Food during Ramadan

Any celebration is incomplete without food. So is the case during Ramadan. Ramadan, the holy ninth month of the Muslim calendar is a festive season marked by family get together, late night socializing and special food. It’s a time for inner reflection, devotion to God and self control .They totally abstain from food, drink, smoking and sexual activity from dawn to dusk. The usual practice is to have a pre-fast meal (suhoor) and before dawn and a post –fast meal (iftar) after sunset.


With so many Muslims observing Ramadan from a variety of countries and cultures, many types of food will be prepared. One may eat anything and everything during the night. But the most popular are dates, honey, breads, soups, fruits and olives. However there are certain special dishes. “Harees” is a special Ramadan dish. The wheat (without husks) is cooked over a low fire with mutton pieces for two-three hours. It’s then mashed with a wooden paddle until it reaches porridge like consistency. It is served on a large, flat platter topped with a layer of melted ghee and a little icing sugar mixed with ground cinnamon. This dish is served throughout the Arabian Gulf. “Yireesh” is like “hares”, but tomatoes, onions, garlic and spices are added to the mixture. “Muhallabiya” is a special Ramadan pudding and “Al geymat” is another popular dessert made from fried dough balls dipped in sweet syrup. Some other dishes are “Surtapam”, rolled pancakes with grated coconuts and spiced cardamoms, “Al-Basar”, shredded beef or chicken with semolina and baked like a cake, “Addukku Roti” ,layers of pancakes with a minced beef or chicken filling. Soups like “chorba”(made from tomato based with chickpeas and spices. Some uses vermicelli instead of chickpeas), “Fasulia”(made from green bean and beef stew) and “Bamia”(meat and okra strew) are very famous during Ramadan. Khyar bi Laban(cucumber yogurt salad),Fattoush(bread and vegetable salad),Tabouleh(wheat and herb salad) and Tomatoey Pasta Salad are consume with enthusiasm. Special beverages are also served. These include an apricot beverage called “qamardeen”, a sweet almond drink known as “sherbet beithan”, cold hibiscus flower tea “kerkeday” and “laban” or butter –milk.

Also there are opportunities to enjoy the taste of Ramadan in various restaurants cafes that serve special Ramadan dishes in this special month.

Sweets are part of Kuwait’s traditions especially during the holy month of Ramadan.Ramadan and sweets so hand in hand. A favourite sweet among Kuwaitis and expatriates alike is “Halwa” which is a cross between a moist buttery sugar-infused cake and a pudding, and contains nuts throughout and on top.Kuwaiti halwa often comes in a variety of colours and is flavoured with cardamom,saffron and rosewater.Halwa can be found from the Caucasus to India;its forms and names are various as the countries in which it is enjoyed.In Lebanon they like with cheese and in Turkey it is called Helva. Kuwait’s “Sambosa halwa “which is commonly served during Ramadan and special occasions,uses alomonds and is covered in powdered sugar."Rahash” is another Kuwaiti variety of halwa ,made using sesame seeds,date molasses and sometimes includes pistachio. Fried dumplings or “Legamat " in Kuwait are served in a sugary syrup and are common sweet during this holy month.”Legamat”is v.sweet and is like the Indian zelebe. Kuwaitis do have their own “zelabiya”

Dates are also an essential part of Ramadan tradition as they are mentioned numerous tmes by Prophet Mohammed. A favourite Kuwaiti twist on the plain date is “Temrhiya” which consists of solid dates mixed with butter and flour.Kuwaitis break the fast with a taste of dates and after a meal they sit and enjoy nibbling temriyah or crumbled tumrah (date) cake with coffee."Gher Aghali” is another sweet which is often served on Fridays through out the year.Its a cake like sweet flavoured cardamom and saffron.Another traditional sweets is “Aseeda” which is a heavy block like sugary sweet flavoured with the ususal saffron and cardamom.Though served in Ramadan and special occasion,it is believed to be beneficial postnatal woman for breakfast.

Cows and sheep were prized animals in Kuwait's bedouin past and as such they are prominent in Kuwait's traditional foods even today. 'Ilbhah' is derived from milk taken from cows or sheep on the first day after delivering a calf. The milk is flavored with saffron and cardamom and is thickened to a pudding-like consistency. It is said that Ilbhah had special vitamins and was likened to the colostrum milk women give to their newborns.

What is Ramadan?

RAMADAN, or what we call in India Ramzan, starts from tomorrow. In India, as a kid I remember going to the Eid parties and my muslim friends and their families keeping fast. But it is only after coming to Kuwait I have learned about this holy month. I have understood the true meaning of the term "Ramadan".


Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. During the blessed month of Ramadan, Muslims all over the world abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs during the daylight hours. As a time to purify the soul, refocus attention on God, and practice self-sacrifice, Ramadan is much more than just not eating and drinking. Muslims are called upon to use this month to re-evaluate their lives in light of Islamic guidance. Ramadan is a time when Muslims concentrate on their faith and spend less time on the concerns of their everyday lives. It is a time of worship and contemplation.


During the Fast of Ramadan strict restraints are placed on the daily lives of Muslims. They are not allowed to eat or drink during the daylight hours. Smoking and sexual relations are also forbidden during fasting. During Ramadan, every part of the body must be restrained. The tongue must be restrained from backbiting and gossip. The eyes must restrain themselves from looking at unlawful things. The hand must not touch or take anything that does not belong to it. The ears must refrain from listening to idle talk or obscene words. The feet must refrain from going to sinful places. In such a way, every part of the body observes the fast. Therefore, fasting is not merely physical, but is rather the total commitment of the person's body and soul to the spirit of the fast. Ramadan is a time to practice self-restraint; a time to cleanse the body and soul from impurities and re-focus one's self on the worship of God.

At the end of the day the fast is broken with prayer and a meal called the iftar. In the evening following the iftar it is customary for Muslims to go out visiting family and friends. The fast is resumed the next morning.

During Ramadan, it is common for Muslims to go to the Masjid (Mosque) and spend several hours praying and studying the Quran. In addition to the five daily prayers, during Ramadan Muslims recite a special prayer called the Taraweeh prayer (Night Prayer). The length of this prayer is usually 2-3 times as long as the daily prayers. Some Muslims spend the entire night in prayer. On the evening of the either the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th day* of the month, Muslims celebrate the Laylat-al-Qadr (the Night of Power). It is believed that on this night Muhammad first received the revelation of the Holy Quran. And according to the Quran, this is when God determines the course of the world for the following year.

When the fast ends (the first day of the month of Shawwal) it is celebrated for three days in a holiday called Id-al-Fitr (the Feast of Fast Breaking). Gifts are exchanged. Friends and family gather to pray in congregation and for large meals. In some cities fairs are held to celebrate the end of the Fast of Ramadan.

All Muslims over the age of puberty must observe Ramadan. Those who are exempted include the very young, the sick and the elderly who are too weak. Women in their menses or in labor or after childbirth are given temporary exemptions.

There are many things to learn during the holy month. Muslims learn what it means to be hungry in order to be compassionate for the poor; learn how close we are to leaving this world at any moment and how much humans depend on food and liquids; learn to control so-called animal urges and passions, and clear the minds and thoughts for serious remembrance of God.