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Try These 7 Toothsome Iftar Recipes To Curb Your Hunger In Ramadan 2022

Ramadan, the month of blessings, is currently ongoing, and it is a privilege to enjoy its divine rituals, prayers and, of course, delicious Iftar. The month-long 30-days festival is a time of mercy, compassion, self-reflection and self- purification. In this much-awaited pious festival, Muslims worldwide observe a full-day fast every day from dawn to dusk. The Roza or the fast is broken only after sunset, a special dua or prayer and an elaborate meal popularly referred to as Iftar.

9 min read · Updated 2023-06-25

Hand-drawn line illustration of a bowl of food, a knee joint and a weekly pill organiser for the guide "Ramadan 2022: Non-Veg Iftar Recipes for Seniors"

Overview

Usually, friends, families and relatives get together to enjoy the celebratory fast, indulging in sweet delicacies and traditional savory meals. The list of popular iftar meals is long and includes biryanis, kebabs, sewaiyas, curries, and much more. It is safe to assume everything is flavorsome, highly nutritious and extremely indulging. We bring you seven appetizing and easy iftar meals you can rustle up this Ramadan to break your fast.

Ramadan 2022: 7 Non-Veg Iftar Recipes That You Must Try

1. Egg Pakodas

Let’s start with this delicious and protein-rich recipe. This egg pakoda (egg fritters) recipe has been carefully designed to help you prepare savory pakodas easily and quickly. Besides its delectable taste, this dish is rich in proteins and helps you stay active and healthy during Ramadan fasts. Pair it up with sweet and sour pudine ki chutney (mint chutney) or any other dip of your choice, and your meal is ready to be devoured. Wondering how to prepare? Well, let’s start with the ingredients first.

Ingredients

Boiled Eggs – 6

Chili Powder – 1 tablespoon

Rice flour – 2 tablespoons

Garam Masala – ½ teaspoon

Turmeric Powder – ¼ teaspoon

Besan – 2 cups

Chopped Onion – 1

Chopped Green Chilies – 2

Chopped Coriander leaves – 2 tablespoon

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tablespoon

Water as needed

Salt to taste

Baking Soda – A pinch

Preparation

Trust me, the recipe is so simple and quick. First, take a bowl, mix all the ingredients, and prepare a thick batter. Now, take boiled eggs and cut them into slices, preferably four. Dip the pieces of egg in the batter and deep fry them till they turn golden brown in color. Serve the dish with some tomato ketchup, green chili, and pudina chutney. Simple, is it not?

Nutritional Value of Egg Pakoda (amount 1 serving)

2. Shami Kebabs

Shami Kebab is an uncomplicated recipe; juicy boneless chicken and chana dal are cooked easily with a lot of tempting and lip-smacking ingredients. The most amazing thing about this dish is that it is utterly juicy, delicious and surely simple to prepare. Shami Kebabs are guaranteed to satiate your taste buds and provide you with a great time with family. Let us have a look at its ingredients.

Ingredients:

Chana Dal (soaked for 30 minutes) – 1 cup

Boneless chicken – 1/2 kg

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 teaspoon

Chopped Coriander leaves – 2 tablespoons

Sliced Onion – 1 large

Red Pepper – 8 whole

Garam masala – 1 teaspoon

Egg – 1

Green Chilies – 4

Finely chopped Onion – 1

Water – 1 cup

Salt – 1 teaspoon

Preparation:

Add soaked chana daal, chopped onion, chicken, salt, whole red pepper and water to a pan. Cook the mixture till the water dries. Add coriander leaves, cooked chicken, onion and green chillies to a chopper and blend thoroughly. Add one egg to bind everything together and mix everything. Take a pan and pour oil into it. Heat the oil and shallow fry the kebabs, and your kebabs are ready to be relished.

Nutritional Value of Shami Kebab (amount 1 serving)

3. Chicken Malai Kebab

No doubt, Chicken Malai Kebabs are nutritious, fulfilling and served best with a dollop of chutney, butter, dahi or achaar. So, to indulge in something nutritious and healthy, we bring you a delectable chicken malai kebab to enjoy your iftar meal. Check out the ingredients needed to prepare this cheesy treat and an easy way to prepare it.

Ingredients

Small Chicken pieces – 15

Lemon Juice – 2 teaspoon

Cream Cheese – 1 cup

Hung Curd – 1 cup

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 teaspoon

Green Cardamom Powder – 1 teaspoon

Black Pepper Powder – ½ teaspoon

Grated Mozzarella Cheese – 1 teaspoon

Cornflour – 1 teaspoon

Nutmeg Powder – A pinch

Salt to taste

Preparation

Add black pepper, mix chicken, ginger garlic paste, salt, green cardamom, nutmeg powder, hung curd, cornflour, and lemon juice. Mix all the ingredients well. Then, add mozzarella cheese and mashed cream cheese to the mixture. Now, dip the skewers in water and avoid burning them while cooking. String the chicken pieces onto skewers, put them on a baking tray and remove the leftover marinade. Let the skewer rest for a while. Drizzle some oil over the grilling pan. Fry the kebabs and keep turning them to avoid burning. When cooked, transfer the kebabs onto the serving plate and serve them with tomato ketchup, pudine ki chutney or coriander chutney.

Nutritional Value of Chicken Malai Kebab (amount 1 serving)

4. Chicken Dabba Gosht

This Chicken Dabba Gosht is satisfying and appetizing to the core. If you are craving a spicy and nutritious meal, try this recipe. Chicken cooked with layers of flavorsome ingredients, macaroni, and more will blow your mind.

Ingredients:

Boneless Chicken chunks – 500 gm

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp

Watermelon Sugar – 1 tbsp

Cream – 2 tbsp

Green Chillies – 2-3

Poppy seeds – 1 tbsp

Bengal gram – 1 tbsp

Cashew Nuts – 10-13

Onion paste – 1/2 cup

Garam Masala powder – 1 tsp

Boiled Macaroni – 1 bowl

Curd – 1/2 cup

Eggs – 2

Ghee – 1/2 cup

Tomatoes – 2

Potatoes – 2

Coriander Leaves – for garnishing

Chili flakes for garnishing – for garnishing

Preparation:

Take a bowl and add ginger garlic paste, chicken chunks, and salt and mix thoroughly. Let the mixture marinate for around 30 minutes. Now, add poppy seeds, watermelon seeds, cashew nuts, Bengal gram, and green chilies, and add to a blender. Blend everything to make a smooth paste. Heat oil in a pan and add the marinated chicken. When the color of the chicken has changed, add onion paste to it and let the chicken cook for some more time. Add little water in it and the entire mixture to the chicken. Then, add a small bowl of boiled macaroni and some garam masala and keep the chicken mixture in semi-liquid form. Your dish is ready to be served. Transfer it into a glass bowl and top with thin slices of coriander. Garish it with chili flakes and coriander leaves.

Nutritional Value of Chicken Dabba Gosht (amount 1 serving)

5. Gosht Achaari

The stellar gosht achaari recipe is a classic standalone dish at the iftar feast and can be the star of the evening. Made with boneless cubes and a range of scrumptious savory ingredients, it is the perfect dish to lift your festive bud and fill your tummy with awesome flavors.

Ingredients

Mutton – boneless cubes – 500 gm

Mustard oil – 1 tbsp

Onion seeds – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1.5 tsp

Fennel seeds – 1.5 tsp

Whole red peppers – 3-4

Onions – sliced thick – 2 cups

Tomato puree – 1 cup

Salt or to taste – 1 tsp

Chili powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric – 1 tsp

Preparation

Take a pan and pour oil into it. When the oil is heated, add kalonji, sarson (mustard), lal mirch and saunf. Now, add onions and sauté over high flame. Cook till the mixture turns light brown then transfer it to another bowl. Add meat to the pan and sauté it till opaque. Then, add a cup of water to the meat and bring it to a boil. Lower the flame, cover the meat and let it cook until it turns tender. Add tomato puree to the meat and let it cook for 4-5 minutes. Mix chili powder, salt, turmeric, and onion, then simmer for 3 minutes. Your Gosht achaari is ready.

Nutritional Value of Gosht Achari (amount 1 serving)

6. Badam Gosht Korma

This delicious curry comprises whole spices, almonds and curd. It is perfect for your next Iftar party.

Ingredients

Mutton – 1/2 Kg

Almonds – 1 cup

Bay leaves – 2

Green cardamom – 4-5

Black cardamom – 1

Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tbsp

Coriander powder – 1 tbsp

Red chili powder – 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon stick – 1

Large onion chopped and fried crisp – 2

Curd – 4 tbsp

Ghee – 4 tbsp

Kewra/rose water – 3-4 drops

Salt as required

Preparation

Soak almonds in hot water for 15 minutes and peel off the skin. Take curd and almonds and make a fine paste. Now, add ghee in a pan and whole spices; add mutton when the spices start to splutter. Fry the mutton till its color is changed. Add ginger-garlic paste to the mutton and mix well. Once done, add cumin, red chili, coriander, turmeric powder, and salt and mix thoroughly. After 5 minutes, add almond and curd paste and cook the mutton until the masala leaves oil. Then, add fried onions and two cups of water. Leave it to simmer for half an hour at medium flame. Do not forget to put the lid on the meat. Right after thirty minutes, check the mutton and add the remaining almonds. In the end, add rose water or kewra and let it sit on for 4 minutes. Serve hot after garnishing with coriander leaves.

Nutritional Value of Badam Gosht Korma (amount 1 serving)

7. One-Pot Biryani

One-pot biryani is a treasured recipe that transforms biryani into an accessible and speedy dish. Made of fragmented basmati rice, caramelized onions, and tender spiced chicken, and can be cooked in forty to forty-five minutes while maintaining the traditional version’s texture and authentic flavor.

Ingredients

Chicken – 500 grams

Coriander Leaves – 1 tbsp

Curd – 3 tbsp

Star Anise – 1

Black Cardamom – 1

Green Cardamoms – 2

Oil – 3 tbsp

Cumin Seeds – 1 tbsp

Bay Leaves – 2

Cinnamon Sticks – 1-2

Cloves – 4

Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp

Roasted Cumin Powder – 1 tsp

Black Pepper Powder – 1 tsp

Chopped Garlic & Ginger – 3 tbsp

Chopped Onions – 2

Chopped Tomatoes – 2

Chopped Green Chillies – 5

Garam Masala Powder – 1 tbsp

Red Chili Powder – 1 tbsp

Soaked Rice – 1 cup

Coriander Powder – 1 tbsp

Roasted Black Pepper Powder – 1 tbsp

Salt – as per taste

Water – as required)

Preparation

Take a bowl, and add turmeric powder, pepper powder, cumin powder, coriander leaves, and salt. Now, marinate the chicken in the mixture of spices for around 30 minutes. Put a pressure cooker on low heat, add bay leaves, cumin seeds, anise, cinnamon, cloves, ginger-garlic, cardamom and chopped onion. Once onions turn brown, add marinated chicken and mix thoroughly. Let the chicken cook for 15 minutes. Then, add green chillies and tomatoes and stir. After two minutes, add the red chili powder, coriander powder, black pepper and garam masala. Now, add the rice to the pressure cooker and add some water. Seal the pressure cooker and let your delicious biryani cook for two whistles. Your biryani is ready to be served.

Nutritional Value of One-Pot Biryani (amount 1 serving)

Learn the Benefits of Other Nutritious Foods

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the right time to have Iftar?

You can have your iftar anytime after sunset, preferably from 7:30 to 8:30 pm.

What snacks are best to cook for iftar?

Here are some of the options for you: Potato Cheese Balls Batata Vada Keema Samosa Fried Potatoes Gobi Manchurian

What is the meaning of Suhoor?

Suhoor or Sehri is the meal consumed in the morning before observing Roza

Which type of exercises should I do in Ramadan? **

It depends upon your health, goal, preference and how you feel while fasting. You can do any exercise from a light jog, long walk, weight training to yoga.

Tags: Gut health and nutritionProtein powder for older adultsMultivitamin and mineral tablets for seniorsHealthy ageingElder care

Written by the Emoha editorial team. General information only.

This article is for general education and is not medical advice. Speak to your doctor before changing your exercise, diet or medicines.

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