Foods To Eat During Ramadan

Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar Muslim calendar, is a time of fasting for the faithful. As Britannica explains, the Night of Power occurred sometime during the last 10 days of Ramadan, when the Prophet Muhammad is said to have received Islam's holy book, the Quran, from God. Since then, Muslims all over the world have devoted the entire month of Ramadan to reading the Quran, praying, self-reflecting, and, perhaps most memorable to outside observers, fasting. This does not mean that adherents do not eat for 30 days. That would be dangerous. In fact, two meals are eaten per day, just not during daylight hours (young children and people with certain health conditions may abstain from fasting).

Suhoor is the morning meal, which is eaten before dawn, that provides the body the nutrition it needs for the upcoming fast. According to The Quran Recital, eating suhoor helps to regulate one's blood sugar levels and benefits digestion, fending off potential stomach issues that may arise before the end-of-day meal called iftar. Iftar is the evening meal eaten at sunset that breaks the daily fast. 

Because Muslims can be found in nearly every country and culture across the globe, the traditions around these meals vary from simple to elaborate. While many cultures share similar foods eaten during Ramadan, others are unique to their specific locations. Read on to learn more about what kinds of foods Muslims around the world like to eat during Ramadan.

Lebanese Manakeesh (sometimes spelled manakish) is a type of yeasted flatbread that can be topped with a variety of ingredients, similar to a pizza. Sometimes it is even called Lebanese pizza. Arab News explains that manakeesh dates back to at least the 10th century, and its recipe has remained relatively unchanged in all that time. One version called manakeesh za'atar is topped by, you guessed it, za'atar, a blend of herbs and spices that can be used in many dishes. Za'atar typically includes dried oregano, thyme, marjoram, sumac, and toasted sesame seeds, though there are many variations.

For manakeesh za'atar, the za'atar is mixed with olive oil and spread onto the dough before baking. Asma Aldaghar, who lived in Dubai, shared on Berkeley Lab's Global ERG that for Ramadan she makes manakeesh za'atar with "mint, olives, and cucumber for garnish." On YouTube, Hoda Hannaway explained how she tops her manakeesh with cheese, onions, mushrooms, and pepperoni, ingredients that are familiar to many Westerners. She suggests having manakeesh for suhoor, but it can be eaten at any time. Manakeesh is something that can be made to suit anyone's fancy.

The samosa began its life far from India, where it is practically iconic today. The pastry, which is stuffed with a variety of ingredients and then fried, traces its roots to Persia, where it was originally called "sanbosag" and later evolved into the more familiar word we use today. These crispy, savory snacks are enjoyed all over the world, so it is little wonder that they are found on so many iftar tables.

Samaiya Mushtaq wrote in The Dallas Morning News that samosas "are a staple of Ramadan in Pakistani culture" and something she looked forward to every year when she was a child. Mehar Ahmad recalled in an article for Australian Muslim Times the happy memories from growing up in what is now known as Bangladesh. She also suggested that those who prefer not to eat the more calorie-dense fried samosas should try popping them in the oven or an air-fryer instead. A quick and easy alternative to making the dough from scratch is to use premade sheets of spring roll wrappers or puff pastry.

Fattoush is a Levantine chopped salad topped with crunchy bits of pita bread that act the same as croutons. According to The Mediterranean Dish, using these leftover pieces of day-old pita was a way to not waste food. The vegetables used also vary by location and culture and are often based on what's in season at the time. Typical ingredients include lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and radishes, but different recipes may leave out any one of those items, including the lettuce. Sumac, or more precisely the spice made from ground sumac berries, is a key ingredient either alone or as part of a za'atar spice blend. The dressing is usually oil-based.

Fattoush is commonly found on Levantine iftar tables as well as the feast that ends the month of fasting. The salad is light and nutritious. Sumac has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, according to a 2014 study in the Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. Tomatoes, radishes, and cucumbers used in the salad also have multiple health benefits. 

Beshbarmak is a simple dish of noodles, boiled meat, and onion. According to Daily News Egypt, among Kazakh people, the meat is not seasoned because it is believed that the inherent flavors of the meat are what should be enjoyed. Many different meats, including horse, beef, lamb, camel, and goose, were traditionally used to make this dish, but today beef and lamb are quite common. The noodles tend to be broad, kind of like lasagna noodles. 

The dish can seem a little greasy to those who aren't used to it, and beshbarmak is sometimes made with leaner meat to suit Western tastes. But in generations past, the energy provided by fattier meat was important to people's diets, and many Kazakhs still make beshbarmak with fattier meat such as the hindquarters of a ram or horse.

The name beshbarmak translates into English as "five fingers." Experts say this is a reference to how the dish is traditionally eaten, using one's fingers, or because the meat is cut by hand.

For the people of Hyderabad, India, Ramadan brings haleem. This hearty stew of goat meat, lentils, and a blend of spices, is packed with nutrition and protein. Fayaz Farooqui, the media coordinator for his family's chain of restaurants in India known for making the dish, told NPR, "It is like an energy food. I bet I could fast for two days straight if I eat one bowl of haleem." That restaurant chain, Pista House, prepares a distinct version of the dish that has been declared as authentic to that region through the awarding of geographical indication status in 2010 by the Indian government, per NPR. 

Vaishak Damodar, a Hindu, told NPR that he eats haleem almost every day of Ramadan. "For me, haleem is a feel-good factor," he said.

Chef Kunal Kapur explained that the roots of haleem, as with many other Ramadan foods on this list, lie in Persia and were brought to India many centuries ago. It bears some resemblance to the Middle Eastern dish harees.

In the evenings, after the daily fast has been broken, the streets of Lebanon fill with vendors selling a crispy, sugary treat called kellaj Ramadan, or simply kellaj (also spelled kallaj and kellej).

Slow Food explained that the traditional dessert is made by first spreading a thin layer of batter across a hotplate to cook. Once the crepe-like pastry is cooled, a dollop of ashta, which is similar to clotted cream, is spooned on top, and the pastry is then folded into a rectangle. After sitting to dry for a few minutes, the pastry packet is fried in oil until golden. A sprinkle of fragrant orange blossom or rose water syrup finishes it off. Kellaj should be eaten warm.

Kellaj is synonymous with Ramadan. A resident of Beirut lamenting the increased price of kellaj a few years ago told Arab News, "Iftar tables look almost abandoned without traditional Ramadan sweets decorating them."

In Indonesia, many Muslims look forward to breaking their fasts with kolak, a sweet and saucy dish often served as an appetizer or a dessert. There are many different kinds of kolak, but each contains coconut milk and either palm or coconut sugar as a base. What gets added as the main flavoring determines the dessert. Kolak Pisang, for example, is made with slices of banana boiled together with coconut milk and sugar. Kolak Ubi blends sweet potato (ubi) and cassava with the milk and sugar mixture. Kolak Labu, which is made with pumpkin, is a particular favorite among children.

According to Delighted Cooking, kolak may also be seasoned with pandan leaves (also called screwpine), cinnamon, or sticks of clove. Kolak may be enjoyed hot or cold. When Ramadan falls during the summer, chilled kolak is quite refreshing. One commenter on the article said, "Kolak is my favorite comfort food! Creamy and sweet, it always lifts my spirits when I'm feeling down or if the weather is rainy again and I'm stuck in the house."