and may even cause chest pain if severe enough. Iron deficiency can also lead to pre-term birth, growth restriction and spina bifida in the unborn. Most of this can be corrected by eating food rich in Iron such as pulses, dark green vegetables as well as foods fortified with Iron. The best way in which to get Iron absorbed is to have it with foods containing Vitamin C such as peppers, strawberries, oranges, etc which in itself is helpful to have during pregnancy. Having said this you may still require some supplements to ensure you get the right amount.
Folic acid : This is very important in preventing neural tube defect, growth retardation, pre-eclampsia and even autism. In fact, it is recommended that once you start planning a pregnancy, you should start taking folic acid so as not to take the chances of missing it during the essential period of the first few weeks of pregnancy. Even though you can get folate from spinach, oranges, okra, brocolli, I'd say most people tend to just take supplements as  it is a safer option.
Vitamin D: This vitamin which is often found in oily fish and now being commonly fortified in our foods  is particularly important in bone mineralisation and helps prevent rickets in the unborn child. Symptoms include joint pain particularly on exercise, feeling lethargic and just generally feeling unwell. Although you could do without vitamin D in your diet if you have plenty of sun around, most people from ethnic minorities, especially hijabis who live in colder climates will have some amount of deficiency, therefore, require supplements. In fact I believe 100% of black hijabis not living in the tropical region will have an element of vitamin D defieciency.
Let's not forget to add that you need to drink a lot of water to keep yourself hydrated especially when there is an element of morning sickness.

So I thought I'd share this recipe which I feel combines all the good stuff needed in one meal.

Grilled Salmon with spinach, brocolli and prawns
What you'll need (serves 2)
2 medium sized salmon fillets (without skin)
Black pepper
Chilli flakes
Pinch of salt
Juice of half lemon, keep the other half to garnish
1/2 teaspoon ground parsley
200g of Brocolli
100g of leafy spinach
100g peeled and cooked prawns (optional)

Preparation
Mix together the chilli, lemon juice, plenty black pepper, parsley and salt. Pour over the salmon and leave to marinate for 10-20 minutes.
Then place under a hot grill for 5 mins- on each sides. You might need to cook for longer if salmon very thick.
Cook the brocolli until tender;
Cook spinach in boiling water for 2 minutes and drain immediately; stir in the cooked prawns.
Serve the salmon on the bed of brocolli and spinach. Lemon wedges to garnish
I'd also add some boiled potatoes on the side so as to have some carbohydrate in the meal. Best drink will be pure orange juice or any other fruit juice rich in vitamin c.

Grilled salmon

Of course if you have morning sickness,you probably don't care about any of this. And if unlucky enough to have the severe form known as hyperemesis; it wouldn't matter as long as you keep something down. Ginger (tea, cake, drink,etc) tends to help many people with nausea so does dry foods like toasts, crackers, etc. If possible, ask friends and family to cook for you as some people just can't stand the smell of their own cooking during this trying period. If you have any concerns, then do not hesitate to contact your doctor or midwife.

Let's not forget mental and spiritual requirements as it is just as important to keep your mind and soul nourished during this period as it is the body. Listen to the Qur'an a lot and recite aloud to the foetus too- so he or she can start getting familiar with hearing your voice as you recite the Qur'an.  And of course make plenty of duas for Allah to make the labour easy for you as well as make the unborn a child a pious one who would be of benefit to the whole ummah (never too early to pray for a child).
I am often asked by new mothers when they will return back to their normal self  and even though I say up to 6 weeks post-delivery, the real answer is never, not even when they grow old and have their own children because a mother never stops caring for their children. And this, is why paradise lies beneath the feet of your mother; may Allah bless our parents and grant them Al-Janat Firdaws and may we also be given children that will be of benefit to us in this life and the next.

Restaurant review: An Najeeb Cuisine

Assalamualykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu. I feel like it's been forever since I've last blogged - ok it has been. So many things to do with so little time; I lie, most of it is just procrastination. But here goes another restaurant review. This restaurant is situated in Leicester; a heaven for food lovers. Leicester boasts a market that is apparently the largest covered outdoor market in Europe with market traders mostly selling fruits and vegetables; what more - they are dirt cheap! Don't even get me started on the food festivals which brings food and drinks from all over - in fact the County prides itself on it's Passion for food. With the risk of turning this review into that of Leicester, I would insha Allah write a destination Leicester food one day.

Location
The restaurant is located at number 1B Conduit Street right outside the train station which is very convenient as that makes it approximately 15 minutes walk from the two Universities in Leicester and about 5 minutes walk into Leicester town centre. And although it's not the easiest to spot, you can find it if you're on the lookout for it. There's a dedicated restaurant parking which is free at certain times and not at other times; I don't drive so this doesn't bother me much.

 

Restaurant
First thing first - it is HMC certified which is like the daddy of halal certification meaning your mind is at peace about the source of your meat. This is almost essential in a place like Leicester where even your KFC, your Nandos and your Subways have Halal meat - you get the drill. One thing I noticed is that the restaurant is very clean and very charming - perhaps due to the friendliness of the people in front of the House. It isn't that spacious but that perhaps adds to the cuteness and I am  almost certain that every time I've visited, there's Maher Zain playing in the background. So you're met with the seating place with some of the tables along the wall having curtains that can be drawn. This is perhaps my favourite feature of this restaurant because it provides the opportunity to eat without being stared at. Even more essential is this for niqaabi sisters who perhaps would like to enjoy meals out with friends and family.

One other thing I love about here is that they have a proper prayer area - even though the Leicester central mosque is 2 minutes away on the same street- amazing right? It often brings a smile to my face when I see a chef or a waiter coming out from the kitchen to say their salahs at the right time - subhanallah!

Customer Service
I have already alluded to the fact that they are very friendly masha Allah. There's this sister that never appeared too busy to give a smile and always kind to suggest what to eat. Having said that the food can sometime take a while - depending on what you order and how busy it is and there isn't a way to hurry them; trust me I've tried before so you just need to be patient and make sure you leave plenty of time before your train as I found out the hard way. Just have sabr because it probably means that your food is being freshly prepared.

Food
Indo-Chinese is their speciality and although there are some African dishes on their menu, I still say it's an Indo-Chinese restaurant. The food can be variable as I've been there several times and I try to order something new each time although I must say I now have favourites. Having said that, the food has never been bad but I've had some amazing dishes there. I must confess that their Naans are almost as perfect as you can get, absolutely amazing. In fact regardless of what I have, you can guarantee that I'll order a Naan bread in particular a Peshwari Naan; it's just my An-Najeeb thing.

They really do have a wide range of things and I have actually never been told that a meal on the menu is out of stock which is saying something as I can sometimes order some weird and wonderful things. Desert wise- there's a Movenpick stall in the corner of the restaurant where you have a range of Ice-creams and Milkshakes. And they always have these cakes that tempts even the hardcore no desert person like me. Did I mention that they have a take way menu as well?

Final Verdict
Great food, good location and amazing environment not to mention all at very reasonable prices. Well so if you're ever in Leicester and you're in need of somewhere nice to eat , then An-Najeeb is highly recommended. In fact if your train is calling at Leicester, it is almost worth breaking your Journey just to eat at An-Najeeb. The Take-away menu is a good bonus especially when you're running late as Ed-Miliband will let you know and this is in no way endorsing the Labour party!

Reader's Contribution : Nigerian Pasta Salad

Assalamulaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu. So, I've been thinking why not have a feature in which readers contribute their favorite recipes / restaurant etc and we can have that monthly? Well as long as monthly is not taken too literally - we all know that I'm not that consistent in posting, my procastinastion takes better even though I've got so many things I want to write about. I also feel that this will bring some diversity to the blog and I can learn more about what my readers cook and eat.

The first recipe I'm going to share is from a friend who is jack of all trades and masha Allah has so many talents I don't even know where to start from. For those who got my Eid Mubarak post cards - the picture was sent by her to me during Ramadhan sharing the iftar she prepared for her family (see below). Hope you enjoy the recipe and feel free to email your ideas and recipes too. 


Salaam,

Just like my friend Fatee, I'm a foodie and also love to try new recipes. This recipe is not exactly new as pasta salad is a classic dish. However, my aunt taught me how to make it in a very Nigerian way such that although it's a 'salad' there's nothing healthy about it as it is very rich and can even be eaten as a main meal. 

With salad there's no measurements for ingredients and you basically just toss as much of anything as you like in.


What you will need

Pasta- Boiled with salt until very soft, then cooled in the fridge
Prawns- Boiled with salt
Potatoes-Boiled with salt and cubed (without the skin)
Eggs- Hardboiled with salt and cubed
Tinned Tuna- Flaked
Lettuce- Sliced thinly
Cucumber- Cubed or in circles
Carrots-Grated
Cabbage- Sliced thinly
Firm Tomatoes- The baby ones are ideally sliced in circles; if not, the big ones can be cubed
Sweet Corn- To garnish

For those abroad, you could probably save yourself the hassle of chopping and buy a bag of mixed salad.
Once all the ingredients are prepared, you can either mix it all up or layer it. Layering means you place all the lettuce at the bottom, then all the cabbage followed by the carrots etc.

You can either have it plain, with mayonnaise, french dressing, or my favourite a Thousand Island dressing.

Nigerian Pasta Salad

And viola, Pasta Salad, Nigerian style!

Eid card

Enjoy
xoxo
Miss B

As said before, if you have any recipe you would like to share or a restaurant you think is amazing, please do so by clicking on the email me link on the right.

First Ramadhan Working, Charity Iftar Dinners and A Thankful Soul

Assalamualaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu. Hope you are having a Successful Ramadhan. Can you believe it is more than half of ramadhan already? Subhanallah! And I have really enjoyed it so far, thanks to all the iftar invitations, ample opportunity for increasing ibadah and meeting new people. Not only that, I recently graduated from University which makes this my first post as a doctor, Alhamdulillah. This also means that it is going to be my first ramadhan in full time employment.
Even before I started work, I experienced something that made me appreciate Allah's favour more. When I was moving, I packed a small bag of food intended for only that day as it was a Thursday and I meant to go back to finalise my packing the following day. Because I am me, I had planned what I was going to eat which meant everything was in that one bag including my plate. I even went to the local supermarket to buy some vegetables to complement my meal after I'd arrived. You can imagine the shock I got come iftar time, when I realised that I left the bag at home. This meant I only had stir fried vegetables and canned fish but I was still very disappointed as this wasn't 'the plan'. Then I became ashamed of myself, I at least had food in front of me! It dawned on me that there are several people around the world who kept their fast with nothing and who aren't even sure what they will break their fast with. What more, ramadhan makes no difference to them because outside of ramadhan they don't have food to eat. And there I was moping because I didn't have 'my planned meal'. That day, I learnt to be more appreciative of what Allah has blessed me with.

If the thoughts of starting a full time job didn't scare me enough, I was going to be starting work during the month of Ramadhan. I wasn't sure how I was going to cope with fasting and working in a fast paced environment. This along with all the other hundred things running through my mind meant that the night before I started, I only managed 3 hours of sleep. I'm sure you all must agree that this isn't the best way to begin your first day at work! But then I felt it must be a blessing that I get to start my working life during the blessed month of Ramadhan so I made dua for Allah to make it easy for me as well as my other colleagues who will be in the same situation all across the country.
And amazing how I feel after a week at work, alhamdulillah. The tiredness I was expecting didn't come even with my lack of sleep, neither did the thirst I dreaded; in fact, I enjoyed it! I did tie the camel though before putting my trust in Allah, I drank plenty of water at iftar and sahoor to make sure I'm hydrated during the day. It felt even easier than my normal non- fasting days. One thing I enjoy is giving mini Ramadhan awareness talks to some of the people I work with which usually starts off when I'm offered tea. To which I say "no thanks", not that I'm a tea person anyway. But after the second or third time, I reply, "thanks I'm fasting". Then comes the questions that make me smile. Can you drink water? Can you chew gum? Will it be cheating if you worked nights because you'll be asleep all day? Do you not get dehydrated? Do you not feel thirsty/tired? You mean 13 year olds have to fast too? Isn't that too strict? Then I give them my little talk on why we fast and how it is mind over matter; moreover, that it is the intention that matters. Not only that, it also keeps us in touch with reality and we see it as a prize that's worth the price.
I know not every week will be like my first week, I know that great challenges lie ahead but right now all I can say as a thankful soul is Alhamdulillah!


Talking about food and appreciating what you have, there are quite a few charity dinners happening in the next few days. If you're interested in joining many across the globe that will be inviting friends and family to break their fast and using the opportunity to raise money for charity, the date for your diary is the 11th of August. Here are some of the good cause to consider raising money for:

SHAREYOURIFTAR organised by Muslim Aid to help raise money for the Syrian Emergency Appeal. Click on the picture on how to do this and for more information

Some tips on making iftar for many people.
1. Purify your intentions throughout and remind yourself that you're doing this for Allah(SWT).
2. Plan in advance: know how many people are definately coming and how many maybe coming.
3. Keep it simple: try not to go all out and then become overwhelmed.
4. Make something you're familiar with or look for easy to follow recipes. Muslim aid even have some good recipes you can try on  their website.
5. Delegate: get someone to make desert especially if you know that is their speciality and get others to bring drinks, it will be one less thing to worry about.
6. Don't make too much food as it defeats the purpose of the dinner if you end up wasting food.
7. Get take away packs so that if at all there's any food remaining, people can take some home with them.
8. Have a brief speech ready - you can get people to donate more by actually telling people about the cause
which means you need to know your cause properly and be ready to answer questions.
9. Have a backup plan - just in case.
10. Remember to have fun!

What if like me you don't have the opportunity to cook or cooking is not just your thing? Well, you can go for one of the iftar others are organising or there's the Charity Iftar dinner by Islamic Relief. One in Luton and one in Birmingham, both on the 11th of August. And if you're up North, don't worry there are Charity Iftars not too far away in Rochdale and Oldham on the 10th and 12th respectively all by Islamic Rellief. Click on the picture for more info. Don't forget that Islamic relief is also doubling every donation you make this Ramadhan!

Since Ramadhan started, I got introduced to this drink that I thought I'd share- Rooafzah known as Sirap Selsasi in Malay. It's actually quite simple to make (Using the cheat method that utilises ready-made rose water syrup)

Sirap Selasi drink
What you'll need (Serves 4)
Water - 1 litre
Basil seeds (Tukmaria/ biji selasih) - 2 tablespoon
100-150mls of rosewater syrup

To make
Soak the basil seeds in water until it starts to look like frog eggs, keep aside.

Soaked basil seeds

Add the water and syrup together in a jug, taste to check if sweet enough, If not add more syrup.

Drain the basil seeds and add to the mixture

Put in the fridge to chill and ready to serve. Stir before serving so everyone gets a fair share of the basil seeds.

So, as we get into the final lap of Ramadhan and everyone trying to increase the rewards, I pray that Allah gives us the ability to make the ultimate most of it! Enjoy the remaining days of your Ramadhan 1433.

Recipe for a Successful Ramadhan- Are you ready?

Assalamualaykum warahmatullah wabarakatu. I can't believe that it's almost that time of the year again. So much has happened since the last Ramadhan, some were with us for the last one but won't be witnessing this coming one. Even I am not guaranteed to reach it, no one is. One can only pray to Allah (SWT) to keep us alive and in good health till it arrives. Which brings me to the question-how are you preparing for the Month of Mercy? The month in which for Allah's Mercies, the gates of paradise are opened, that of hell is closed, the devils are chained and one of it's nights is worth a thousand - Subhanallah! This month is an opportunity to increase our good deeds but for us to make the most of it, we need to be prepared! No ramadhan should ever be the same; we should aim for this Ramadhan to be our best so far by acting like it is our last. And although we pray to Allah that we witness many more - one will eventually be our last. Allow me to share some things that can be done to prepare for ramadhan so as to make the most of it.

Repentance: seek forgiveness and purify your intentions making sure that you are doing this for Allah and Allah alone.

Dua: ask Allah(SWT) to allow you reach the month and make the most of it.  It was reported that some of the salaf used to spend the 5 months after every ramadhan praying to Allah to accept it and then the 6 months after that asking Allah to allow them reach the next one. Make dua that Allah makes it easy for you as well- it's going to be 19-20 hours fast if you’re in the UK so start making plenty of duas for Allah to make it easy for us all.

Fast: complete any obligatory fasts that you're yet to make up if you are able to and try to fast some of Sha’ban. Aa'ishah(RA) said: the Messenger of Allah(SAW) used to fast until we said: He will not break his fast and he used to not fast until we said: He will not fast. And I never saw the Messenger of Allah (SAW) complete a month of fasting except in Ramadhan and I never saw him fast more in any month than in Sha'ban.

Qur'an: read it - lots of it! Get into the habit of reading the Quran. Remember Qur’an is food for the soul of a muslim.

Distractions: take things that will distract you away now before Ramadhan comes so that when it arrives you can easily concentrate on acts of worship. Make your environment a place that worshiping Allah will be easy. Make a list of what you want to achieve - write it down so as to have a proof of your achievements.

Knowledge: seek it. Learn about ramadhan and its virtues; this way you can really appreciate it and know how best to spend your time during the month. Several institutes are offering courses on Ramadhan at the moment and now is the best time to make the most of it.

Shop: do your ramadhan/Eid shopping now, not only do you have more time to spend worshiping Allah, you also save money as a lot of Islamic stores have ongoing sales at the moment. In fact your good old Asda/Morrissons/Tescos have already started rolling out special Ramadhan offers which tells you that even they realise how important it is for muslims, albeit for a different reason.

Part of preparing is to plan your days properly so as not to spend so much time in the kitchen preparing iftar, sisters especially. Now is the time to buy/prepare some of your dishes-no I'm not joking (provided they can be stored and you have the storage space). A rule of thumb is that anything you can buy from the stores in the form of frozen food can be made at home yourself – then you can store it. That way, you not only save money, you also get to set your own expiry date and know what exactly is going in the food. We’ve started preparing the ramadhan food in my house, hence the recipe. When I said we, I meant I watched,learned and took pictures of it being made since it was the first time I’ve seen this prepared. 

Chapli kebab 

What you’ll need (Approximately 20 pieces)

1 medium sized white onion - chopped

1 bunch of spring onions

4-6 green chilli – finely chopped (+/- depending on how spicy you want it)

3 lb minced meat

2 eggs

*100g Chapatti flour

2 tbs Corn Flour

2 tbs Gram flour

1 cup of fresh coriander leaves ( Dhaniya) finely chopped

2 tsp salt (according to taste)

1 tbs garam masala

*1 tsp crushed mint

*1 tsp ginger (Adrak) paste 

1 tsp red chilli

*1 tsp crushed cumin (zeera)

(* optional)

Preparation

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl . 

If you're frying immediately then I'd say leave to marinate in the fridge for 2 hours but as we're freezing just go to the next step.

Make into palm sized cutlet - it should be about the size of a large burger.

Oil a freezer safe tray and put the cutlets on them. Your chapli kebab is good to go in the freezer, nice and ready for ramadhan. When you’re ready to eat, fry or grill for a healthier choice. Why not even fry some now for a taster?

Insha Allah, I would post some more recipes before ramadhan. In the meanwhile, check out Abu productive’s ramadhan doodle below and be sure to visit and bookmark the website for excellent tips on maximising your time to get the best out of ramadhan

Picture from http://www.productivemuslim.com/ project as well as http://productiveramadan.com

May Allah grant us the chance to reach it. 

Wedding, Marriage and Cooking for your husband: What’s love got to do with it?

Assalamualaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu. I chose this topic as I know a number of people that are either getting married, just got married or are looking to get married soon. If you ignore the cheesy title, it is actually a serious topic. I know it has been debated plenty of times but still this does not stop people from raising eyebrows and mumbling when the topic about the woman cooking is brought up. Oh I’m not saying that I have the answer, far from it. I will just give you a few things to ponder upon. 

Wedding and Marriage - Wedding is the thing so many prepare for and also spend an awful amount of money on. People spend ages planning to have the perfect wedding; in fact some people have made a career out of planning weddings for others. Ask any girl aged 15 and above and she’ll probably give you a detailed description of what her wedding day will be like. And it is only for one day (technically 30minutes if you take out all the shenanigans) but can actually last for up to a week in some cultures. Some will get into debt that will need repayment over the next few years of their marriage for this day. But regardless of how long, how big or how beautiful the wedding is, it is what comes after which is the real deal although Walt Disney will have us believe that they all lived happily ever after. I know it is a beautiful beginning to special days ahead, I have nothing against it and I love going for weddings but I just wished people will put as much effort into their marriage as they did for their wedding. Do you know that everything begins long before you’re married? Do you really know this person you’re entering into a possibly lifelong contract with? And I’m not talking about the thing people call dating/ courtship here because I don’t care how long you’ve known him/her, how many “dates” you’ve been on, and how many doors he rushes to open for you, you really don’t know a person until you live with them. And this real person may not come out for a few months or even years. So before you order that cake, print those invitations and choose the perfect dress, make sure you have asked all the right questions. Does he or she have any of these characters that you want to run away from? Ask friends and family that they have grown up with. Is he/she

Al ghadoob- Someone who is extremely or frequently angry

Al katoob- Always negative

Al afoot- Always comparing with other people

Al hannanah– Keeps reminding you of the past 

Al manaanah- If it wasn’t for...

Al annanah– Complains of everything

Some things can be changed and others can’t. So think carefully before embarking on this. I have heard a lot of "he’ll change once we get married" and all I can think of is what if he doesn't. Are you prepared to live with this behaviour for life? I know women are supposed to be powerful and they have tricks up their sleeves but never bank on that he’ll change statement! It took a while for the habit to be established and it will not go away overnight. If there’s something that you really feel like you want them to stop doing (for example, smoking) give them a reasonable chance to break the habit and help them if you can.

Another question to ask is, are you really compatible? These are things you need to consider when you’re thinking compatibility: spiritually, morally, environmentally, intellectually, psychologically, physically and financially (so resentment won’t come). Remember, marriage is not a word; it is a sentence - a life sentence. 

So now you’ve done all the right things including praying for guidance and you definitely know you’re meant for each other and you have both survived the wedding thanks to all the aunts that managed to change your perfect plan with their you can’t do it this way. The honeymoon period is over after about a month or even a year – well you can make it last for as long as you want but guess what, you have issues. If you ever heard of a couple that tell you they don’t have issues, then they are not for real- as in they don’t exist. The simple fact is everyone has issues but these do not have to become problems as a concern is when you have an issue, it is only when you can’t solve it that it becomes a problem! Here are some steps to help disperse the issues but before then please keep these issues between you, there’s really no need for a third person to know about this, well at least not until they start to become problems and even then share only with one who would provide you with the solution and who better than Allah.

Think- what has caused the friction

Decide- on what needs to happen, how you will go about it and how you will explain this to your other half

Keep it short and simple (start with the positive)

Listen

Agree on an ending

Now that I’ve turned this seemingly innocent topic into something serious, I can go back to cooking for your husband. But before this I need to discuss the rights/duties of the husband and wife, islamically.

A husband’s duties towards his wife: Financial duties (dowry, spending allowance and accommodation) and non financial duties (fair division, good treatment and avoid causing harm) and she has these rights even if she is rich! No opinion does it say my wife works so she can take care of herself, you still have to spend your money on her! Did you know that you get reward for spending on your family? Don’t you just love the beauty of Islam? 

Remember also that the wife has duties towards her husband which may be greater than his towards her as the Quran states “And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards to living expenses) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards to obedience and respect) to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them.” (Q2:228)

Give your duties and you will receive your rights.

Traditionally, a man is known to be the bread winner in the family so he has to be the tough one; a woman, however, has different roles as a nurturer and a teacher making her the emotional one.

So, should you cook for your husband? Do you cook for your husband? The simple answer to the first question is yes. Well, if you can then why not. It also depends on your culture, your upbringing and your husband. Please find out from his sister or his mother whether or not he likes his food (ask him if you must), then at least you’ll know whether to invest in that cooking crash course a month before your wedding. But if for instance a guy marries a princess, I know we all are but  a real one who does not know where the kitchen of her house is (that’s probably exaggerating a bit), please Akhi don’t expect her to start making Biryani the next day- it’s not going to happen, not unless she really wants to. I think cooking for your husband is about showing him love, showing that you care enough to bother to want to cook for him. Now please husbands, you also need to show appreciation and give compliments. Just because she loves to cook and wants to cook or has to cook does not mean you should take it for granted. A little bit of thank you goes a very long way. Let her have some time off, eat out or even let her put her feet up and you do the cooking. Remember, even the prophet (SAW) used to help at home!

That said, nowadays the roles of men and women are not so defined and are blurred. Remember I said roles not duties. Now you have men that wants to cook and can cook (yes sisters, they do exist) and if your husband is a celebrity chef, then you might want to think twice about that no men in my kitchen rule! But again consider this, just because he cooks for a living does not mean he wants to do the same when he gets home.

From a letter Umamah bint Al-Harith gave to her daughter Um Iyas Bint A’wf Ashebani on the eve of her wedding (it is very long and I refuse to type it all), I quote a part of it saying “be aware of the time that he sleeps and eats. Indeed hunger is painful and sleeplessness is a cause of anger”. How true is this and perhaps even vice versa.

Now does she have to cook? It depends as one of her duties is serving her husband but this varies. According to Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah “She is obliged to serve her husband according to what is reasonable among people of similar standing. That varies according to circumstances: the way in which a Bedouin woman serves (her husband) will not be like the way of a town dweller, and the way of strong woman will not be like the way of a weak woman.”(Al-Fataawa al-Kubraa, 4/561)

So depending on where you come from, there are some things that you ‘should’ learn how to cook before getting married and whether is begging your mum or going for the weekend at aunty’s place, you should know how to make these things. It’s easier I think if your husband is from a totally different background from you as he won’t be expecting much (the beauty of diverse marriages) but will surely be impressed if you suddenly make his favourite from “back home”. I asked a few people what they feel in their opinion was one food you need to learn how to cook before marriage and these are the answers I got.

Indian – Apparently you need to know how to make “Biryani” and I’m sure it does not matter if it is lamb, chicken or beef; just as long as it is Biryani.

Pakistani - Chapatti, chapatti and more chapatti. Yes, go learn how to make the perfect chapatti; it’s harder than they make it seem though.

Malay – “Eggs”. I was like seriously right, but apparently there are some people that do not know how to make eggs, so please, learn to make eggs. Although rice is the real thing here.

Bengali – “Curry at least meat and fish bare minimum”. Of course it goes with rice. I honestly believe that the rice did not come first as you're just automatically expected to know how to cook it.

Somali – “Somali samosa before marriage along with 1000 other dishes” Good luck with learning the 1000 others, I can't even make the normal samosa.

Algerian – “Couscous”. Just simple couscous,some do have it easy but I bet you need to know how to make the lamb it has to be served with, then it gets complicated.

Jamaican – “rice and peas and chicken for Sunday Dinner”. That sounds straightforward enough but I don’t understand why it has to be on Sunday which probably means for the rest of the week, serve toast on beans and he won’t mind.

Burundi (with a lot of Asian influence) – “Pilau rice and chicken/meat dish and beans and chapatti”

Afghan - “Rice”. According to an Afghan man; see how easy they make things sound, just rice. I didn’t bother asking the type of rice as he probably won’t know.

Iranian- “Kabab koobideh is a classic dish all Iranian enjoy eating, as long as you don’t forget the rice too”

Then for Nigeria, I needed to break it down into at least the main tribes (well some of them) and I got these replies

Nigeria (Igbo) - "Uha soup". Never heard of it, I think it’s also spelled Oha/Ora as when I googled Uha, it gave me a Russian fish soup. Oh, how I’d love to make that Russian soup!

Nigeria (Hausa) – “tuwo (masara, semo, shinkafa) perfectly without lumps”.  They’re basically doughy foods. Such hard work but you could probably microwave it, not so sure about the without lumps though!

Nigeria (Yoruba) – “Stew” and that will also have to go with rice and is really what most will call soup. That’s fine for a few days until he asks, "don’t we have any other food in this house?"

Nigeria (Kanuri) - “Ngaji a kalkuwa (aka Brabusko da miyan kuka), Snasil and gwalto, Denderu” and then went on to say “a Kanuri bride can’t be said to learn 1 single type of food rather she will be made to learn a meal for every occasion”. Now I know the Somalis actually have it easy with their 1001 dishes. In other words, if you’re about to marry a Kanuri man who loves his food and you can’t cook, one advice, look for another husband.

So from the answer given above, learn how to make rice. There are probably a million and one different ways to learn how to make it but with so many rice cooker on sale as well as microwavable/canned versions of these foods, I’d say no bride needs to worry. Just buy a microwave and a fridge with plenty of freezer space. I dare you – but don’t blame me if he marries another woman. As some say, the road to a man’s heart is through his stomach. A woman’s heart? I'm not sure there are probably many, try being nice!

Allow me to give you a recipe for something very easy to make, Instant egg fried noodles

What you need (Serves 2)

3 packet instant noodles

2 medium sized eggs

A pinch Salt

Mixed vegetables(optional)

1 small onion (finely chopped)

1 green Chilli(chopped)

2 tablespoons oil

Instruction

Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet(minus one minute). Reducing the amount of water needed (or drain any water once noodle is cooked) .

Heat the oil in a frying pan or a wok. Add the onions and chilli and fry for 30 seconds in medium heat. If adding mixed vegetables, add this until vegetable is soft. 

Add the eggs and scramble it in the mixture, allow to cook for 2 minutes.

Now add the noodles and mix for another 1 minute. Serve hot with optional soy sauce.

This is an emergency food but it works better than just microwaving instant noodles and takes almost the same amount of time, it’s all about putting in that effort to show the TLC needed in a marriage.

Talking about effort, a friend’s mum baked this and she helped decorate it and I thought I’d share- it is such a beautiful cake and it simplifies everything I’ve written in the post.

Remember, men and women do have different roles in life. It is important to complete one another rather than compete with each other. It is a relationship of compensation and cooperation.

“Amongst his signs that He created from you spouses to dwell within(in tranquillity), made between you love and compassion; most surely there are signs in this for people who reflect”(Quran 30:21) 

So, If Allah (SWT) made the foundation in marriage to be love and compassion, mercy; how can the relationship between you and your wife be anything else?

(Some of the references are from my notes from a Course I attended entitled "Home Sweet Home-a proactive approach to a happy family" provided by AlKauthar institute)