Sometimes, traditional iftar items quite fail to tantalise the taste buds. And if that's how you feel too, then here are some recipes from across the globe to try out and spice things up this Ramadan.

ATAIF ASAFERI

Ingredients

For kataif –

(makes around 15 servings)

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup semolina

¼ tsp yeast

½ tsp baking powder

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp orange blossom water optional

1½ cups of warm water; you may need ¼ to ½ cup more

For simple syrup –

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp rose water or orange blossom water optional

Thick cream

Ground pistachios

Method

In a bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients and the oil together. Once it is all incorporated well, start pouring in the orange blossom water, and warm water, and whisk well until you get a homogenous mixture. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

Heat a non-stick fry pan and pour in 2-3 tablespoons of the batter. The kataif should start to bubble from the edges and then spread to the entire surface. Once it's not shiny on the surface and it is fully covered with bubbles, you know it's done. It will take about a minute or so. Do not flip it.

Take the kataif off the heat, place them on a clean kitchen towel and fold the towel over to cover them.

To assemble, once the kataif cools down, fold them into a half circle and seal it only half way. Fill the pocket with the cream, and dip it in ground pistachios or sprinkle the pistachios over the cream.

To make the simple syrup —

Place the sugar, water and lemon juice in a pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the rosewater. Arrange the kataifs on a plate and serve with the simple syrup.  

BEEF KOOBIDEH KEBAB

Ingredients

1 kg boneless ground beef

100g onion, grated

10g black pepper ground

10g turmeric powder

5g nutmeg  

5g sumac powder

50g green onion, diced 

5g baking powder

2 eggs

Salt, to taste

50g butter    

Method

In a bowl, add ground beef, green onion, and grated onion and mix until thoroughly combined. Add baking powder, salt, pepper, sumac, turmeric, eggs, nutmeg, and mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator until flavours have melded, at least 30 minutes. Now take out the beef from chiller, and mould meat mixture onto the skewers. Cook properly on the preheated char grill, rotating every minute, until it is a nice brown colour on all sides.

KASHMIRI POLAO

Ingredients

1½ kg basmati rice

50g ginger paste 

50g garlic paste  

100g green chilli      

5g cinnamon sticks

300g onion, sliced

Salt to taste

100g ghee

200g oil

150ml milk

5g bay leaf

150g raisin

10g green cardamom

20g sugar

60g red apples

60g pomegranate arils (seeds)

60g ripe papaya

60g red grapes

60g pineapple

50g cashew nut

50g walnut

1 pinch saffron

Method

Wash Basmati rice in water 2-3 times and then soak in water for 15 minutes. Drain water and keep rice aside. Separately, soak saffron in 1 tablespoon warm milk.

Heat oil and ½ of ghee in a deep pan or pot over medium flame, add bay leaf, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon sticks, sauté for 30 seconds, add ½ of onion, sauté until light golden colour, add green chilli, ginger-garlic paste and sauté for further 30 seconds.

Add rice, and sauté for 1-2 minutes, then add water, milk, saffron and salt. Mix well and bring it to boil over medium flame. When it starts to boil, reduce flame to low and cook covered for 15-20 minutes. 

When rice is cooked, turn off the flame and let it stand for 5 minutes. Open the lid, add the remaining ghee and fluff the rice with a fork. Take a shallow pan, heat oil, add remaining onion and fry until it turns brown, keep aside. Cut the fresh fruits into small cubes. Lightly shallow fry raisin, nuts, and fruits, and mix gently with cooked rice. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, and turn off the flame and transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with fried onion and coriander leaves.   

KATAYF

Ingredients

300g flour

60g semolina

5g yeast

10g baking powder

20ml oil

20g sugar

450ml water

300g cheese

Method

Mix all ingredients together, except cheese, and let the mixture rest for 1 hour to ferment. Make 20 flat dough patties, fill with cheese, fold into half circles. Deep fry each until crispy and golden in colour.

KUNAFA

Ingredients

150g kunafa dough (shemai)

50g butter

½ tsp orange food colour

250g mozzarella cheese

20g sugar

50g pistachio

For the syrup—

500g sugar

400ml water

5g orange blossom

Method

Mix together shemai, sugar and butter, place it in a 9" cake mould, and bake at 160° Celsius for 15 minutes. Now arrange mozzarella cheese pistachio on top, and bake again for another 15 minutes at 200° Celsius.

Boil the ingredients for the syrup. Once the kunafa is baked, soak it with the syrup. 

LAMB ADANA KEBAB    

Ingredients

1kg boneless minced lamb

50g ginger paste 

50g garlic paste  

150g green chili     

100g yoghurt    

10g cumin powder

5g cinnamon powder

100g chopped onion

15g chopped parsley 

Salt to taste

5g crushed black pepper   

5g paprika powder

5g red chili flakes 

5g sumac powder

Method

Take all ingredients in a food processor, mix very well until it turns smooth, and keep aside for 30 minutes, now take the mixture and mould onto the skewers, and cook on the preheated char grill, rotating every minute, until nicely browned on all sides.

Recipes by Chef Sheikh Abdur Rashid, Executive sous chef, Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden

Photo: Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden