Ramadaan Must-Haves with Fatima Saib

From her holy grail spices to her favourite quick and easy dinner hack for those busy days, Fatima of @saibskitchen shares her must-haves for Ramadaan 2021.

She’s also given some great expert tips and a recipe for a creamy coconut, mushroom and cauliflower curry that you’ll keep making for years to come.

What are your top tips for Ramadaan?

Prep ahead as much as possible. Time flies during the day in Ramadaan so don’t be scared to stock up on fresh or frozen veggies every two weeks as this will ensure that you always have a big platter of veggies every evening. I can’t eat a lot in the morning so I recommend trying to bulk up your breakfast with hemp seeds or eating Rye bread to keep you full.

I also discovered that working out a menu every week will save you so much time and make prep easier for you.

While this doesn’t work for me any other time during the year, it works beautifully in the fast.

What are your top five Ramadaan must-haves in the kitchen?

Medjool dates: This is definitely an obvious choice but they are so great for an array of things in Ramadaan.
For Itaar, I remove the pip, stuff it with peanut butter or an almond and dip it in dark chocolate.
For Suhoor, I blend it in a smoothie with banana, cocoa, nut butter and some milk or I add it to some bran muffins to help keep me full for the day!

Desiccated coconut: Because of how much I can use it! From smoothies to oat bowls to pancakes and even some Eid desserts, coconut is a definite must have in my kitchen!

Nimkish Shahi Paneer: While I love cooking and nurturing those I love with good, homemade food, the last thing I want to do in Ramadan is stand in front of the stove. Even though we do need that extra nourishment during the month, I like to keep a stash of the Nimkish Shahi Butter Paneer on hand for when I just don’t have time to cook. I always have home made paneer in the freezer so this is a very welcomed product in my kitchen!

Lal Qilla Basmati Rice: We try not to have heavy meals or dishes that need rice for Iftaar but sometimes, the craving for rice is so intense that you just need to make a pot! When we do eat rice, I am very particular and only use the Lal Qilla Basmati Rice. When I have any left overs, I cook it with some cream and spices and make an easy Kheer to share with the family!

Spices: Probably the most important thing! I always need and crave the warmth from spices during Ramadan. I can’t choose one but I would say that my must haves from The Spice Emporium are: cinnamon, cardamom, black cardamom (must have for garam masala), cumin and mustard seeds. These are my holy grail spices and are honestly all you need!