Make these Middle Eastern and Turkish delights in Ramzan

Add these easy-to-make and delicious recipes to your iftar dastarkhwan.

There are a number of traditional and cherished Middle Eastern and Turkish recipes of savouries and sweets. This Ramzan, Chef Ishijyot Surri, Executive Chef - SJI Hospitality and Foods Pvt. Ltd, shares a few of them. With the holy month drawing to a close, soon, get cooking and make them today!

DRINKS

1. Qamar Al-Deen (Apricot juice)
   

Prepare a beautiful Middle-Eastern iftar and add some traditional sweets and drinks to it. (Shutterstock)

Qamar Al-Deen, the Middle Eastern drink, is made of dried apricots

Ingredients:

Dried apricots - 250 grams

Water - 1.5 litres

Sugar or honey - 5 tbsp

Rose water - 3 tsp

Method:

Rinse the dried apricots under cold water to remove any dust or debris. Place them in a large bowl or container, cover with water and let them soak for at least 4-6 hours, or preferably overnight, until they are soft and rehydrated.

Blend the apricots and water until smooth and well combined. Strain the blended mixture through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove any pulp or solids, resulting in a smooth juice. Stir in sugar and mix well. Add rose water for refreshing flavour.

2) Ayran (Turkish yogurt drink)

Ayran, the yoghurt drink from Turkey, is a refresher

Ingredients:

Plain yogurt - 1 cup

Cold water - 1 cup

Salt - 2 tsp

Dried mint, for garnish

Method:

In a mixing bowl, combine the plain yogurt and cold water. Whisk until this is smooth and frothy.

Add salt and continue whisking until well incorporated.

Once mixed, pour the ayran into serving glasses. (You can serve the ayran immediately or refrigerate for a short while to chill before serving). Garnish each glass with a sprinkle of dried mint. Stir before drinking as the yogurt may settle at the bottom.

3) Carob Drink

Ingredients:

Milk (almond milk or oat milk) - 2 cups

Carob powder - 3 tbsp

Honey - 3 tbsp

Vanilla extract - ¼ tsp

Cinnamon - ¼ tsp

Method:

Heat the milk in a small saucepan on medium heat until it simmers (not boils), remove and when it is warm, add the carob powder to it. Whisk until the powder is fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth.

Stir in the honey until it is completely mixed in. Add the vanilla extract and cinnamon to the mixture and stir until everything is well combined.

Allow the carob drink to cool down a bit before serving. You can serve it warm or wait until it's completely cool and serve it over ice cubes for a refreshing cold drink.

1) Halawet el Jibn

Round up your meal with Halawat El Jibn, an Arabic dessert

Ingredients:

For the dough:

Fine semolina - 1 cup

Water - 1 cup

Sugar - 1/4 cup

Rose water or orange blossom water - 1 tbsp

Unsalted butter - 1tbsp

For the filling:

Clotted cream (ashta) - 1 cup

For the sugar syrup:

Sugar - 1 cup

Water - ½ cup

Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

Rose water or orange blossom water - 1 tbsp

Method:

Start by making the dough. Heat water, sugar, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture simmers.

Slowly add the semolina to the simmering mixture while stirring constantly. Cook while stirring until it thickens and no longer sticks to the sides of the pan, around 5-7 minutes.

Remove the dough from the heat and mix in the rose water or orange blossom water. Let it cool for a few minutes until it's easy to handle.

Divide the dough into small portions, about the size of a walnut. Flatten each portion in your hand and place a spoonful of clotted cream (ashta) in the center. Fold the dough over the filling and roll it into a cylinder shape.

Repeat the process with the rest of the dough and filling.

To make the sugar syrup, combine sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, then let it simmer for around 5-7 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the rose water or orange blossom water.

Arrange the filled dough rolls on a serving platter and drizzle the sugar syrup on top. Serve the cheese rolls at room temperature or chilled, and enjoy this delicious Lebanese dessert.

2) Nabulsi Tamriyeh

Ingredients:

Nabulsi cheese - 500g

Sugar - 2 cups

Water - 2 ¼ cups

Rose water or orange blossom water - 3 tbsp

Crushed pistachios for garnish

Method:

Cut the Nabulsi cheese into small rectangular pieces (about 1-inch long). In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the rose water or orange blossom water to the syrup and stir well.
Add the Nabulsi cheese pieces to the syrup mixture, ensuring they are fully submerged.
Let the cheese soak in the syrup over low heat for about 10-15 minutes or , until the cheese becomes soft and absorbs some of the syrup. Remove the cheese pieces from the syrup and place them on a serving plate. Garnish with crushed pistachios. Serve it warm or at room temperature.