The other day, someone commented on a recipe of mine with the question of whether my cooking and dishes differ Ramadan to Ramadan, since Ramadan falls in different months every year, or if I find myself making the same dishes whether it is summer or winter. That question did get me thinking…did I change how and what I cook year to year during Ramadan?
I don’t know if many of you read the online food site, The Kitchn, but I was excited to discover they would be doing a series of articles and recipes on Ramadan; from how to organise a Ramadan kitchen to talking with career people about how they fast and work. I am thrilled to see these posts because it finally brings Ramadan into the mainstream by showing how people across the world fast and break their fast.
For many years, I think close to 5-6 years, I subscribed to Bon Appetite magazine. In all that time, I never saw one magazine cover or feature on the two holidays that 1.6 billion people around the world celebrate. I read countless articles on Christmas, Easter, Passover, even Kwanzaa but no Ramadan or Eid ul Fitr or Eid ul Adha. I was quite disappointed and I think that’s why I stopped subscribing. I felt for a food magazine, they should know all food trends and holidays but they didn’t bother to research or educate. I don’t think anything has changed. I follow them on Facebook and I have yet to see anything on Ramadan.
So, imagine my excitement when I see an email from The Kitchn in my inbox asking me for my input on Ramadan. More than them asking for my input, I was excited that someone was focusing on Ramadan for a change.
Even though Ramadan is mainly about abstaining from food, drink and bad behaviours, it is also very much about family and community. The way any family and community connects is by sitting around a table after a long day of fasting and worship, and breaking their fasts together. Sharing a meal with family, friends and strangers is the best way to strengthen ties of kinship and friendship. And this act of sharing a meal is present in every culture and country.
If any of you are interested in reading my article on The Kitchn, you can find it here. I talk about my childhood Iftars in London and the Iftars I have with my children and husband these days.
Back to the question asked by the commenter, the answer is yes and no. Ramadan, like any holiday, has its food traditions. They are different according to countries, families and seasons. Every family has certain food they like to have during Ramadan and many times, it’s only during Ramadan that these foods are cooked. There are quite a few specialties that are reserved for Ramadan. So in this case, my cooking doesn’t change because winter or summer, I will cook certain Ramadan goodies like ataif bil ashta, fruit chaat, borek and samosas. Fasting also kicks in a craving for indulgent, fried foods and though I limit those greatly, I will make them a few days during Ramadan’s 30 days.
I have a set of foods that I will prepare specially for Ramadan regardless of the season, but I also do cook seasonally. When Ramadan fell in the cooler months, I did make a lot of rice dishes and warming stews and curries. This year, Ramadan falls during the longest, hottest days and warming curries just don’t feel good. I have been doing a lot of fresh, colourful salads with grilled meat. The dinner is easy, doesn’t take long, healthy and tastes delicious. We’ve also been breaking our fasts with all the wonderful fruit that’s available to us right now, various berries, juicy and crunchy grapes, and ruby red cherries. I haven’t fried anything yet! Of course, very soon there will be a rebellion from the natives who want their traditional Ramadan treats; I will have to succumb then.
These shami kebabs are always on my Ramadan to do food list. One reason: I love them. They are my favourite and have been since childhood. They are also very versatile just like the chicken kebabs I posted last week. These are kebabs that you can make in bulk and store in the freezer. A quick thaw and a shallow fry in a skillet and they are ready; piping hot, spicy and delicious. Most Indian and Pakistani households will have these in the freezer to pull out when guests drop in unexpectedly. They are perfect alongside a cup of hot chai and other savoury and sweet nibbles. They are also nice to have as an easy dinner: a quick tempering of tangy daal, hot rice or naan and a side of the freshly fried shami kebabs. My favourite way of eating shami kebabs as a child was to stick them inside two slices of buttered white bread, and it still is! I also like them rolled up in a paratha.
These days when I make them for Ramadan, I’m thinking suhoor, the pre dawn meal before the fast starts. I love having these kebabs with some eggs. I will make a large batch and have some for dinner that evening, fry some up for suhoor the next morning, and freeze the rest for later on in the month. This batch, I fried them all up and ate them for breakfast last week. A quick warm up in the microwave is all they need in the morning.
I have shared these before but I’m updating the post here and adding new photos. I hope you try these if you haven’t before. Something interesting to note, these are very similar to the Persian kotlet. Indian cuisine, especially Mughal cuisine has a lot of Persian, Ottoman and Turkish influence. So in dishes that have strong Muslim influence in India (mainly meat dishes) you find a variety of kebabs, meat curries and rice dishes heavy with saffron, nuts and dried fruit.
Rating
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 16-18 kebabs
- 1½ pounds/1 kg boneless beef cubes
- ¼ cup chana daal/ yellow split pea lentils, rinsed and soaking
- 1 teaspoon black cumin
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 black cardamom
- 7 green cardamom
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced or grated
- 4-5 cups water, divided
- 1 cup red onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
- ½ green chilli, finely chopped
- 3 eggs
- 1½ teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- oil, for frying
- The quickest way to tenderise the meat and lentils is to use a pressure cooker.
- If you don't have a pressure cooker, we can cook it traditionally; it will just take longer.
- Most of the time is inactive while the meat slow cooks.
- First, grind up the whole spices in a spice grinder.
- Wash and soak the lentils till needed.
- In a medium Dutch oven (5qt), add the meat, all the spices and 2 cups of water (or to cover by an inch)
- Bring up to a boil and then turn down the temperature to low.
- Cover the pot and let simmer.
- The meat will take 2 to 3 hours to tenderise depending on the cut of meat used.
- Check on the meat periodically to ensure there's enough water and to check the doneness.
- Add a cup of water after an hour, the drained lentils and the garlic and ginger
- If the meat is still pretty tough, cook for another hour, add another cup of water if needed.
- Check to see if the meat is tender and the lentils soft.
- If not add a ½ cup more water if needed and continue cooking.
- Once the meat is tender and the lentils are soft, uncover the pot and cook until the mixture is dry.
- Stir occasionally to prevent catching,
- Once the meat and lentils are soft and tender and the moisture has evaporated, pull off the heat and allow to cool.
- While still warm, place the cooked lentils and meat in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, almost paste like.
- Remove the chopped meat and lentils into large bowl.
- Season with salt to taste.
- In same processor bowl, add your onions and pulse till finely chopped.
- Remove into the bowl with meat and lentils.
- Pulse the cilantro and mint and green chilli.
- Add to the bowl.
- Crack in 3 eggs.
- Mix everything together into a meat dough.
- Take golf ball size balls of dough and shape into patties or ovals.
- Place on a plate lined with wax paper until ready to fry.
- You can shape the patties ahead of time and place them on a wax paper lined tray or plate and freeze or refrigerate.
- Heat up a large skillet or cast iron pan, add ½ cup oil to shallow fry.
- Place the kebab patties gently into the hot oil and fry until brown and crispy on one side, and flip and brown the other side.
- Drain on paper towels and serve.
Release the pressure and check to see if meat and lentils are tender.
Remove the cover and cook until almost dry, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather. It’s a bit too hot for me; the Midwest and West are in a heat wave apparently , and even though we are getting afternoon thunderstorms, it’s not cooling down much. I miss my winter!
Have a wonderful week, everybody!
Looks delicious, i’ll have to try this one!
Congratulations on having an article published, you had to be so excited. I hope your Ramadan celebrations were very meaningful this year.
Karen (Back Road Journal) recently posted..Schnitzel / What To Order In Germany
Lovely kebabs!! Looks so mouthwatering 🙂
Congrats on the feature at TheKitchn, one of my favorite online reads!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com recently posted..Roasted Makhana
Heading right over to the kitchn after after the completion of drooling over the shami kebabs. They look so beautifully made and delicious.
Fareeha recently posted..Hyderabadi Shikampuri Kebab recipe, how to make shikampuri kebab
Wooow looking awesomely delicious?!The clicks are too good and tempting!I wanna grab some for my tody’s iftar!hehe!Will try for sure!
It was lovely reading your article at The Kitchn… congrats on the same! I totally agree… even I was excited to see a lot of articles and videos about Ramadan, on a serious note or otherwise, as it makes a lot of them aware about the month and its traditions. Living in a Gulf country, it is easier to observe Ramadan and even back home, ours being a Muslim dominated area, Ramadan is observed very openly, but I always wonder how it is in western countries where you continuing working the same hours and have long fasting days… The Shami Kebabs look so strudy, I normally have had from restaurants and they just don’t seem to hold shape. Love the way yours looks, lovely pictures too… May U have a blessed Ramadan! 🙂
Rafeeda @ The Big Sweet Tooth recently posted..Cookie Batter Granola
Shaami kababs are my favourite, yours looks so yummy with such beautiful shots
Shami Kebab is really one of my favorites during Ramadan or otherwise. Lovely photos – yours look really soft and mouthwatering.
Shami Kebabs are the most easiest kebabs to cook & fill my stomach by just eating two kebab with Pav. My family staple breakfast & tea time partner
!!!
Congrats on ur article, going to read now ?
I loved reading your Ramadan post on the The Kitchn and didn’t even realize it was you at the time. I am not familiar with Shami kebabs aside from eating it once in an Indian restaurant. At the time I found it a bit too mushy for my liking, but it didn’t look at all like your lovely textured kebabs. Will give your recipe a try when I have more people to feed in shaa ALLAH.
Congrats on your article and it is indeed exciting to see ‘The Kitchn’ having done such an article.
These kebabs look great! Nice to meet your blog, I really like it a lot.!
Shami kebabs are always delight to make and you have explained well why they are so popular with everyone.
Congrats on the article published in the kitchen!
Wish you and your family happy and healthy rest of the Ramadan!
Balvinder recently posted..Desi drink – Kachhe Aam ka Panna
Congratulations on having an article published and I agree it’s nice to read and learn about the traditions and celebration of Ramadan instead of focusing on the fasting. What an intriguing recipe too – I thought these kebabs were more like a burger patty made with mince but reading the recipe it’s slow cooked beef with loads of spices. How delicious – a lovely way to start and finish your day.
Nancy | Plus Ate Six recently posted..Banana bread with spelt and honey
These patties look so delicious and I believe that my husband will totally love this with some fresh garden salad for his lunch. Thank you so much for sharing, Nazneen.
Angie@Angie’s Recipes recently posted..Buttermilk Spelt Emmer Dinner Rolls
Nazneen – that’s huge – congrats on having an article in The Kitchen! Just yesterday I read another bloggers day in the life post of where she talked about observing Ramadan as her host family was and she mentioned all sorts delicacies that were consumed when it was broken and then I stumble here and see these delicious, flavor packed kebabs!
Shashi @ RunninSrilankan recently posted..Broth & Salsa Flavored Salmon Burgers with Turmeric Quinoa
How delicious… I have never heard about shami kebabs — but I am looking forward to trying them. Love the table food styling with those gorgeous tea cups. I hope you are and happy to comment in your new post.
Congrats on the article! And congrats on today’s recipe — it’s a really good one. Love any kind of kebab — I think most people do. And gosh, you’ve really packed the flavor into these! Really outstanding — thanks.
John/Kitchen Riffs recently posted..The Bee’s Knees Cocktail
Ooh I bet these are amazing. You’re right about the lack of articles on Ramadan. Most non Muslims focus on the lack of food rather than the amazing recipes I see on your blog. I’d love to see more in mainstream magazines. GG
Glamorous Glutton recently posted..Review Summers Under The Tamarind Tree
These look wonderful, Nazneen – and I very much look forward to reading your article on Ramadan. The chicken kababs I made the other night from your recipe were fantastic, so I can only imagine how good these will be. Love the spice mixture.
If you think it is too hot in Colorado, you should come here! They are predicting 117° here and 120+° in Phoenix! We will be frying eggs on the hood of the car!
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