Ramadan Iftar Menu: Potato Gratin, Zucchini Soup, Halloumi Salad and Basbousa

Main dish: 

Potato Gratin Recipe

Today Asmaa Hesham is back with us for her potato gratin recipe for Ramadan. Don't miss her takeover on Instagram stories as she cooks with you step by step for your Iftar. 

Pepper Steak Recipe

Image Credits: Munaty Cooking

Ingredients:

- 2 Cups fresh green peppers

- 1/2 Kilogram thin sliced steak meat

- 1 Medium onion (cut into slices)

- 1 Tbsp soy sauce

- 1/4 tsp garlic powder

- 3 Tbsp cornstarch 

- 1/5 cup beef broth

- 1 Tbsp oil

Steps:

1. Mix cornstarch, beef broth, soy and garlic and set aside. 

2. Add a tablespoon of oil to the surface of the saucepan and stir-fry the steak slices on both sides until well cooked. Make sure the stove top is on medium heat.

3. Add peppers and onion to the sauce pan, and then add the beef broth mixture and stir well. Cook until it all thickens and blends completely.

4. Serve the steak with white rice, french fries or steamed vegetables.

Soup:

Zucchini Soup Recipe

Recipe Credits: Sweet Pillar & Co. 

Image Credits: Skinny Taste

Ingredients: 

- 2 zucchinis (sliced)

- 1 onion (diced)

- 1 Tbsp butter

- 2 Cups chicken stock

- 1/2 Cup milk or heavy cream

- Flour (optional as a thickener)

- Cooked chicken, ex. rotisserie, grilled chicken, etc. (optional)

Steps:

1. Sauté onions in butter until translucent.

2. Add zucchini and reduce heat.

3. Let them sit for a 5 -7 minutes on low heat, until zucchini is tender.

4. Add chicken stock, and bring to a boil.

5. Do not cover the cooking pot, because it will change the color of the zucchini.

6. Reduce heat and let it boil for 10 minutes.

7. Add milk and let it boil uncovered on low heat for another 10 minutes.

8. If it is too watery and you like a thicker consistency, mix 1 tablespoon of flour with a few drops of water until a paste is formed, and add it into the soup and let it boil for another 5 minutes.

9. Use the blender to blend it all together into soup-like consistency.

10. Optional: add cooked chicken.

The Salad:

Grilled Halloumi Cheese Salad Recipe

Image Credits: Leah Itsines

Ingredients:

- 1 Lettuce

- 250 Grams of Halloumi cheese

- 150 Grams of sweet corn

- Handful of cherry tomatoes

- 2 lemons cut into halves

- 2 Tbsp of minced basil

- 2 Tbsp of minced parsley

- 4 Tbsp of yogurt

- 1/2 a pound of mixed olives (if desired)

- Handful of croutons 

- Salt and pepper 

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven and grill the halloumi cheese (after you cut it into slices) for approximately 2 minutes or until it turns golden.

2. Meanwhile put together lettuce, cherry tomatoes, olives, sweet corn and croutons in a medium-sized bowl.

3. Prepare the dressing aside by mixing yogurt, lemon juice, chopped basil and parsley.

4. Add the grilled halloumi to the lettuce and then pour the dressing on top. Toss gently before serving. Bon appetit!

Dessert: 

Basbousa Recipe

Image Credits: Cooking From Heart

Ingredients:

- 2 cups semolina flour

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1/2 cup white sugar

- 2 Tbsp white honey

- 1/2 cup melted butter

- 1 cup plain yogurt

Syrup:

- 1/2 cup white sugar

- 1 1/2 cup water

- 1 tsp lemon juice

- 1 Tbsp butter

Steps:

1. In a bowl, gently mix the semolina and the melted butter all together with your fingertips without turning it into a dough. 

2. Then add the sugar, the honey, the yogurt and the baking powder, and mix them all together.

3. Spread butter on an oven pan, and then pour the mix in this pan.

4. Set the oven to 200 degrees, and put the basbousa mix in for 30 minutes. 

5. When you see its color turning to gold, you know it’s ready to come out.

6. Meanwhile, prepare the basbousa syrup, here’s how: Boil the water and sugar, and then add the lemon juice and leave it boil for one more minute. 

7. Finally add the butter to the syrup right before you pour it on the basbousa.

You can garnish the basbousa with your favorite nuts and extra syrup.

Main Image Credits: Salted Mint