The Ramadan Kitchen
Nourishing Recipes from Fast to Feast
Highlighting cycles of fasting and feasting, Ilhan Mohamed Abdi’s creative, enchanting cookbook features an enticing mix of new and traditional Middle Eastern recipes.
Born in Somalia and raised in London, Abdi produces an alluring collection of recipes from various Muslim cultures. Her sources include handwritten recipes handed down by her mother and aunts and creative variations that reflect the influence of British and North African cuisines. Organized around the daily rhythms of Ramadan, the recipes include predawn Suhoor meals like Yemeni Lahsa (stewed tomatoes with eggs and cheese); small “bites” like Bajiye (Somali split-pea fritters) consumed at sunset after the daily fast; and hearty lamb, chicken, and beef stews for the evening meal. Sweet and savory dishes for Eid at the close of the monthlong celebration are also featured.
The meals are depicted in gorgeous full-page photographs. The featured flavors favor the Middle East, as with piquant blends of cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, and cilantro. Many of the dishes are meat based, but there are also lovely recipes for sea bass and cod and and intriguing plant-based recipes for vegetable lasagna, broccoli slaw, and date cinnamon rolls.
With a focus on “meals for real life,” the book emphasizes readily available ingredients and includes tips for stocking the pantry and preparing dishes in advance. While many items are traditional, there are clever, modern twists included, such as adding dill to beef for samosas and adding potatoes to the chickpea mixture for falafel. Evocative, reverential descriptions of Muslim beliefs and the cadences of Ramadan round the book out, as with Abdi’s lyrical reflections on quiet time spent with her family over the years.
While Ramadan Kitchen is designed to enrich ritual celebrations for practicing Muslims, it will also appeal to anyone interested in Middle Eastern flavors or in the warm, family-centered customs of the holiday.
Reviewed by
Kristen Rabe
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
