Easy to prepare Ramadan recipes for your Iftar party

Ramadan is a month of fasting and feasting. While fasting during the day, it might be challenging to organise the Iftar meal during Ramadan. We strongly advise making a Ramadan schedule and planning your meals ahead of time. Saurabh Singh Chandel, Executive Chef, of Crowne Plaza, Greater Noida, shares some scrumptious and delectable Iftar recipes because it's a tradition to prepare several foods during Iftar:

Fried chicken

♦ Chicken 160 gm

♦Gram flour 50gm

♦Egg 1 pc

♦l Salt as per taste

♦ Kasoori methi 1gm

♦ Rice flour 40gm

♦ Deghi mirch 10gm

♦Ginger garlic paste 30gm

♦ Lemon juice 1/2 spoon

♦ Oil for frying

♦ Green chilli paste 1 pc

Preparation

♦ For the brine, mix the buttermilk with all the spices in a large bowl. Transfer to a resealable gallon-sized plastic bag. Add the chicken, turn to coat and refrigerate overnight.

♦ Heat one inch of oil in a large heavy-bottomed high-sided skillet over medium-high heat

♦ Whisk the gram flour with the spices and add the chicken pieces to it. Turn chicken to coat and let rest until the oil gets hot. Tap off the excess flour and add as many pieces of chicken to the skillet as you can.

♦ Fry chicken for 4 to 6 minutes until browned. Turn over and fry for another 4 to 6 minutes until the other side is deeply browned.

♦ Using tongs, transfer the chicken pieces to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Serve while warm or at room temperature.

Kala Chana Chat

l Black Chana 80gm

l Chop onion 30 gm

l Chop tomato 30 gm

l Green chilli 3 gm

l Lemon juice1 spoon

l Coriander leaves 3 gm

l Salt for taste

l Chat masala 5gm

Preparation

l Rinse and then finely chop the onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and coriander leaves. If you prefer, you can peel the unripe mango.

l In a large bowl, add all the ingredients including the cooked black chickpeas.

l Mix thoroughly. Taste and if required, add more of the ground spice powders, lemon juice, and salt.

l Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves. Serve Kala Chana Chat warm. Before serving, garnish with some coriander leaves and lemon wedges.

Semiya Kheer

• Fenisamiya 50 gm

• Milk 200 gm

• Sugar 40 gm

• Almond 4 pcs

• Raisins 6 pcs

• Pistachios 4 pcs

• Makhana 6 pcs

• Ghee 10 gm

• Elaichi 2 pcs

Preparation

• Add milk to the same pan and bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid scorching the bottom of the pan.

• When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Keep scraping the sides of the pan while cooking and add the solidified milk back to the pan.

• Now add the roasted sevai and raisins.

• Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the kheer thickens to the desired consistency, stirring frequently. Keep in mind that it will thicken further upon cooling. Add cardamom powder and sugar and mix well. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Check for sugar and add more if needed.

• Garnish with pistachio and almond slivers.

• Serve hot or chilled.

Rooh Afza Sharbat

• Milk 200 gm

• Roohafza 100 gm

• Elaichi 1 pc

• Water 1 cup

Preparation

• In a blender add milk, water, and rose syrup. You can add cardamom as well like in sweet lassi, but it may overpower the rose flavours coming out from roohafza. Blend well.

• Serve chilled and garnish with some dry fruits.

Kharbuje Ka Meetha

• Local musk melon 1 pc

• Sugar 100 gm

• Kaju 50 gm

• Elaichi 5 pcs

• Vanilla essence 1ml

Preparation

• Wash a melon and cut it into half.

• Make small cuts with a knife or spoon in the edges on the inside and mix the pulp and stir vigorously. Alternatively, you can chop melon pieces in a bowl and stir vigorously so that it leaves water and becomes liquid.

• You may add sugar if it is not naturally sweet. Adding sugar makes it juicer.

• Add cardamom powder and garnish with dry fruit pieces. You can use crushed badam and peeled melon seeds.