As a long day of fasting ends in the midst of family and friends during Ramadhan, there are prayers by the faithful, but also stories shared across tables. For Ramadhan is about spirituality, but it is also about community feasting and sharing.
Of late, there has been a sudden spurt in culinary trends during Ramadhan as a way of handing down traditions to successive generations. This is especially true in the diaspora where Muslim families help to retain age old customs through recipes which will disappear unless documented.
Take, for example, Lina Saad’s ‘Ramadhan Express’, touted as ‘UK’s first Ramadhan cookbook’. The author says that ‘Muslims in the UK need inspiration for iftar and suhoor’ and this cookbook was a way to remind those fasting, and those outside the community as well, about Lebanese traditions of slow roasting of eggplant, using locally available produce like pomegranate and olives, and orange blossoms.
There is also Fawzah Fatinah’s ‘Celebrating Ramadan with delicious dishes: The ultimate recipes for the Holy month of Ramadhan’ or Anisa Karolia’s ‘The Ramadhan Cookbook’, both of which take time tested recipes from different parts of the world and add innovative elements to them. By explaining the cultural and religious importance of some ingredients and dishes, these books integrate spirituality, religion and culture through food.
Food blogs explore millennials’ experience of Ramadhan, often away from home. Sabeeha Rahman and the creator of ‘The plate memoirs’ use a narrative voice to talk about their childhood memories during Ramadhan and the lesson it taught them.
Added to this are a number of restaurateurs and amateur chefs who take social media by storm at this time. Food Fusion, Afelia’s Kitchen and Mahal Shaikh are very popular sites on Instagram, capturing recipes in colourful and literally picture perfect frames.
Speaking of pictures, Pinterest is another favourite place food bloggers use to inspire Ramadhan recipes. Boards like those of Muska Jahan and Umm Yasser combine international favourites with local specialities, all with a modern twist to cater to a younger, digital audience. There are also popular vloggers who explore everything from iftar streetfood to trendy, upmarket restaurants for those looking for unique culinary experiences.
Bur most importantly, culinary storyboards and recipe books all succeed in continuing the traditions of Ramadhan across generations. More than food, it is about involving the family and community with shared traditions. It is a tradition which revolves around using special lanterns, candles and oil lamps, along with fairy lights, imbibing heritage with modernity.
In Islam, food is much more than just food: it is “symbolising God’s blessing to mankind,” according to famous Turkish food historian Priscilla Mary Isin. This is also linked to the way that entire communities, including guests and travelers are invited to partake of any available food as part of Middle Eastern hospitality.
Food has always been an important way of understanding history, heritage and culture. In Ramadhan, this becomes even more important because culinary arts are closely integrated into the spiritual life of everybody observing the holy month.
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