I’m a doctor - here’s how to eat well during Ramadan

Preparation is key to eating well at suhoor and iftar during Ramadan, says Dr Saliha Mahmood-Ahmed

People sit around a table eating their evening meal (iftar) during Ramadan)

Throughout Ramadan, Muslims worldwide fast between dawn and dusk. Doctor, cookery expert and former MasterChef winner, Dr. Saliha Mahmood-Ahmed is one of the many) taking part.

Mahmood-Ahmed is passionate about cooking, however her busy life (juggling work as an NHS doctor, and parenting two young children), means she isn't able to spend hours preparing dishes every day.

“I’m part of a new generation of mums. We grew up eating slow-cooked meals and dishes that were labours of love during Ramadan, whereas now, we're finding ourselves so much busier. Our tables must reflect that need to speed up the cooking process.

“We can't afford to spend hours in the kitchen. So, new Ramadan traditions are emerging. People now focus on quick recipes which are still impressive and continue to see flavour taking centre stage.”

Here’s Mahmood-Ahmed’s advice for getting nutritious dishes on the table as quickly as possible during Ramadan…

Batch cook and share

“Ramadan is an incredibly social month. With iftar [the evening meal] you frequently eat with family and friends, so having a freezer stocked full of food is really useful.

“Pre-Ramadan or even during Ramadan, lots of people have batch cooking and freezing sessions, where they make dishes such as kebabs, spring rolls and samosas.

“Often people do this collectively. Making extra portions to distribute to family members. And, at the same time they’ll batch cook something else. That way everybody gets lots of different dishes, which can be brought out as-and-when required.”

Keep things simple

“The normal shortcuts really apply,” Mahmood-Ahmed says. “Turn to your 20-minute meals, they are going to help you a lot.

“There’s no shame in using pre-cut or frozen veg or ready-made condiments. Also, opting for tinned beans or lentils rather than dry ones will save you hours.

Prep the night before

This is really going to help you when it comes to the pre-dawn meal suhoor, says Mahmood-Ahmed. “Suhoor has a very different vibe to iftar. You’ve just woken up and it's a time for contemplation. The food is focused on preparing your sustenance for the rest of the day.

“So, if you prepare the dishes the night before it helps. This is where something like my overnight oats will work well.

“I put them together when I’ve finished doing the dishes after iftar. I'll quickly mix the oats in with milk, nuts and the flavourings I want and then everything's ready for the morning.”

What Mahmood-Ahmed eats during a typical iftar

“If I look at the meals I have during iftar, it’s about having filling, nutritionally-balanced, simple dishes which taste great.“We break our fast with dates. I like them with clotted cream and nuts inside."

“Then we have a traditional South Asian fruit salad called fruit chaat which is three or four different fruits, topped with chaat masala, a spice mix which includes cumin and mango powder. Both dishes are so quick to prepare.

“After prayers, I will have my main meal. Something like tahini yoghurt with lentils, roast veg and roast chicken pieces with light spices on it. Or wraps with fillings such as paneer and salad. Anything that's in my post-work cooking repertoire I will do.”

“Rice and grains are also a real staple in Ramadan because they’re so great and if you cook them in a light pilau form with some onions to give it a brown hue you get a nice umami flavour, but it doesn’t take long to make.

“There’s always a big salad platter, with tomatoes and cucumbers which are hydrating and we always have a thick Greek yoghurt or a labneh with some olive oil on top on the table.

“Later in the evening, my husband and I tend to snack on something like high-energy balls, which I can pre-make with apricot, dried figs and nuts all ground together and then rolled in coconut.

“All of these dishes can be quick to make but are really satisfying.”

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These peanut and coconut balls will give you lots of energy and are good for you too

And when it’s time to celebrate Eid…

Eid is when you’ll want to spend longer in the kitchen preparing dishes, says Mahmood-Ahmed.

“If I think about my dream Eid dishes, it’s going to include raan, which is a leg of lamb, marinated in spices, garlic and yoghurt and then roasted slowly until it’s tender and pull-apart. It will be served with roast potatoes and jewelled (Persian) rice with candied carrots, apricot and lots of saffron. It feels very festive.

“I think with Eid the dishes do have to pay some sort of homage to your heritage. A dessert I love to make is carrot halwa cake. This involves me taking the traditional sweet carrot halwa pudding we grew up eating on Eid and then incorporating it into a cake batter. You’ve got the classic cinnamon flavour you associate with carrot cake but there’s also cardamom and nutmeg in there too. Once baked, you add layers of cream cheese frosting.

“It pays tribute to the cultures and food traditions we've grown up eating for Eid, while at the same time celebrates what a modern kitchen looks like and what modern appetites want as well.

Mahmood-Ahmed has also taken this approach to another heritage dish, warbat, filo pastry triangles which are traditionally filled with a custard or nuts and covered with a syrup. “This is a very festive dish, but I stuff it with mascarpone and chocolate spread.