Ramadan started a couple of weeks ago and we asked our Chefs across the Middle East to share the top trends and flavours they have seen emerging since the beginning of the Islamic celebration.  

While traditional Arabian Ramadan dishes are still a favourite, for either Suhour or Iftar, our Chefs have seen a big shift due to the current situation based on orders and customer feedback. Guests tend to eat more fruits and vegetables - not in order to become vegetarian or vegan but to choose lighter and healthier meal options.

• In the Gulf region, Arabian mix grill (lamb chop, chicken thigh, beef cubes, and lamb mince kofta) is the favourite across countries.
• Across Levantine countries, guests prefer light Suhour such as Manakish with a hot cup of tea, foul (slow-cooked fava beans), or eggs (any style).
• An increasing trend was seen this year amongst our guests ordering lighter and healthier food compared to the previous year:
  • An increase of 20-25% year on year since the beginning of Ramadan.
  • Superfood based Suhour, with meals composed of freekkeh and pomegranate salad, fruit and nut tabbouleh, or an egg-white omelette with avocado on a cereal/protein bread.

Here is a selection of traditional, healthy, and easy recipes with a creative Arabic twist from our IHG chefs around the Middle East.

For the traditionalist

Baba ghanoush by Mohamad Al Ashek, Executive Chef Crowne Plaza Salalah, Oman

An Authentic Middle Eastern eggplant dip full of flavour, complexity, and depth: a healthy way to break the fast.

Ingredients

• 500g roasted eggplant
• 40g red bell peppers
• 40g green bell peppers
• 5g garlic
• 70ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 30g (1.1oz) white onion
• 30ml (1.01fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
• 5g (0.2oz) table salt
• 3g fresh mint leaves

Garnish

• 15ml olive oil
• A sprig of fresh mint

Method of preparation

 1 - Roasting the eggplant

• Using a knife, make 2–3 incisions in the eggplant
• Roast the eggplant on a flame or charcoal grill until it is soft, and the skin is roasted
• Place the eggplant in ice water to cool immediately - this process is called 'shocking' the eggplant. Using this method makes it easier to peel the charred skin off
• Peel the skin off, holding the eggplant at the head, and then take the head off
• Place the flesh in a colander or strainer to drain out the excess water
• Let it cool and place it in the chiller overnight. If you are using roasted eggplant in other recipes, ensure the water is drained out and then chop the eggplants as roughly or as finely as required

  2 – Preparation

• Thoroughly chop the roasted eggplant and mash any lumps
• Dice the green and red bell peppers in 5mm squares
• Mash the garlic in a pestle & mortar with a little salt
• Juice one lemon
• Dice an onion in 5mm squares
• Finely chop the fresh mint
• Mix the chopped eggplant with the chopped garlic, diced onions, and diced bell peppers.
• Add the lemon juice, table salt, chopped fresh mint, and mix well. Ensure the mixture is mixed thoroughly and looks colourful.
• Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint, olive oil, and serve chilled

Dolma (Cold Mahashi) – from Chef InterContinental Abu Dhabi

 A Traditional dish part of the Middle Eastern cuisine for centuries.  

Ingredients for the Dolma stuffing

• 60g Egyptian rice
• 15g Lemon juice
• 15g Molasses
• 40g Olive oil
• 5g Fresh mint
• 40g Tomato
• 20g Red onion
• 5g Salt
• 25g Fresh parsley

 Method of preparation

• First, place the rice into a small pot with water for 10 minutes
• Next, put all the vegetables into a blender
• In a small pot, add the vegetables and remove the water from the rice. Mix with the vegetables
• Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt and molasses. Leave it to marinate in the sauce for around one hour
• Remove the sauce on the side
• Add the baby morrow and eggplant and carve out the centre and add the mixture inside. Then put in a chafing dish and add the sauce on top. Put it in the oven (175C) for 1 hour 45 minutes
• Once cooked, remove and place into the fridge. Serve cold as a mezzeh.

For the meat lovers

Galayet Bandora – from Chef Ahmad Darwesh at InterContinental Jordan

Galayet Bandora is typical Jordanian dish: simple and delicious and only needs two ingredients! Easy to make, it will be ready in no more than 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 300 g beef (or meat of choice) ground or cut into 1 cm cubes
• 3 cups tomatoes chopped finely
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 medium onions chopped finely
• 1 hot green chili pepper chopped finely (optional)
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method of preparation

• Pour the olive oil to a pan
• Sauté the onions in the olive oil (over medium-low heat) until soft and translucent
• Add the meat and stir occasionally until the meat is no longer pink. (7–10 minutes)
• Add the tomatoes, salt and peppers, stir until the mix is homogeneous and cover
• Cook over medium-low heat stirring every five minutes until the mix thickens (the total cooking time would be 15 to 20 minutes)
• Remove from heat and serve in a shallow bowl. Garnish with fresh parsley, chopped chili peppers (if desired)
• Serve with warm bread, pickles and tea.

For the healthy

Super Salad by Chef De Cuisine: Rajesh Kumar At InterContinental Regency Bahrain

Veggies and high-fibre quinoa, this easy-to-make salad is nutritious, delicious, and super-satisfying. Juicy pomegranate seeds add on a great burst of flavor and colour.

Ingredients

• 15 g Sprouting broccoli
• 15g Cherry tomato
• ¼ Avocados
• 20g Quinoa
• 15g Baby spinach
• 5g Pomegranate seeds
• 5g Pumpkin seeds
• Zest and juice 1 lemon or lime
• ¼ tbsp White wine vinegar
• ¼ tbsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil

Method of preparation

Blanch broccoli in saltwater, wash, drain, leave in the colander while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Add the dressing ingredients with some seasoning and whisk together. Cut the avocados into chunky pieces, add the quinoa, spinach, herbs, half the pomegranate and pumpkin seeds, and gently toss everything together.

Chicken Mussakhan roll from Chef Georges Rahme, IHG Dubai Festival City

 Mussakhan is a Palestinian cuisine dish composed of roasted or boiled chicken cooked with onion, sumac powder, pine nuts, and olive oil and served over Taboon traditional Palestinian bread. In this recipe, we are going to simplify things without losing the authenticity of the dish.

• Cooking Preparation: Approximately 25 minutes
• Serves 4 persons

 Ingredients

• 4 pcs Saj bread - use tortilla, Iranian or Lebanese bread if Saj is not available
• 800 to 1000 grams whole chicken boiled with a cinnamon stick, bay leaves and 1 whole onion into 2 pieces. Meat shredded without the skin.
• 200g red onion, finely sliced
• 10g pine seeds, toasted
• 150 ml olive oil
• Salt to taste
• White pepper to taste
• 20g sumac powder

Method of Preparation

• Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken meat, pine seeds, sumac, salt and white pepper
• Simmer for 10 minutes on slow fire combining all ingredients together. Set aside
• Cut the saj bread into small rectangular pieces (5 by 3 centimeters each approximately)
• Add the chicken mixture into the center of each piece. (A tablespoon approximately in every piece of bread)
• Roll the bread and place it on a baking tray. Brush olive oil onto the top of each roll
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree Celsius for about 10 minutes or until the bread becomes crispy and gold in color

Serve immediately with plain yogurt for dipping.

SWEET TOOTH 

Rice pudding from Executive Chef Elie Lteif, voco Dubai

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup rice basmati
• 500 ML fresh cream
• 500 ML milk 
• 120 g sugar
• 1 spoon butter
• 2 g cardamom powder
• 2 spoons rose water
• 1 spoon vanilla powder
• 2 pcs cardamom seeds whole green
• 2 pcs star anise
• Sugar syrup
• 2 cup G sugar
• 5 cup of water
• 1 small spoon lemon juice

Method of preparation

• Soak basmati rice in hot water for 20 minutes after washing 3 times
• In a small pan, boil milk with fresh cream
• Add sugar, butter, cardamom powder and cardamom seeds, star anise and vanilla powder
• After boiling for 5 minutes, add the rice and keep shaking the casserole to ensure the rice does not stick to the pan and burn
• Once the rice is well-cooked, add rose water and place in small jars or cups
• Keep it until cooled
• Top with pistachio powder and sugar syrup

Sugar syrup preparation: Boil water with sugar and lemon juice for around 15 minutes and let it cool.

Tips

• You can replace basmati rice with Egyptian rice
• Important to soak the rice before cooking to not lose the milk and cream while boiling.
• You can add any flavour to this basic recipe like cacao powder if you like chocolate, or mango puree or coffee powder