Learning to Cook Ramadan Food

As the person doing the cooking at home, I always feel responsible for trying to get everyone eating healthily.  This year I decided to try and learn a few new things and try to minimise all of the fried food that Ramadan has become synonymous with for some people.

I have been following recipes I have found on the internet with varying success.  One thing I have done this time is follow the recipes exactly without any smart ideas of my own to wreck the dish, apart from cutting down red chilli pepper wherever possible (neither me nor mum-in-law can stomach it at the moment).

The baked chicken below I tried at home and then for an iftar I was invited to.  It went down very well on both occasions and was easy and quick.  The recipe can be found here at Fauzia's Kitchen Fun, which has been a go to website for me. 

These were the other platters I took along when I was asked to bring some food along for an iftar.  The chicken sandwich recipe is my own (with inspiration from Fashionista Sister) and can be found here, however I have removed the relish and swapped for double cream which tastes better.

The small subs were made using a recipe found here at Fauzia's Kitchen Fun.  I also mad them for an iftar at home and for guests and they went down very well each time with people asking if I had bought them (so little faith in my cooking!)

Below is the filling for the subs which is sauteed/stir fried.

Gol Guppay are a Pakistani favourite, and with my in-laws being from Lahore, a culinary centre in Pakistan, I wanted to try these in the hope they would enjoy them.  The cases I bought ready made.  The filling recipe I found here.  They were all eaten, but I found the coriander overpowering in the recipe.

These Pakoras's were made from my mother-in-law's recipe which is loved by everyone.  I think they are probably one of the best versions of Pakora's I have tried.  Once I have captured the recipe properly (she throws things in without measuring them) I will post.  My version of the recipe is here.

I have been after the recipe for aloo chaat for ages.  I didn't know what to look for as they were not Channa Chaat (chickpea-based) or dhahi bhalle (lentil dumplings in yoghurt) which look similar but just don't hit the spot for me in the same way.

The recipe for the aloo chaat below is here at the Madhvi's Foolproof Recipes website.  What I liked about this website is that the the writer gives very specific directions and measurements, making the recipes idiot proof.  I will be back at her website checking for other recipes which look interesting.

These chicken kebabs are from the recipe here for Chicken McArabia.  Mum-in-law like this one because there was minimal chilli.  The kids were not so keen.  One bonus point, although I struggled to get it all down, I didn't get heartburn.

I've found some of these recipes really useful and it has encouraged me to try new things and gain some confidence in the kitchen.