Ramadaan is a significant time on the Islamic calendar when Muslims around the world embark on a month of fasting.
It’s a time for Muslims to focus on their relationship with the Almighty by way of prayer, sacrifice, reflection, giving to those who are less fortunate and togetherness.
Although eating is not allowed between dawn and sunset, food still has a significant meaning during this time.
Growing up, I’d always see my Muslim neighbours share bordjies kos with each other in the evenings just before breaking their fast.
If my neighbours weren’t sharing plates of koekies with each other, they were out distributing lekker bakkies sop or akni in parts of the community where people were struggling.
People would line up outside the mosque or in front of a bakkie parked on an open field and get a lekker warm meal.
Local foodie and cookbook author Farzana Kumandan says: “Fasting in Ramadaan is one of the five pillars of Islam and it serves as a reminder to us that there are so many suffering and who are hungry, thirsty and without basic needs.
“Ramadaan teaches us gratitude, compassion and encourages us to make it our duty to help those in need.”
It’s tradition to break your fast with dates and water followed by something light, like soup.
“Nothing warms the home like the smell of lekker iftaar or boeka treats (foods we break our fast with) during Ramadaan.
“Soup, samoosas, daltjies, fritters or savouries are usually the order of the day,” she says.
Farzana shared some of her favourite boeka recipes with us.
Wishing all our Muslims readers well over the month of Ramaadan.
Boeka Recipes
Daltjies
By Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
1 large onion grated
1 large potato grated
1 carrot finely grated
2 green chillies finely chopped
2 teaspoons jeera
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1½ cups chilli bite mix
1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
Salt to taste
Water to form a thick batter
Method
Mix all ingredients together to form a thick batter.
Drop spoonful’s into hot oil, drain on roller towel and serve hot
Half Moon Dough
By Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 cups water
2 tablespoon butter
¼ teaspoon salt
Method
In a heavy based pot on a medium heat bring the water and butter to a slow boil.
Once it boils, remove from the heat and add salt and flour.
Transfer to a glass bowl and knead to form a soft dough.
Roll out on a floured surface and cut out circle rounds with a cookie cutter or a glass.
Add your cooled filling, fold over and seal your half-moon by pressing it together firmly.
Chill for 15 minutes and dip in a mixture of water and flour or milk or egg and roll in breadcrumbs.
Chicken and Cheese Half Moons
By Farzana Kumandan
Ingredients
2 Tablespoon butter
1 medium onion finely chopped
300g chicken mince
¼ cup frozen corn
1 tablespoon garlic and ginger
1 teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon jeera
½ teaspoon coriander
2 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 tablespoon nandos sauce
½ cup chopped coriander
1 cup grated cheese
Salt to taste
Method
Braise the onion until golden brown.
Add the chicken mince, corn, spices and garlic and ginger.
Add ½ cup water and simmer until chicken mince is cooked and completely dry.
Add in the sauces and cook until thick and saucy.
Set aside until it’s completely cold and mix in the cheese and coriander.
Fill, seal and crumb.
Fry until golden brown.
Pepper Steak and Cheese Half Moons
By Farzana Kumandan
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion diced
2 green peppers diced
300g steak finely diced
1 tablespoon garlic and ginger
1 tablespoon white pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons Mrs Balls chutney
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
½ cup chopped coriander
1 cup grated cheese
Salt to taste
Method
Braise the onion until golden brown.
Add the steak, pepper and garlic and ginger.
Add 1½ cups water and simmer on a medium heat until the steak is cooked, tender and completely dry. (Add more water if needed)
Add in the green pepper, sauces and simmer for 5 minutes until thick and saucy.
Set aside until it’s completely cold and mix in the cheese and coriander.
Fill, seal and crumb.
Fry until golden brown.
Savoury Dip
By Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
For Base Sauce
1x 750ml All Gold Tomato Sauce
1x 470g Mrs Balls Chutney
1x 375ml Maggi Chilli and Garlic Sauce
1 x bottle strong chilli sauce or danya (I use Quality Pickles Danya Chutney)
For Vagaar (to bring it together)
3 Tablespoons Oil
7 curry leaves
3 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
½ teaspoon jeera seeds
½ teaspoon crushed chillies (this depends on how strong you want your dip)
3 Tablespoons Methi /Atchaar Masala (from your local spice shop)
Method
In a large pot over a low heat add the oil, curry leaves, jeera
seeds, sesame seeds and mustard seeds.
Once the seeds begin to sizzle and pop, add in the crushed chillies and methi masala.
Stir fry for a minute and add in all the sauces.
Simmer to a slow boil and turn off heat.
Allow to cool completely and decant into jars or bottles, refrigerate and use as needed.
Beef and Split-pea Soup
By Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
1kg Soup Bones with Meat
Half packet green dried split peas
4 all spice
Rinse the meat and peas well.
Boil together with all spice for about an hour, topping up water as needed, just to cover ingredients
Roughly chop up
5 carrots
1 big onion
1 garlic clove
1 small potato
1 small tomato
1 handful celery leaves
1 handful parsley
Method
In a Separate pot add all the veg and braise with a small piece of butter, 1 tablespoon pepper and 1 tsp salt (add more if needed later) until tips start getting golden, then lower heat and close lid and let all veg sweat for 1 min.
After 1 minute top the pot with boiling water (enough to cover the veg) and boil with lid slightly open for 45 min.
After 45 min, liquidize all veg and add back to the pot with split peas and meat and simmer for a half hour.
Makes about 4-5 liters of soup.
Chicken Mince Samoosa Filling
By Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
500g chicken mince
1 teaspoon garlic and ginger
½ teaspoon crushed chillies
½ teaspoon jeera
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon tandoori spice
1 teaspoon roasted masala/ curry powder
Salt to taste
1 big grated onion (all excess water squeezed out through a cloth)
Half bunch fresh danya chopped
3 chopped green chillies
Method
Braise your chicken mince, garlic and ginger and spices in butter until cooked and all liquid has completely dried out.
Allow to cool completely.
Mix in your grated onion, chopped danya and chopped chillies.
Fill and fold your samoosas.
Beef Mince Samoosa Filling
By Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
500g beef mince
1 teaspoon garlic and ginger
½ teaspoon crushed chillies
½ teaspoon jeera
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon tandoori spice
1 teaspoon roasted masala/ curry powder
Salt to taste
1 big grated onion (all excess water squeezed out through a cloth)
Half bunch fresh danya chopped
3 chopped green chillies
Method
Braise your beef mince, garlic and ginger and spices in butter until cooked and all liquid has completely dried out.
Allow to cool completely.
Mix in your grated onion, chopped danya and chopped chillies.
Fill and fold your samoosas.