Iftar: Celebrating the spirit of togetherness through food!
The month of Ramadan is a holy month where Muslims all around the world fast to abstain from pleasures and celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr at the end of the month. The month is filled with warmth, joy and unity. And this unity is clearly seen during the time of Iftar (the time of breaking the fast)-no matter where you are, whether on the streets or at your home, known and unknown people come together and break their fasts. If you notice closely, there is a sense of serenity in the air-a calmness in the atmosphere which unites us at iftar time.
Regardless of my age, I eagerly count the days to the month of Ramadan! As I stay in a joint family, the days before the month of Ramadan, the house comes alive with a festive atmosphere. From going Eid shopping with my mother and aunt to my uncle enchanting us with Islamic stories-the air gets filled with joyful sounds of celebration! And when the holy month arrives, a few hours before Iftar, everyone starts bustling around in the kitchen and one can hear the crackling sound of the warm oil when the piyajus are being fried.
During Iftar time, the atmosphere is filled with gratitude. The table is covered with an array of delicious food-starting from the crunchy samosas and begunis to the golden jilapis. The food on the table reflects our personal preferences and our cultural heritage-and that is when I got the idea of having an Iftar Recipe Contest! I realized that everyone, just like my own household, must have their own personal preferences and cultural heritage that has been passed on from generations to generations. So, why not share it with everyone and enjoy the scrumptious food?
Solutions Over Coffee!
So, right after I got the idea, I called my friend over for coffee. Let me tell you a secret. My coffee is highly appreciated by my friends! I usually use the Nescafe Gold Blend Coffee. Perhaps, the creamy texture and the aroma of the ground coffee make it even more appetizing!
While discussing over coffee, I shared the idea of the Iftar Recipe Contest. As he is a foodie himself, he immediately liked the idea. However, I told him how my team and I usually faced the community management problem. We get so many recipe submissions that it gets hard to track where people are messaging. Also, the audience is sometimes unsure of what they are looking for or their queries. So, as a team, managing the queries can be a bit challenging for all of us! That is when my friend suggested My Alice.
My Alice is a go-to conversational tool stack. It is a customer service app that helps to reply to the audience instantly and makes the journey easier for them. The app guides the audience by showing them the steps as to how to submit their recipes and what details are needed. It also helps to answer the queries if they are confused as to what they are looking for. For example, when you message saying ‘Hello’ in the Wannabe Cook page, after choosing which language option you want-English or Bangla, it will give you options as to what you are looking for. You can submit your recipe, look for recipes etc.
My Alice surely did make it easier for us and helped the Wannabe Cook community to get closer!
Iftar Recipe Contest
The Wannabe Cook initiated the Iftar Recipe Contest because every household has its own special dish that they keep on the Iftar table. And those ‘special dishes’ often speak of the individuality of that household, perhaps, the fond memories that are tied to that dish.
Objective of the Iftar Recipe Contest
Our objective was to let the Wannabe Cook community share their mouth-watering special dishes with everyone and let all of us indulge in the dishes which are filled with gratitude, love, and unity!
Modality of the Contest
The contest was from 24th March, 2023 till 8th April, 2023. All recipe submissions were accepted during this timeline.
The recipe submission process was:
– Submit your recipe along with instructions
– Pictures of the dish
– A picture of yourself and a brief bio
– Link of your social profile
– Need to be an active member of our Facebook group
The recipe must be original and not taken from the internet, and the picture submitted has to be of good quality.
The contest would consist of three winners for their creative recipes!
As we started the automated recipe submissions, the audience was a bit apprehensive about submitting their recipes in such a way, as they even had to submit their pictures and other details. This was a challenge for the Wannabe Cook team as we had to deal with it patiently and respond to queries and glitches. But, thanks to my awesome team, we could assure the audience that it was safe and carry on with the contest!
And guess what? Even after all these challenges, we got around 22 Iftar recipes!
Made With Love -Iftar Dishes from The Contest
Each of the recipes that were submitted looked delectable and carried a sentimental and traditional significance.
To begin with, for most of us, Ramadan means pampering ourselves with a warm dish of Beef Haleem. The slow-cooked, tender pieces of beef chunks make the taste buds go through a soulful experience as one tastes the symphony of flavors in the mouth. To make the experience even more satisfying, crispy brown onions are added for that extra crunch, topped with fresh cilantro and mint leaves and a squeeze of the tangy lemon juice adds a zesty flavor to the beef Haleem. Oh, how I wish I could have a spoonful of the creamy Haleem right now! I usually use Organic Haleem Masala. This complements the aromatic spices perfectly-just like how it was done back at home!
Another dish that is close to my heart is Doi Bora. I never really appreciated the dish until my father made it one day and instantly fell in love with it! Perhaps it was his love and care that transcended into the sweet-savory dish. The richness of the yogurt and the crispy lentil fritters made it a dish worth savoring upon.
During summer, my mother always served Doi Bora in handcrafted terracotta bowls to guests to add that Bangladeshi vibe!
In Bangladeshi households, fried items (bhaja-bhuji) are a must-have during Ramadan! One item that you will find in every household is Piyaju! Crispy, golden lentil fritters are a popular dish in the month of Ramadan. I literally cannot imagine Ramadan without Piyaju being served on the table!
The two interesting recipes that we received in the contest are Jackfruit Leaf Fritters and Maggi Pakora. Jackfruit Leaf Fritters is a unique dish that showcases a blend of flavors and a crispy texture. I tried out the recipe for a casual evening snack, and I must tell you, you need to try it with a hot chili sauce! It adds a spicy, tangy flavor to it, and trust me, you would shamelessly want to have more of it!
Maggi Pakora, on the other hand, is a dish that can be enjoyed by everyone at home. It is a delightful twist on the classic pakora dish. It’s an easy dish that can be enjoyed over tea too. I was so happy to find Maggi noodles online! It took me back to my school days when Maggi was my staple food.
Alu’r Chop is another classic dish during Ramadan. This dish is passed on from generation to generation and it never gets old! As a child, I remember my grandmother mashing boiled potatoes with her delicate hands and creating a smooth base. Nowadays, we use the potato masher as it’s faster and easier-but this dish transports me back to my childhood days at home. One ingredient that must be incorporated into the dish is garam masala! It instantly adds a robust flavor and makes the dish even more appetizing. I am sure this dish holds a special place in everyone’s hearts!
A few of the other palatable dishes that caught my attention are: Chicken Protein Salad recipe– a healthy Iftar recipe and also for lunch/dinner, Chicken Yakhni, Kachakola Cutlet.
The Winners!
Just like last time, it was a tough decision for our team to choose the winners. All of the recipes reminded us of Bangladesh and made us miss the holy month of Ramadan!
However, the recipes that won based on creativity and originality are:
- Maggi Pakora
- Jackfruit Leaf Fritters
- Doi Bora
Guess what? I am already counting the days to Ramadan! The month when, every evening, family and friends leave all their worldly affairs aside and come together at Iftar time. A time when we reflect on our life, blessings and shortcomings. A time when we go out of our way to express our love for our family members by making their favorite dishes, just so they can break their fasts with a smile on their faces! But as we wait for Ramadan again, you can check out all the other recipes and even submit your own special ones!
Check out our Recipe Page and Enjoy!
