Jasmine Kamal 
A big part of Ramadan is all about food and making delicious meals. So, we decided who better than to ask the experts about their top cooking tips and share them with you. Chef Mariam Hamdi shared her secrets, and this week Asmaa Hashem shares her tricks with us for the second week of Ramadan, to make your cooking a little easier. So, read on to learn all the tricks Chef Asma Hashem shared with us.
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1.Prep the syrup for kunafa in bulk during Ramadan
Preparing the syrup for kunafa can be a little time consuming to keep doing it every-time you make kunafa. Chef Asma’s advice is to prepare the the syrup in bulk and store it. All you have to do is:
1. Mix the appropriate amount of water with twice the amount of sugar. For example, if you have 1 cup of water, mix it with 2 cups of sugar, add a little lemon, and cook it over the fire the usual way.
2. After it cools down, start dividing the amount into jars, adding different flavors to each quantity. For example, add one stick of cinnamon, the other cardamom, and the other rose water. Store the jars in the refrigerator after that.
If you are looking for a dessert option, check out Chef Dina Hamdi Shares her Recipe for Kunafa Banofee Pie
2. Prepare minced meat in different ways and store it
Minced meat is something that can be used in a lot of recipes, so why not prepare them in two different ways.
The first method: prepare minced meat with sauce. It can be used in various recipes, such as lasagna and pasta bechamel.
The second method: prepare minced meat with onions, cinnamon and nutmeg. They can be used as the samboosak filling, cannelloni and so much more. You can also add any sauce to it later to use for any other recipe. After each method is prepared, wait for it to cool down, then store it in an airtight refrigerator bag. Anytime you want to use it, just cut out the amount you need.
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3. Seasoning and storing chicken in different ways
One of the tricks that can make cooking a lot easier is cleaning, seasoning and storing the chicken. Asmaa advises women to buy more than one chicken, clean it, then season each one with a different seasoning. Put it in a sealed refrigerator bag and label it, then store it in the freezer. When needed, all you’ll need to is chop vegetables in a tray, put the marinated chicken on it, and put it in the oven.
Note: The same applies to chicken breasts, you don’t need to do this trick with a whole chicken only.
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4. Preparing and storing stuffed vegetables
One of the most difficult things to prepare, is stuffing, especially in Ramadan, because it takes such a long time. But, instead of taking up so much time to prepare it, what you can do is buy a big bulk of the ingredients you need for the stuffed vegetables such as parsley, dill etc…then cut and divide them into bags and put them in the refrigerator.
Meanwhile, you can boil cabbage and grape leaves and store it in the freezer. Anytime you need to prepare stuffing, you’ll have vegetables ready, cabbage and grape leaves, and all you have to do is prepare the rice for the stuffing. With this secret, you will save half the time and effort.
5.Tricks to make Ramadan gatherings easier
If you’re inviting your family and friends to an Iftar gathering in Ramadan, there are a few things you can do the day before, so that you don’t have a lot to do on the day of:
- Prep the rice for the soup the day before and store it in the fridge, it won’t go bad.
- Set and decorate the table from the night before, it will be one less thing you have to worry about on that day.
- Prepare salad dressing from the night before.
- Make sure to choose recipes that do not require you standing infront of the stove for so long, opt for meal that can be cooked in the oven easier.
