Ramadan foods from around the world

Only prepared during Ramadan, nisalda is an indispensable component of Ramadan cuisine in Uzbekistan. A native plant similar to clove, called yetmek, flavours a mixture of hand-whipped egg whites and sugar syrup. Texturally similar to Italian meringue, the dish’s defining silkiness is especially revered during Ramadan for aiding digestion.

The dish was once traditionally prepared by men since beating egg whites into pillowy peaks required brute force in an era devoid of electric mixers. 

Chorba frik is a pillar of Ramadan spreads in Algeria and Tunisia. Frik or freekeh, roasted green durum wheat, is the star of this traditional soup. The grain is simmered in a tomato-based broth spiced with paprika, coriander, cumin, and mint. Chorba frik sees the addition of lamb or mutton, creating a balanced one pot meal to conclude a day of fasting. 

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Rooted in North African Maghreb cuisine, harira is a tomato-based soup fortified by chickpeas, lentils, and chopped vegetables. The dish is traditionally served during Ramadan, but it also makes appearances in winter.

Harira is undeniably fragrant, cooked with lamb or lamb broth before being spiced with saffron, cayenne, and ginger. Warming, soulful, and robust, the soup is delicately brightened by additions of chopped celery leaves and coriander. 

A sweet-savoury congee of rice, meat, coconut milk, and aromatics, bubur lambuk is a staple of local Ramadan cuisine. A blend of local spices is toasted alongside onions, garlic, and pandan, forming the dish’s fragrant foundation. Minced beef and dried prawns are then browned before rice is steeped in coconut milk, and water is added.

The dish symbolises community, with mosques around the country serving pots of porridge to bring people together every Iftar. Regional preparations of the dish are well-loved across the peninsular. Take, for example, bubur lambuk Terengganu, which features budu—fermented anchovies—and sweet potato.

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Despite being found across Arab regions and Central Asia, bamia is the most popularly coined Lebanese okra stew. The dish is typically eaten like curry, served communally to be spooned onto beds of rice and broken vermicelli. While plant-based versions are common, bamia traditionally includes land.

Like other stews on this list, bamia is tomato-based and spiced with coriander, garlic, and one unique ingredient—pomegranate molasses. Lamb, tomatoes, and okra are shallow fried before being simmered in broth, with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses lending the dish a distinct tanginess.

A distant cousin of the commonplace Scotch egg, nafaqo is a Somalian snack of a boiled egg encased with spiced mashed potato and then deep-fried. The dish is most commonly served during Ramadan—a prelude to a substantial festive feast.

While nafaqo can be sourced year-round, the word nafaqo translates to nutrition, securing its spot on Iftar spreads in the region. A dough of potatoes, turmeric, and flour is wrapped around a hard-boiled egg before being fried till golden brown to be eaten on its own or accompanied by rice and Somalian chutney.

Each Indonesian province is home to its own Ramadan dishes, with West Java’s being mie glosor. The dish is characteristically silky, sold by street vendors for a quick Iftar meal or as an addition to the season’s feasts. Mie glosor is an uncomplicated combination of tapioca noodles, turmeric, occasionally sliced red chilli, and other aromatics.

Easy-to-eat foods are especially valued when breaking fast, solidifying mi glosor as a Ramadan staple. 

While not exclusively served during Ramadan, jollof rice is a beloved West African staple. Think of it like nasi biryani—served alongside vibrant accompaniments and found among every festive feast, no matter the occasion. Jollof rice sees long-grain rice steeped in a spiced tomato and chilli broth fortified by onions and curry powder.

The dish is commonly plated communally, at the centre of Ramadan, and spreads to feed a small army of individuals. It is so popular in the region that a friendly rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana developed concerning the origins of the dish.

The national food of Jordan, mansaf is a traditional Levantine dish of ghee-infused rice and lamb cooked in jameed—fermented dried yoghurt. Jameed is a ferment of sheep or goat milk, thickened with salt and time. Lamb is cooked in a jameed broth before being plated on layers of paper-thin flatbread, rice, and sautéed almonds or pine nuts.

The dish reflects the time of year when meat and dairy are readily available in Jordan, making the dish symbolic of special occasions. It is most commonly served on the last day of Ramadan when families and loved ones gather to celebrate Eid ul-Fitr. 

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