Sorry for the lack of updates! Life has been getting busy as I'm getting ready to start my MA program this fall and deal with being away from Layla for part of my days.
Anyway, Ramadan Kareem to all my lovely Muslim friends!
Of course, Ramadan is set aside as a month of spiritual reflection, abstaining from food and drink so that we can focus on feeding the soul, at least that's how I see it.
However, food and community are also a huge part of Ramadan. I've read that in Muslim-majority countries, more money is spent on food at Ramadan than any other time of year.
What foods bring back fond Ramadan memories for you?
If its your first Ramadan, what are you looking most forward to?
I was first exposed to Ramadan in the context of my Somali co-workers at the airport in Minneapolis. The atmosphere during Ramadan was amazing. Even though everyone was thirsty and hungry (more thirsty than anything!), tempers rarely flared.
Many of the people I worked with got huge deliveries of food brought right before iftar time by their families. One guy I worked with, Qassim, used to get enough food from his mom and sisters to feed at least 10 of us!
The first year I wasn't planning to fast, and had only begun studying Islam, but I decided to fast to experience exactly what my friends were going through. It was hard, but it also gave me a place in the community.
The foods that remind me most of Ramadan are sambusa, buur, bagiya, and of course, dates! The Muslims here decided that today was the first day of fasting, so yesterday I went out and got my supply of dates and ma'amoul for the month.
The other necessity for iftar is a hot cup of Somali tea!
13 comments:
Ramadhan Mubarak to you and your family!
Also, those sambusas look soooo good, Masha'Allah, and I love your shout-out to ma'amoul!
Awww man I wish you didn't post that pic, it's 8.15AM here and iftar is at 5:45pm... tummy is now rumbling! Hehehehe.
samboosa, ma'amoul, and kabsa have got to be my Ramdhan staples :-) love love love them
Happy Ramadan! Hope life is good. :)
Salaam Stacey! Ramadhan mubarak to you and your family! Its lovely to have you back with us: I really missed your updates! I think its fantastic that you are fasting, and I’d love to try the food you mention! I’ve never had Somali food, but it sounds amazing, only I’ve not much opportunity to try it here in the hills of Scotland lol! Food does normally feature strongly in Ramadhan, but I am keeping it simple this year: we are fasting here for around 19 hours a day, so by the time eftar comes, the last thing you want to do is go out or stuff yourself: you are just way too exhausted! May Allah make it easy for each and every one of us aameen!
@Banana Anne,
I truly hope you are able to find some good in this Ramadan after all the drama that has happened w/your family.
InshaAllah you'll still get to pray Taraweeh at the masjid.
@Ellen,sorry! I know how that feels!
@NeverEver, I've never had kabsa, but I know how you feel about the sambusa and ma'amoul. The halal within walking distance of my house now sells sambusa, so I'm really excited.
@Susanne, Thanks! Life is good. I'll try to stop by your blog and comment more often!
@Roshni, Aww thanks! Ramadan mubarak to you and your family too! It is long and hot for fasting this year, but InshaAllah everyone will make it through healthy. Somali food is great, you'll have to try it sometime!
"Ramadan is set aside as a month of spiritual reflection, abstaining from food and drink so that we can focus on feeding the soul"-That is so beautiful!!
hmm...Ramadan food....I guess dates are the only thing that we eat exclusively in Ramadan. Oh, and we definitely have a lot of soup!
@Umm Omar,
Thanks!
Soup for iftar is a great idea! Get something in you that also help with hydration :-)
Ramadan Mubarak!
I also eat lots of dates in Ramadan...and of course all the amazing Egyptian sweets like basbousa, atayef and ka'k...yummy!
I've only fasted during Ramadhan once (during college) and was stuck with the same old college food lol. You've just made me hungry though. And so sad that you've never had kabsa before. You need to remedy that :-D Sooo good!
Ramadan Mubarak, sister...
Thank you for those yummy sambusas. I'd like to make them someday, insha Allah.
I just want to share with you, if you're thinking to give cards or goodies bags about Ramadan & Eid to neighbors, kids teachers, co-workers, local firefighters/police, and so on, please check out this new business runs by two sisters: www.zazzle.com/polkadotinks*
Hoping you can join us for Iftar with all the students who participated in the summer pen pal program... August 25th at 7:30 We'll talk about Ramadan traditions, and then all share a meal together afterwords...You can only come if you make some of those yummy Sambusas!
Off-topic, but I tagged you in my blog at http://thisisnotclever.blogspot.com/2010/09/little-fun-and-update.html
Post a Comment