iFeed project

Assalamualaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu. Eid Mubarak! I really can’t believe Ramadhan is actually over, just like that. Makes you think how little we actually have in terms of time on this earth and help to ensure we make good use of it and be “productive”. That must be my most favourite word at the moment partly because in Ramadhan productivity was encouraged a lot but also because I’ve been really trying to improve myself in a lot of different ways. So in the quest of mine to becoming more productive, I went to one of iFeed's ramadhan project at the refugee center; something I’d been meaning to do but had been procrastinating about. To understand how important it is for people to get involved in such activities, I spoke to one of the brains behind the project.

Q: What exactly is the iFeed project?

A project that was set up by some post Nottingham Islamic Society Students and also current postgraduates. Last Ramadan (2010) some sisters came together to start cooking food in their kitchen to give out food to the needy and the hungry (be it Muslim or Non Muslim). We first gave out food at a homeless centre and then it grew from there. At present we cook monthly for a centre in which we provide hot meals cooked on site for service users.

Q: Why was it established?

"They (the righteous) give food in spite of love for it to the poor, the orphan and the captive, saying: 'We feed you for the sake of God Alone; we seek from you neither reward nor thanks.'...So Allah saved them from the evil of that Day, and gave them Nadrah (a light of beauty) and joy" - Surah al-Insan:8-11. It is our Islamic duty and responsibility to help those in need. We have to pro-actively contribute to our communities in helping the overall society.

Q: What is the future of the project?

We are thinking big! firstly we want iFeed to go national and hopefully establish in all regions. Secondly we want to start working towards setting up mosque kitchens around Britain to have food cooked on site and open to all (feeding the needy) and providing some support to those in need.

Q: How do people get involved in such projects?

At the moment we have a set of volunteers who are part of the project yet we are always looking for volunteers. With the recent expansion and visions to take things big we need a national committee and local committees in order to help things run smoothly inshAllah.

Q: Any final words of advice for someone wanting to start such a thing?

We have produced reports/documents to give you a brief guide on how to set up such a project and a website to follow shortly. This experience can be very humbling and makes you realise the amount of blessings that Allah (swt) showers upon us and yet we don't appreciate the full extent. We should always help those in need and should take from the Prophetic model of the Prophet Muhammed (saw) who was kind, compassionate and giving to those in need.

Jazakillah khair for your time.

Below are some of the pictures I got from the day which Alhamdulillah saw a few other groups including MCUK and I just couldn’t be thankful enough for what I have. Just in case you were wondering, you don’t get to pick as much as you want from each table. You have to choose either two or three from a table depending on how much there is. So you can only choose two things from table 1 for instance; imagine having to decide whether to get salt or oil even though you're running out on both. You’ll be glad to know that families can get double or triple the amount per table but even then.It was a truly humbling experience. You can join the iFeed group on facebook if you would like to get involved.

With soaring inflation (in a 6pm news voice), we all could do with cheaper groceries. Here are some tips on how to reduce the cost of food shopping

1. When you can, cook with only what is in season. Where possible store them for when they're not in season.
2. Shop later during the day and you can save up to 75% on your trolley.
3. Make a list and stick to it!! Just because it's BOGOF doesn't make it cheaper. If you'll only need half of one and why bother with getting two and wasting food.
4. Make sure that the sale is actually a SALE - don't let the supermarket trick you into buying what you don't need. You're not saving much if it says 2 for £2.99 when one was £1.49
5. Downshift (luxury brand>main stream brand>supermarket's own brand>supermarket's value) as you can save money just by going down one level. If you're cooking your food, it's not that big a deal anyway. If you don't cook the food well, it'll make no difference whether you used "Waitrose super luxury" tinned tomatoes or "Asda smart price".
6. Your local market may be cheaper than the supermarket and you'll be doing your own to "help the community" so buy from the market if you have one.
7.Stay away from ready made meals- they're always overpriced and they don't taste that great!!
8. Get a lunch box and make your own lunch- you'll save a fortune.
9. Look up and bend down - because a supermarket's aim is to make you spend,therefore they put more profitable items on the eye level. if you must get an assistant to help you get the item- they put it there in the first place.
10. Use vouchers - these days people feel ashamed to use paper vouchers like it's a crime. If it's going to save you money use them and ignore the dirty looks you get from some people.

And don't forget to do a price comparison and if your local supermarket isn't that local- save money on fuel, order on-line and get it delivered. That way you're not tempted to buy what you don't need!
Remember the prophet (SAW) discouraged wasting food and encourages us to eat every grain on the plate as you do not know in which part the blessing is. Even if you drop some on the floor, take out the bad part and eat the rest.
If you're ever in doubt, follow these easy steps and you should be fine.

Picture "The 30 second rule, A Decision Tree" by Audrey Fukuman and Andy Wright
Tips: Modified from moneysavingexpert.com

Assalamualaykum: with love from Ghana

Assalamualaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu. Alhamdulillah, Another ramadhan is here; a time to ask for Allah’s forgiveness and mercy. I am spending half of my ramadhan in Ghana this year which is why I haven't posted anything in a very long time. Ramadhan here is interesting and although humid, I don’t think it is any different to fasting anywhere else in the world as everywhere has its own challenges. But before I tell you how absolutely beautiful it is down here, allow me to seethe a little about the food I had on the plane.

If you don’t know or haven’t guessed by now, I do not just eat anything. Add lactose intolerance to halal and I give anyone who has the courage to offer me any kind of food a dilemma. So, I didn’t think it was asking too much if I requested a halal meal from the airline I was flying with especially since it was going to be a while before I was guaranteed another proper meal. Considering the flight was from London, you would think this would be easy (and maybe even cheap); but I was mistaken. The meal which turned out to be vegetarian (or even vegan) would probably make it to the top 10 list of the worst food I’ve ever tasted! Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against vegetarian meals but the only reason I never bother with them is because they almost always contain cream, cheese or both which I can’t have. However, this wonderful meal (meant to be rice with dhal) we were served wasn’t even salted. I wonder who made this food or what they were thinking, one thing is certain, that food was not tasted! The only explanation I could come up with was that the person added all sorts of spices(probably randomly picked from international aisle at the supermarket) that made the food inedible. I love spices,but when added to the meal appropriately and in proportion. It tasted like the herbal concoction they have in Africa that is supposed to be used for illness, because this food was bitter. If I wanted medications, I'd head to the pharmacy. I even persisted and tried salt & pepper but that had no effect whatsoever- may have even made it worse. It was not just my pickiness as another person who had the same meal would not even touch it again once she had tasted it. As I didn’t want to be sick before I’d arrived to my destination, I asked them to take it away.

Ranting over, simply put, Ghana is beautiful. Everything in it just reminds me of Allah’s Greatness. The town I’m currently in is a little town in the Eastern region  known as Koforidua pronounced "koforidia" and is surrounded by mountains which explains why there isn’t much sun. But the view is just breathtaking and no words can describe it and no camera can capture the beauty. You’d really need to see it to understand what I mean. The whole country has quite a number of water bodies with the different Volta rivers coming together to form the largest manmade lake, the lake Volta.

They have sea food in abundant here. They seem to have something special going on with tilapia fish as every restaurant whether local or international will have it on their menu either roasted or fried. You could imagine how hungry we were after about 30 hours without proper meal. So on getting to Koforidua we went to what was described as the most reliable and moderately priced restaurant in town according to a guide book. On the menu was a combination of local and international food; they even have the Ghanaian version of Jollof rice. I was not completely convinced about their fried rice though so decided to order the popular local dish called Banku (fermented corn & cassava dough) with fish and spice ( made of raw tomatoes, chilli and onions) which isn’t for the faint hearted due to the chilli content. The food although really spicy was very good except you could see the full set of the fish’s teeth which didn't deter me. One meal I’m still reluctant to try is their fufu (cassava/pounded yam & plantain). My aim is to learn some of the recipes so I can share them when I get back. Pictures will come when I get back also because for some reason, I can't post any.

So insha Allah we will all have a very productive ramadhan and may Allah accept all of our dua’s. May He forgive our sins and bestow his Mercies on us. Remember that although you’re fasting, it is important to still eat in moderation when you break your fast and not to spend the whole evening cooking or eating. A reminder that whilst you already know what you’ll eat for Iftar, some are starving to death. Remember the horn of Africa in your duas and if you’re yet to donate, then use ramadhan to get even more rewards by giving during this month as a appeals are still ongoing. It is also a very good time to think about some things you have thought to give up such as smoking as analysts have found that to make something become a habit; it takes approximately 30days which would make ramadhan the best for breaking or making habits. May Allah make it easy for us all (Amin). 

Alhamdulillah it's summer!

Assalamualaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu. It’s officially summer and in the UK, this means a little bit of sunshine every now and then mixed in with rainfall, so not much of a different from spring apart from the fact that the summer solstice was a few days ago. Is it just me or are several babies born around this time of the year? Well, whether or not its baby season, let me give you some tips on staying fit this season. It’s not crash dieting because I don’t believe they work. The problem with diets is that once you stop, it’s back to square one.

Walk, walk and keep walking
Seriously, just simply walk everywhere. Walking is something you don’t have to think of as exercise as you do it without realising. You can stay fit simply by getting up a little earlier and walking rather than taking the bus or driving. If you’re taking the bus, try to walk to the next bus stop along. To make this work, increase your pace- as you’re probably not going to lose any calories by dragging yourself along the pavement whilst sipping Mcflurry. Interval training is increasing the pace of any exercise you’re doing for 30-60 seconds every 5 minutes and it can increase calories burnt by up to 30%. If you’ve ever had the joy of running late for anything, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Of course it is a lot easier to walk everywhere if you live in a small town. An alternative is to go to a fitness centre or start jogging. To do this you need to be pretty disciplined otherwise, you may as well pour the money down the drain.

Stairs vs. Lift
Taking the stairs lowers your body fat, reduces your blood pressure and increases your aerobic capacity if you persist with it. It may even be quicker and you’ll be contributing to planet earth in your own way by reducing your carbon foot print. I realise this may not be reasonable if you live on floor 20 but you can still try climbing one flight of stairs and using the lift for the rest. Increase the flight of stairs by one every couple of weeks-trust me, you’ll feel really good with yourself!

Smoothie vs. Milkshake
If you’re out and about on a hot day, you may feel like you need either one of the above. Generally speaking, a smoothie contains less fat than a milkshake and can be made healthier (as long as it’s made with real fruits) but they both will do in helping to keep you going until you can have a proper meal. Having said this, if you’re going to have any one of this, why don’t you make your own at home. That way, you know what’s gone into the mix and ensure they’re real fresh fruits.

Yoghurt vs. Ice-cream
Ice creams usually look very appealing –and in fact it looks way cooler than yoghurt. But it also carries a lot more calories with it. And with many different yoghurt flavours, coming in different sizes and shapes, some even claiming health benefits (probiotic), I wonder how the ice-cream companies haven’t gone into liquidation yet. Throw some fruits in your yoghurts, freeze it and you have yourself ‘homemade’ frozen yoghurt or light ice cream as some call them. You may disagree with me but ice creams are treats that should be taken at most once a month during the cold season and maximum once a week in the summer. Just because Magnum has a refreshingly thin lady in their advertisement does not mean you can get away with it-I doubt she even knows what it tastes like.

Water vs. Soda
When out and about, you’re at risk of getting dehydrated so drink water or herbal teas and ditch the cola, mochas and juices; you’ll be a few hundred calories better and you’ll stay better hydrated. You can even save yourself some money if you drink tap water. If you must, then go for real fruit juice rather than the zero calorie sodas – that is just a definite no no! If you’re going to be travelling using the central line in London, then definitely carry a bottle of water or you’re at risk of angry commuters hating you for causing “minor delays” on the line for passing out!

For completion, only eat when you’re hungry and cut out deserts if you can. If you need a snack, then go for nuts, fruits or low fat yoghurts. And if you’re struggling to keep with this, just remember the people who only have just enough for once a day and are not even sure where the next meal for tomorrow will come from. I will leave you with the recipe of one of the deserts I make but be warned as deserts are not my thing.

Fruit layered desert

What you’ll need
1 pot low fat natural/fruit yoghurt
A glass bowl
A biscuit made from rye (alternatively, muesli)
Seedless grapes (red and or / green)
Strawberries
Black/blueberries
Sliced bananas (sliced)
½ a glass real fruit juice (optional)

Preparation
Put a layer of the biscuit in the bowl. Then add one layer of fruit (any one), put the yoghurt on top of the fruit. Repeat to form layers until you fill the bowl. If using juice. Pour the juice on all layers. Cover with cling film and put in fridge for a few hours. It can then be served in slices (almost like a cheese cake but healthier). If using natural yoghurt, you may want to add a teaspoon of runny honey to help sweeten a little. As you see, you can use any type of fruit to suit your taste and different things to create an interesting layer.

Recipe: Jollof rice

Assalamualaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu. I shall be posting another African recipe this week but this time from the Western part of the continent where the food is rich, spices different and people really lovely. Of course, I’m talking about Nigeria! I sometimes refer to it as tomato rice (not that anyone ever calls it that in Nigeria). There have been several arguments on whether or not this particular dish is originally from Nigeria. To verify these claims, I head over to Wikipedia and apparently it originates from the Gambia (there is no need to guess who wrote that one). Well, if they did I must say a big thank you to the beautiful sisters in Gambia who ‘invented’ this amazing recipe that I have come to love.

What you'll need (serves 6-8)

500g easy cook long grain rice

8 medium sized fresh tomatoes

1 red bell pepper

1 red chilli (optional)

1 small can of tomato puree (approximately 3 tablespoons)

3 tablespoons vegetable (or sunflower) oil

2 medium sized onions

1 garlic clove (finely chopped)

1 stock cube

3 teaspoons curry powder

3 teaspoons thyme

salt to taste (1-2 teaspoons)

6 Bay leaves(optional)

Preparation

Blend the pepper, chilli, 1 onion and 6 of the tomatoes together until it becomes smooth

Slice half of the remaining onion and julienne the other half

Slice the rest of the tomatoes

Parboil the rice in a medium sized pot for 5 minutes. Then wash it with cold water until water is transparent (this prevents clumping of the rice). Alternatively if you don’t have the time to parboil, wash the rice and add a few drops of malt vinegar which also prevents clumping (especially if using basmati rice). Using another pot, fry the julienned onions and garlic for a couple of minutes in medium heat then add the blended mixture. Fry for another 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree, stock cube, curry, thyme and salt. Add the parboiled rice and water to just about cover the rice in the pot. Cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Add the sliced onion and tomatoes to the top of the rice and simmer for another 10-15 minutes until dry. If using bay leaves, cover the top of the rice with the bay leaves.

Warning: Jollof rice is notorious for burning that some argue that it is the burning that gives the distinct taste and aroma. So if after 5 minutes you smell burning, don’t panic just reduce the heating. Where possible, use a non stick pot for the cooking to prevent burning. Also try to avoid stirring the mixture once rice has been added and you may be able to produce jollof rice that does not burn. Alternatively, put the pot of rice in the oven and oven cook in 180-220 ⁰C for 15 minutes , that way it won’t burn but make sure the pot has no plastic handle beforehand.

Usually served with fried plantain, chicken and egg salad (in Nigerian parties)

Just in case you were wondering, the Gambian version is known as Benachin and they often add sea food, meat +/- vegetables in the mixture although once you start adding things to the mixture in Nigeria, the name changes from jollof rice to concoction. One day, I shall prepare the Gambian “version” and let you know which I prefer.

Restaurant review: Idman Restaurant

Assalamualaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu. One of the things I love about London is the diversity in the restaurants available whether you want something very specific to a country or perhaps intercontinental. It is also the best place to find your hard to find ingredients. I strongly believe you can find any ingredient on your list regardless of how exotic they may be as long as you know where to go. So you could imagine my excitement when I was told of this amazing Somali restaurant tucked away in the hearts of Shepherds Bush.

Location

The restaurant itself is located at 288 Uxbridge Road just down the road from Shepherds Bush Market and about 10-15 minutes walk from Westfield Shopping centre depending on where you exit from. The road is obviously teeming with several takeaways and restaurants but Idman actually does stand out so there is no missing it. It has also boasts of a separate Cafe which is what is visible from Uxbridge road, the restaurant is just behind the cafe.

Restaurant

My first impression was wow! It was very well decorated and really clean. You could tell that someone had made an effort with the decorations. There was an obvious African theme with the waiters & waitresses all being Somali ( I loved that by the way) and what I presume was Somali music in the background. There was an area that was separated from the rest of the restaurant that can accommodate a group of about 20. The main letdown was that although this area was separated, those sitting in the main area could still see inside. When asked whether a screen could be provided if a group of “hijabis” wanted to come there and be able to take off their hijabs or at least eat without being stared at, I was told no but that lights could be dimmed. Even though I didn’t ask specifically, I didn’t see any signs of prayer areas but this isn’t really important as Shepherd’s Bush mosque is only a stone’s throw away.

Customer Service

It was very good until it got busy ( which is totally understandable). The waitresses were quite professional and really patient. The starter arrived quick enough and the main dish not too long afterwards. The only delay was with the bill and I was actually beginning to think the food may have been free since we kept asking for the bill and were repeatedly ignored. It eventually came with some toothpicks which were gratefully received.

The Food

So after coming all this way to check what Somali food tastes like, you can imagine my shock when the menu came and it didn’t look like there was a lot of traditional food on it although everything on the main menu & starter was translated into Somali. For starter, I ordered King Prawn Salad served with hot chilli sauce (Shirimbis salad oo lagudaray basbaas) and although not as spicy as it sounds, it tasted absolutely amazing. Much so that I forgave the fact that I was not eating what I would have considered a Somali dish. For main meal I tried the Steamed tender lamb shoulder with tomato showered in Herb Sauce (Garab ari oo la huuriyey ama Xaniid). This was actually everything it said it was. I actually got a big chunk of the shoulder which was so tender that if it any tenderer, the lamb might actually melt in your mouth. There is a choice between Rice, Pasta or Pancake with every main meal. The portion was truly African – very generous which meant I had no room for desert although they had a very good selection. Smoothie enthusiast should also know that there is a fair selection of smoothies available. I still had space though for my version of real Somali tea (without milk).

Final Verdict

The price was very reasonable, customer service good and the food was amazing. Will definitely recommend it so if you’re ever out shopping in Westfield, provided you can find your way out of the shopping mall (it took me a while), then it is worth nipping down to have your lunch or dinner and you may even find a good scarf deal at the market nearby. Just so you know, I checked afterwards and the food was meant to be intercontinental not ‘Somali' so if you know of any “real” Somali restaurant, please let me know.

Assalamualaykum!

Assalamualaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu. I'm so excited simply because I'm finally starting this thing and its Friday! Just watch this space for different recipes from around the world and general tips about cooking. Feel free to email me recipes you are fond of. For now I'll leave you with the recipe of my favourite salad – from Egypt. I actually don't know if it has any traditional name but I know it's served in a lot of Egyptian and other Middle Eastern restaurants.

Egyptian parsley salad

What you'll need (serves 6)

1 cup parsley

1 cucumber

6 medium sized tomatoes

1 red bell pepper

1 medium sized red onion

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1.5 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 teaspoons ground cumin

A pinch of Salt and black pepper

1 finely chopped garlic clove (optional)

Preparation

Remove parsley from stalk and coarsely chop it. Dice tomatoes, cucumber and pepper and mix in with parsley. Thinly slice the onions and add to the rest of the mixture. Add lemon juice, olive oil, cumin. Pinch of salt and Pepper to taste.

It can be eaten on its own, added in wraps or served alongside main meals. I have served mine with fried plantain but another of my favourite is in a falafel wrap.

Healthy tip

This is the season for barbecue and not surprising, gastroenteritis ( stomach flu). Some simple tips to stay healthy. Wash your hands with soap when handling raw meat and make sure all meat is properly cooked before eating. Do not leave food outside fridge for long and ensure it is heated properly before serving it. In the wake of "E-coli cucumbers" please don't forget to wash your vegetables properly before using them and if you're in Germany, forget making this salad for now.

"People are all the same in health and ease, but when hardship befalls them, true distinction is shown" - Al-Hasan al-Basri

Marhaba