ramadan

Dry spice blend recipe by renowned Pakistani chef Tahira. Can be used with chicken, vegetables or beef, even boneless Lamb Picattas,

Qorma (Korma) Spice Mix

coriander powder

red chili powder

paprika (from deghi mirch)

salt

garlic powder

ginger powder

cumin

aniseed

pepper

chinese anise

cinnamon

ground large black cardamom pod

black cumin seeds

cloves

green cardamoms

mace

nutmeg

bay leaves, torn

dry roast only cumin and corriander seeds before grounding.

Use clean non odor wooden spoons for light mixing.

In a dry glass mixing bowl, begin adding the ground spices.

This recipe is based on portions/ratios - thus you can used the standard measuring cups or  even a cocktail glass a home!

Though the spice mix includes salt - the final dish will need adjustments.

Mujadara is a Middle Eastern lentils and rice recipe made w caramelized onions. You only need three ingredients to make this simple vegan, protein-rich meal

Lebanese Mujadara

lentils

rice

olive oil (divided)

onions (5 chopped, and 1 sliced)

Rinse lentils, strain and place in a large pot with 5 cups of water. Bring mixture to a boil, simmer and cook covered until the lentils are tender but not fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Most of the liquid should be absorbed.

Rinse the rice, then transfer to the pot of lentils and season with salt. Add 2 cups water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook covered until the rice is tender, about 18 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Allow the rice to rest in the pot for about 5 minutes, without opening the lid, to absorb all the liquid and steam.

In a separate large pan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat and fry the chopped onions until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer on top of the lentils and rice mixture, add cumin and toss to combine.

In the same large pan used to cook the onions, heat the remaining olive oil on medium heat and fry the sliced onions until golden brown and caramelized, about 15 minutes. In the last couple minutes of frying the onions, you can turn up the heat to high to get a crispy texture.

Serve the caramelized onions on top of mujadara with yogurt and mint, if desired,

When I make this recipe, I take out so many spices but it is well worth it.  My family and friends can't get enough.

The Best Biryani

lbs goat meat chicken

canola oil

onions

garlic paste

ginger paste

tomatoes

yogurt

chili powder

green cardamom pods

black cardamom pods

black peppercorns

cumin powder

garam masala

curry powder

bay leaves

plums

green chilies

cilantro

saffron

basmati rice

water

Cook in rice cooker with 15 cups of water. Cook rice until almost done.

Add chili powder, cloves, cardamom, pepper corn, cumin, curry, graham masala, coriander, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, dried plums, and salt.

Cook until meat is done and add water if needed.

Layer rice and meat mixture and sprinkle with saffron mixture.

It was ,no doubt, the best biryani ever. It just had the taste of a restaurant biryani. The meat was completely tender and I disagree with everyone who thinks the rice quantity was more, because it turned out to be perfect for me. Please post some more recipes of different kinds of biryani. Thanks a lot..

This recipe shows you how to make a fragrant lamb biryani — and rice! — in your Instant Pot for a one pot meal you can enjoy for a hearty dinner. 

Instant Pot Kacchi Lamb Dum Biryani

lamb shoulder

plain Greek yogurt

yellow onion, minced

cilantro, chopped

mint leaves, chopped

ginger

garlic, minced

turmeric

cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)

cardamom

serrano pepper, minced (adjust to taste)

onion,

vegetable oil

Rinse the rice and set it aside (this allows the rice to soften and absorb some water).

Prepare the lamb: In a large bowl, combine the lamb, yogurt, onion, cilantro, mint, ginger, garlic, garam masala, salt, turmeric, cayenne, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and serrano. Toss to coat and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.

Prepare the garnish: Preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the sliced onion with the oil and salt and arrange on prepared pan. Broil, stirring halfway through, until browned, about 15 minutes. Set aside. 

Place the marinated lamb in the Instant Pot. Top with the rice, spreading it into an even layer. Add the water and, using the back of a spoon, gently push down the rice until it&#x27;s submerged under water, being careful not to mix the lamb and rice together.

Cook at High Pressure for 6 minutes, then allow it to fully release pressure naturally. Releasing the steam mimics the &quot;dum&quot; (steam cooking) part of the Dum Biryani. 

Serve lamb with broiled onions and cilantro. 

In Pakistan, home cooks have varied takes on samosa fillings — this one combines spiced ground chicken with cilantro and green chiles for freshness — but most agree on store-bought spring roll wrappers for the shells. Convenience aside, these ready-made pastry sheets are the key to unparalleled crispness. Samosas are commonly assembled in big batches and frozen uncooked so they’re ready to fry anytime. 

Qeema Samosas (Chicken Samosas)

ginger paste ginger

garlic paste garlic

yellow onions, finely chopped

cumin seeds, toasted

red chile

turmeric powder

chicken

fine sea salt

white vinegar

spring roll wrappers (8 inches square; see Tip)

all-purpose flour

Canola oil,

Mint Chutney,

Make the filling: Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium. Add the ginger and garlic, and cook, stirring, until the raw smell dissipates, about 2 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the cumin seeds, ground chile, coriander and turmeric. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not burned, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the chicken, salt and vinegar, and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring to break up the chicken, until all the liquid has evaporated and the chicken is cooked through but still retains some moisture, 10 to 15 minutes

Add the garam masala and fresh chiles, and stir for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Turn off the heat and add the cilantro. Stir until well mixed and let stand until cool enough to handle. 

Meanwhile, prepare to assemble the samosas: Line a sheet pan with wax paper or plastic wrap. Stack the wrappers and cut evenly in thirds to create 42 rectangles, 8 inches long by 2⅔ inches wide. If your wrappers are not 8 inches square, aim to cut 42 rectangular shapes in a 3-to-1 ratio. Place a damp clean cloth over your pastry sheets to prevent them from drying. Place the flour in a small bowl and add enough water (about 3 tablespoons) to make a smooth paste that’s the consistency of craft glue. 

Take a pastry rectangle and place it with the long side facing you on a flat work surface. Replace the damp cloth over the remaining pastry sheets to keep them from drying out. Take the bottom-right corner of the rectangle and fold it over the top, with the short side extending 1 to 2 inches past the top. The overlapping pastry at the bottom right of the sheet will form an equilateral triangle with sides that are about 3 inches long. This triangle will be the final shape and size of the samosa. Fold the triangle so its right outer edge is aligned with the horizontal bottom edge of the sheet. There should now be a triangular pocket with two flaps sticking out to the left. Pick up the pocket so it is open and upright like a cone. Fill the cone with 2 teaspoons of the filling. Using the back of a small spoon, spread the flour paste in a thin layer over the remaining strip of pastry. Fold it over the stuffed triangle to seal the samosa. If the corners of the samosa have any gaps, fill them with the flour paste and pinch them to seal. Repeat with the remaining filling and rectangles (you may have leftover wrappers) and lay on the lined sheet pan, spacing apart. They can be fried or baked right away, or frozen on the pan until firm, then sealed in an airtight container or freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to 2 months before frying and go straight into the hot oil from the freezer.

To fry the samosas, fill a frying pan with oil to a depth of ½ inch. Heat the oil over medium-high until it ripples. Add enough samosas to fit without overlapping and shallow-fry until golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes per side (longer, if frying directly from the freezer). Transfer to a cooling rack or plate lined with a paper towel to prevent them from getting soggy. Repeat with the remaining samosas, replenishing and reheating the oil between batches. 

To bake the samosas, heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 1-inch-deep sheet pan with foil and add a thin layer of oil to the pan (about ¼ inch). Coat the samosas with the oil in the sheet pan and arrange them on the pan in a single layer in rows. Bake, turning once halfway through, until evenly golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer to a cooling rack or plate lined with a paper towel to prevent them from getting soggy.

Serve hot or warm with the mint chutney for dipping.

Filled with a Punjabi-spiced potato and pea mixture, these samosas prioritize convenience without compromising flavors or textures. Use store-bought spring roll wrappers to make a big batch when you have time, then freeze the samosas to fry and serve as near-instant snacks for iftar, at parties or intimate gatherings with chai, or as low-fuss everyday cooking. With a crispy exterior and a filling citrusy with coriander and sweet from peas, these vegan samosas are perfect any time. 

Aloo Samosas (Potato Samosas)

russet potatoes (1 pound)

cumin seeds

coriander seeds

coriander powder (optional)

cumin powder (optional)

peas

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by a few inches. Salt the water, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until a knife slides in with little to no resistance, about 20 minutes. Drain, then set aside. When cool enough to handle, peel and use a fork to smush them into a coarse mash.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick pan over medium for a minute. Add the cumin and coriander seeds, and stir until the seeds are fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the ground chile and turmeric, and the coriander and cumin powders, if using. Continue cooking, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the potatoes, peas, garam masala and ½ teaspoon salt, and raise the heat to medium. Cook, stirring to evenly mix the ingredients, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh chiles and cilantro. Let stand until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, prepare to assemble the samosas: Line a sheet pan with wax paper or plastic wrap. Stack the spring roll wrappers and cut evenly in thirds to create 42 rectangles, 8 inches long by 2 ⅔-inches wide. If your wrappers are not 8 inches square, aim to cut 42 rectangular shapes in a 3-to-1 ratio. Place a damp clean cloth over your pastry sheets to prevent them from drying out. Place the flour in a small bowl and add enough water (about 3 tablespoons) to make a smooth paste the consistency of craft glue. 

Short-grain rice imparts a subtle sweetness to this creamy, peanutty blend. Aromatic cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves — or any other warming spices — meld into the comforting porridge, which is often served at the beginning or end of the day as a means of filling the gap between meals in northern Nigeria. Serve hot or room temperature, with a dab of tamarind purée for a bit of acid and some granulated sugar, honey or dates for sweetness. Or, mix the porridge with kefir for a drinkable version (see Tips).

Kunun Gyada (Spiced Peanut Rice Porridge)

peanuts

short-grain white rice, rice

selim seed pods (see Tips)

cinnamon,

ground cayenne or 1 whole dried cayenne pepper

ground cloves or 1/4 teaspoon whole cloves

(see

Place the raw peanuts and rice in separate bowls, and add enough water to cover each by 2 inches. Soak at room temperature for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

Drain the peanuts and transfer to a blender. Pour in 2 cups room-temperature water and purée on high speed until smooth. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer or a sieve lined with muslin or two layers of cheesecloth, into a medium pot. Return the solids to the blender and combine with another 2 cups room-temperature water. Blend on high until puréed. Repeat the straining process, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. The remaining solids should be dry and crumbly. Discard the solids. You should have 4 cups of peanut milk in the pot.

Drain the rice and transfer to the blender (no need to wash). Pour in 2 cups room-temperature water and purée on high to grind the rice until smooth.

To the pot of peanut milk, add the selim seed pods, ginger, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne and cloves to the peanut milk. Heat the milk and spices over medium, whisking frequently, until steam begins to rise from the surface, about 6 minutes. If using ground spices, continue with the next step. If using whole spices, including selim pods, turn off the heat, cover and allow the spices to steep for up to 10 minutes. Remove the spices with a slotted spoon after steeping.

Turn the heat to medium-low and whisk in the ground rice purée. Cook, stirring frequently until the mixture is thick enough for your whisk to leave a faint line as you drag it across the surface and any bubbles slowly rise to the surface, 8 minutes. Cover and simmer without stirring for about 4 minutes to fully cook the ground rice. Any coarse ground rice should be cooked through and soft, not starchy.

Serve the porridge in bowls warm or at room temperature. Top with a spoonful of tamarind paste for a slightly tangy finish and sweeten with granulated sugar, honey or chopped dates.

Amanda Saab, a social worker and home cook who lives near Detroit, riffs on her Lebanese grandmother's recipe for namoura, a cake made from semolina flour, soaked in syrup while it's still warm. When she serves it at iftar dinners during Ramadan, Ms. Saab often doses the syrup with a little bit of lavender extract. You could follow her lead, or use another floral note like vanilla or rose. The cake has no eggs, but this version gets its rich flavor and texture from aerated yogurt, which goes bubbly within minutes of being mixed with a little baking soda.

Namoura (Syrup-Soaked Semolina Cake)

granulated sugar

lemon juice

vanilla

unsalted butter

semolina flour

plain whole-milk yogurt

baking soda

29 grams slivered almonds

In a small saucepan over high heat, boil sugar and 1 cup/240 milliliters of water, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add lemon juice and extract, and stir to combine. Simmer until thickened into a syrup, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter. Place the semolina, melted butter and sugar in a large bowl and stir until well combined; set aside.

Place the yogurt and baking soda in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Set aside until the mixture has nearly doubled in size, about 10 minutes.

Pour the yogurt mixture over the semolina mixture and mix well to combine. Transfer to the buttered baking dish and press into an even layer. Using a knife, score the surface of the namoura on the diagonal into 2-inch diamond-shaped pieces. Top each diamond in the center with an almond. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Place baking dish on a wire rack and drizzle the cooled syrup over the top of the hot namoura. Let cool to room temperature before recutting along the scored lines and serving.

Harira, a savory Moroccan soup made with dried legumes — lentil, chickpeas, fava beans — is traditionally cooked with lamb or lamb broth, but this version is vegetarian. Though it is typically eaten to break the fast during Ramadan, it is served throughout the rest of the year as well. The soup tastes best the following day, when flavors have melded, but may thicken when refrigerated. Thin with water or broth when reheating, and adjust the salt.

Harira Soup

olive oil

garlic cloves,

black pepper

cayenne

(3-inch) piece cinnamon stick cinnamon

celery leaves

Salt

brown lentils,

red lentils,

fava beans (or substitute 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight)

angel hair pasta

Lemon wedges,

Put olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly colored, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, pepper, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, saffron and cinnamon. Cook for about 2 minutes more.

Add tomato, celery leaves and cilantro and bring to a brisk simmer. Cook, stirring, about 5 minutes, until mixture thickens somewhat, then add 1 teaspoon salt, the brown lentils, red lentils and dried favas. Add 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, covered with the lid ajar.

Let soup simmer for 30 minutes, then taste broth and adjust salt. Cook for 1 hour more at a gentle simmer, until the legumes are soft and creamy. It may be necessary to add more liquid from time to time to keep soup from being too porridge-like. It should be on the thick side, but with a pourable consistency. (With every addition of water, taste and adjust for salt.)

Just before serving, add pasta and let cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle soup into small bowls and pass lemon wedges for squeezing.

Recipe developer Zaynab Issa's Karak Chai is richer than most cups of tea, thanks to its generous use of evaporated milk and hints of vanilla, cinnamon, and cardamom.  

Karak Chai Recipe

Tetley British Blend

cardamom pods, cracked

cinnamon stick

Tbsp. (or more) sugar

vanilla extract

evaporated milk

This style of chai is an adaptation of traditional Indian masala chai, whose name translates from Hindi to “strong tea.” It’s rich and creamy thanks to evaporated milk and is usually made with fewer spices than masala chai. Recipes vary family to family and some may include saffron. This version is adapted from my cookbook, Let's Eat. —Zaynab Issa

Bon Appétit

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a medium pot or tea kettle. Add tea bags, cardamom, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla extract and return to a boil. Stir in evaporated milk and return to a boil again, watching carefully to ensure the tea doesn’t boil over. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thick, creamy, and caramel in color, about 30 minutes. (The longer the tea simmers the stronger and creamier it will be.)

Strain tea through a fine-mesh sieve into mugs; discard spices and tea bags.

Mandazi are any doughnut-lover's dream come true: fluffy, and hollow on the inside, mildly sweet in flavor, and crisp on the outside. 

Mandazi (Mahamri)

instant yeast

all purpose flour,

sugar

full-fat coconut milk

Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Vegetable oil (for bowl and frying; about 8 cups)

Chai, sweetened condensed milk, or Nutella (for serving)

deep-fry thermometer

If French beignets and American old-fashioned doughnuts had a love child, it would be mandazi. They’re fluffy, and hollow on the inside, mildly sweet in flavor, and crisp on the outside. The coconut milk in this recipe, which is adapted from my cookbook Let's Eat, adds a unique mellow sweetness to the dough that doesn’t feel overly indulgent. The key to achieving the perfect hollow mandazi is to continue to agitate the dough when frying by flipping them and pressing them down to submerge in the oil. To make this recipe vegan-friendly, substitute vegetable or coconut oil for the melted butter. —Zaynab Issa

Whisk yeast, cardamom, 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, and ¼–⅓ cup sugar, depending on your sweetness preference, in a large bowl to combine.

Whisk coconut milk, butter, and ¼ cup water in a measuring glass. Microwave until lukewarm, about 15 seconds. (Alternatively, heat in a small saucepan until lukewarm.) Pour into dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until incorporated. Dough will appear shaggy and a bit dry.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until soft and dough springs back when gently pressed, 13–15 minutes. (Alternatively, you can knead in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook on medium speed, 8–10 minutes.) Transfer dough to an oiled large bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Transfer dough back to a lightly floured surface, cut into 4 equal portions, and roll each portion into ⅛"–¼"-thick rounds. Cut each round into 4–6 triangle-shaped portions, depending on the desired size.

Pour oil into a large pot to come 2" up sides, clip thermometer to sides, and heat over medium until thermometer registers 325°. Working in batches of 2 or 3, carefully drop dough pieces into oil. They will sink at first, then float to the surface. Once they come to the surface, cook, pushing down, pouring oil over, and turning (this will ensure they puff up and are hollow in the center), until deep golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer mandazi to paper towels and let drain.

Serve warm with chai, sweetened condensed milk, or Nutella.

Zaatar Manakeesh is a Mediterranean flatbread that's made with dough and zaatar spice. It's an easy recipe to make from scratch using very few ingredients!

Top 40 ramadan recipes from across the web

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