Ramadan in Malaysia is always surrounded by the topic of food. In Malaysia, these are the staples for Iftar, as well as for Hari Raya Aildilfitri – Roti John, popia basah, rendang, ketupat ayam percik, murtabak, nasi tomato, assorted kuih and many more!
Everyone in Malaysia that has celebrated the Ramadan must’ve heard and tried out these great foods, but what about the foods that are served during Ramadan in other countries? There is indeed a great variety of foods to take inspiration from in other countries, and we will explore some of their best to spark your creativity when you are preparing for your food service business’s seasonal menu.
Speaking of Saudi Arabia, many would know kunafa – a thin-noodle like pastry soaked in sweet, sugar-based syrup. Despite being a country on it’s own, they do have separate preferences of their common foods. For instance, people in the central region preferring Hanini, a famous dessert that is cooked from dates, which is also an essential ingredient that is used in their coffee, soup and fried or baked stuffed pastry. Jareesh is also widely eaten during the holy month, by using ground wheat cooked with rice, fried unions, vegetables and chicken.
In the western region, foul and tamees take prominence – fava bean strew and tamees bread. Speaking of meats, there is also the simple Saleeg, a simple white-rice dish that is typically cooked in broth and milk, but is popularly made with chicken or added with other meats. In the east however, Muslims generally break fast with meat and vegetable stew called saloona.
Turkey is also a core area for delicious meals, being well known for their olive oil dishes -ZeytinYagli. This dish is a family favorite in households during the holy month, whichincludes dry white beans, fresh green beans, cranberry beans as well as stuffed vegetables and then cooked with olive oil, then finally served with cured meats such as pastirma and rice. Other than their main dishes, Turkey also has one of the most well recognised dessert of Gullac, a traditional turkish dessert that inspired the better known Baklava. Made of milk, pomegranate, rose water and layers upon layers of pastry and nuts, you can’t go wrong with this dessert!
To our closer neighbors, they also share our talent of having amazingly delicious food for every culture and event. Like us, they also have a sweet tooth that needs to be fulfilled, with desserts such as Kolak, a bowl filled with slices of bananas, sweet potatoes or pumpkins then filled with coconut milk mixed with palm sugar and pandan leaves as its soup, it serves as their appetizer in hot or cold so it fits any mood for the meals to come. For the main meal, they hit hard with a familiar meal of Opor Ayam, the most popular food that Indonesians eat throughout Ramadan. As the name suggests, it consists of chicken but it’s special in which it is cooked with coconut milk curry.
Like Malaysia, the UAE boasts a large multi-ethnic culture, with many different foods mixed in with each other resulting in a large variety of tasty and plentiful food prepared for the coming Holy month. One such food that is beloved by all cultures in the UAE is the Harees, one of the most popular traditional Emirati foods. As a wheat-based, porridge-like dish simmered in water, it is also topped with lamb or chicken and further cooked for a few hours resulting in an easy to cook, and easy to prepare in large batches for many families to keep up with the spirit of Ramadan.
To wash down their meals, its common to also have Arabic coffee, or Gahwa, a type of traditional arabic coffee from finely ground coffee beans and cardamom. Prepared by boiling on a stovetop in a small pot before transferring the contents to an ornate coffee pot called Dallah, its cultural significance stems from its symbolism of cordial hospitality and served during Ramadan on every iftar table.
Finally there is Morocco, famous for their foods as well as their culture. Their staple food featured for the holy month is the Harira, this simple Moroccan soup is the one meal that Moroccans can’t miss during Ramadan, which is taken after a sweet and salty snack then accompanied by a milkshake or their traditional mint tea. Harira is a soup prepared predominantly with tomatoes, chickpeas, lentils, fresh herbs, chopped meat and spices. With its richness in flavor, and complemented by the country’s variety of snacks and drinks, it’s no wonder the Moroccans love it so much!
Our beloved neighbour has a lot to offer during Ramadan! Muslim in Thailand get to enjoy street food fare during Ramadan, especially at Bangkok’s Ratchathewi area. Various halal version of street food is being offered, on top of some crowd favorite rotis, halal chicken curry and other Asian cuisine. Green Papaya Salad, Seafood Pad Thai, Thai Grilled Fish are some of the top-picks too!
There you have it, interesting food around the world during the Ramadan month. Are you inspired by the richness of culture and how each of them makes nutritious yet delish cuisine? Hope this helps you in creating a unique Ramadan menu this year!
We know some of you might be eager to join in the food service business scene this coming Ramadan month by having a stall in Ramadan Bazaar. It is time to pay attention to announcement of respective local council for permit application! Some local council accepts online applications while some others require physical attendance to submit necessary documents. Be sure to enquire earlier to make required arrangements! We at Ajinomoto Food Biz Partner wish you the best of luck in grabbing a spot!
Ajinomoto Food Biz Partner
