A Guide to Hosting the Perfect Iftar | ExpatWomanFood.com
 
 

A Guide to Hosting the Perfect Iftar

Because Iftar is the perfect way to spend quality time with loved ones.

Posted on

5 June 2016

Posted by

ewfood

Hosting the Perfect Iftar

The Holy Month is a time of reflection and generosity, in which Muslims try to do righteous deeds while also spending a lot of quality time with their friends and family.

Thus, Ramadan is known for its large Iftar gatherings where family and friends can share a meal, laugh, chat and practice religious prayers together after sunset.

So, how should you prepare your dinner table for the perfect Iftar?

Let's start from the beginning... You will notice that right before Ramadan, the malls are jam packed while the grocery stores are selling out of on-demand products such as meats, milk, tea, coffee etc. Going out while fasting can be exhausting, thus it’s important to make sure that your pantry is well stocked, so that your grocery trips are kept at a minimum.

For the Iftar gathering that you are hosting, make sure to prep your food a day in advance so that you can avoid stress about the food being delayed on your big day. Set the scene right with some prayers on the radio and let it play until the Maghrib prayer call.

Breaking The Fast

Many Muslims prefer to break their fast in the way of the Sunnah. The Sunnah is believed to be the verbal teachings, deeds, and the way in which Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and his companions lived their life, and the way in which many Muslims live their life as a vow to the prophet (PBUH).

According to the Sunnah, it is advisable to break your fast with dates, water or milk and as such, many Muslims today follow this tradition.

Make sure that the table has small bowls of dates accompanied with water, milk and other refreshments.

At this time, you can choose to play some traditional Arabic background music to set the perfect Arabian tradition.

Breaking the fast at Iftar

Image Credit: Getty

The First Course

The first course needs to start light. Try a soup such as chicken noodle, lentil or tomato soup accompanied with tabbouleh, fattoush or an assortment of fresh vegetables.

It is important that you provide enough vegetable for your guests in order to provide a balanced and healthy Iftar that the body can benefit from. Additionally, you can add mezzes and Arabian pastries to the starter dish to give your table a bigger variety.

Planning an iftar meal

Image Credit: Getty

The Main Course

The most popular main courses will likely include a meat dish. Most dishes will have chicken, lamb, beef or a variety of meat dishes. Accompanied with this is a carb such as pasta, potatoes and/or rice.

One of the more common dishes for Iftar parties are Kabsa which is a combination of fragrant rice with chunks of lamb of beef. Other dishes can include vegetable casseroles, cooked stuffed vegetables and vine leaves and other varities of chicken and beef dishes.

Main dishes for iftar

Image Credit: Getty

The Dessert

Dessert is a vital part of Iftar as the sugar is just what you need to end off a perfect meal. The sugar acts as an energy booster, however, it is important to note that sugar can also quickly turn to fat, thus it is important to eat sweets within moderation.

Basbousa and kanafeh are desserts that are commonly served in Ramadan. Made from semolina, basbousa is moist and rich in buttery and sugary flavours, while kanafeh is similar in flavour but crispy rather than moist and can be served with unsalted cheese to give it a savoury sweet taste.

Other popular desserts include baklava which consists of a filo pastry stuffed with cream and topped with a generous amount of syrup. Additionally, fresh fruit should always be available throughout the evening.

Iftar and Arabic dishes

Image Credit: Getty

Beverages

Drinks that should be made available on the Iftar table should include laban, milk, tea (local karak chai, black tea, or green tea are popular), coffee (Arabic and Turkish are popular), water, juice and any other traditional beverages (sahlab, jallab, ayran, etc.).

Drink ideas for iftar

Image Credit: Getty

Completing the Night

During Ramadan, the television is filled with Ramadan specials and series, in which many people enjoy watching together and discussing on the Iftar table. 

The festivities that take place after Iftar can vary depending on the age group that your party is catered to. Many Muslims like to pray together after (or sometimes during) Iftar, in which the eldest male present at the gathering will lead the prayers as they would in a mosque. After the prayers, an evening of laughs and chat are expected as well as board games and a deck of cards to keep the night alive.

Iftar activities

Image Credit: Getty

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