Amman-
With the month of goodness and blessing approaching, many housewives are planning some household equipment that facilitates the daily tasks of preparing the breakfast table, whether she is a housewife or works outside the home.
The housewife is keen to prepare a delicious meal on fasting days that includes food that meets the desires of her family members, in addition to soups, appetizers and juices, which nutritionists advise eating on the breakfast table after long fasting hours.
Also, family gatherings and wedding invitations abound during the holy month, so there are "pre-fabricated" preparations that facilitate the woman's tasks in her kitchen.
For a quick and delicious Ramadan table, Al Jazeera Net interviewed the housekeeping specialist, Munira Al-Saeed, to give you advice on these facilities:
Freezing vegetables for use in many main food items and soups as well (Al-Jazeera)
Freezing vegetables
The housekeeping specialist, Munira Al-Saeed, says, at these times, the process of preparing vegetables for freezing, such as zucchini, carrots, broccoli, corn, peas, beans, green beans, and others, begins, and they are washed, cut, and kept in the freezer, until they are used in preparing meals or soups. This saves time for the housewife when preparing her Ramadan dishes.
She continues, as for the stuffing, such as zucchini and eggplant, they are dug and frozen until use, and the housewife can prepare stuffed grape leaves or cabbage and arrange it in a plastic dish, and it is taken out of the freezer hours before it is cooked, and also turnip kernels are prepared, and they are dug and then Stuffed with minced meat with spices, fried, and stored in plastic containers.
Some types of legumes can also be processed and sorted, such as chickpeas and beans, which we purify, then boil, and when cooled, they are milled.
Stuffed grape leaves are sorted and taken out hours before cooking (Al-Jazeera)
Sambousek and Kibbeh
Munira Al-Saeed explains that samosa and kibbeh are among the desired dishes during the holy month. Sambousek can be prepared stuffed with meat, cheese or vegetables, and the samosa stuffed with chicken is very tasty, and the filling is prepared using “pulled” chicken pieces (boneless), adding garlic, pepper and onions. Along with colored pepper slices.
It is sorted with plastic bags or plates, with transparent papers placed between each two layers, and so on. The kibbeh can also be prepared for use as “fried, grilled, or with cooked milk.”
Juices for cooking
Al-Saeed explains that cooking juices greatly facilitate the tasks of a woman in her kitchen, such as:
Tomato juice:
which can be prepared by washing tomatoes, then adding hot water to them, then peeling them, putting them in a blender, adding some water, and keeping them in the freezer in plastic bags or boxes.
Tomatoes can also be sorted "as solid" by washing them and then keeping them in plastic bags.
Lemon juice:
which can be prepared by squeezing lemons, and freezing them in ice molds or specialized plastic bags sold in the markets, or “jars” (glass or plastic containers), and are preserved.
Ginger juice:
which can be prepared by peeling ginger pieces, and then placing them on the fire, to be boiled, with the addition of some water, and cooled, and then frozen, or placed in "jars", and used for cooking or as a drink by adding lemon and mint.
Lemon and ginger juices have several uses in cooking, and they are secreted in ice bags (Al-Jazeera)
Colored rice with natural flavors
Many women prefer to show their special cooking skills, according to Al-Saeed, and accordingly they can prepare some mixtures that help them prepare rice dishes with a delicious “natural” taste away from artificial colors, such as:
Beetroot mixture:
Prepared by washing the kernels, then boiling them on the fire, peeling them, then filtering the water, and mixing the “boiling” water with a beetroot in a blender, and sorted into bags, and used as “beetroot color” (burgundy) added to boil rice, and its taste very delicious.
Carrot mixture:
You can freeze the carrot mixture in the same way, to get an “orange color” added to the rice as well.
Spinach mixture:
From spinach, you can get the green color.
By adding these "mixtures" or "dyes", you will get a dish of "colored rice from delicious natural materials," according to Al-Saeed.
Freezing vegetables in advance for use in the month of Ramadan facilitates your work and saves your time (Al-Jazeera)
Garlic sauce.. for shawarma
Munira Al-Saeed explains that most family members, especially young and old, like to eat "shawarma" dishes, and accordingly the housewife can prepare garlic sauce and freeze it for the time of use.
The ingredients and steps for preparing the sauce are explained: 4 cloves of garlic, 3 quarters of a cup of frying oil, a quarter of a cup of lemon, and a pinch of salt are chopped, and they are all mixed by adding oil gradually "so that the mixture does not overflow" (so that it does not become homogeneous).
This sauce can also be used alongside chicken trays, or added to various chicken sandwiches.
Meat or chicken balls
Meat is prepared "kofta" and seasoned by adding salt and pepper, as well as chicken balls "breasts", by adding salt, pepper and garlic to them as well, and they are formed "balls" described in a tray, and then placed in the freezer, and they are taken out and placed in plastic bags, and kept from New in the freezer.
Processing nuts of all kinds to decorate Ramadan food dishes and sweets (Al-Jazeera)
Dates and pumpkin
Dates of all kinds are a main dish on the fasting table. Accordingly, Al-Saeed says: The housewife can prepare it by bringing date kernels and washing them by adding hot water for only two minutes, then arranging it with dishes and wrapping it, and then placing it in the refrigerator.
You can also prepare cottonseeds (dried figs), by washing them, and then placing them on the fire until they boil, drain, and dry them, and then put them in a jar by adding almonds or walnuts, and olive oil.
In this way, they can be eaten "soft and tasty" and have many health benefits.
Al-Saeed: Making a weekly cooking program before the days of fasting facilitates the tasks of the housewife (Al-Jazeera)
Tips and equipment in your kitchen
Al-Saeed offers some tips for women to take advantage of, so that they can perform acts of worship during the holy month with ease, as well as prepare their table in a short time:
Prior to the holy month, rearranging kitchen utensils, inspecting them, and inventorying and purchasing the “missing” parts.
Creating a weekly cooking program prior to the fasting days, “a beautiful idea that facilitates the tasks of the housewife,” and includes the favorite foods of family members, in addition to dessert dishes.
Prepare and prepare nuts such as: almonds, walnuts, pistachios, raisins, coconut, etc., as well as oats, so that you can use them to decorate food dishes or desserts.
Check the spices and organize them in the containers designated for them.
Buying some home accessories or decorations and adding them in the dining room, or the kitchen, as this atmosphere gives all family members joy and happiness in receiving the holy month.
Ramadan drinks can be prepared, such as Qamar al-Din, and it is soaked in water at night, and the next day it is placed in a blender, and it is frozen in packages until it is used, and the dried Qamar al-Din grains are “delicious” and can be prepared in boxes, to be served at the breakfast table.