'Fruit chaat, milk soda a must for Iftar'

Pakistan may be famous for its breathtaking landscapes and great linguistic diversity, but having never visited, I am guilty of knowing little about the country's customs or culture. That was until the Khans welcomed me into their home.

A Sharjah resident for more than 30 years, Pakistani expatriate Hena invited me for Iftar with her family during the holy month of Ramadan.

Joined by her husband Ali, daughters Anam and Hiba, and 8-year-old son Mohammed, Sunday evening's experience was one of "modern twists on Pakistani tradition".

Entering their home at around 5.30pm, it was all hands on deck in the kitchen, with preparation for Iftar well underway.

As 18-year-old Anam sat at the kitchen table preparing a colourful fruit chaat (fruit salad), it was my sense of smell and sight, which first responded to this month-long Muslim tradition.

What first struck me about the kitchen was the array of pots and pans, filled with half-prepared Pakistani favourites - favourites which had their own "Khan twist" on them.

"Our Pakistani Iftar has a healthy theme. For us, Ramadan is all about practising healthy eating so we tend to air-fry lots of food. We prefer light salads to heavy meat dishes," Hena said.

But as I pointed to some deep orange pakoras (a fried snack) bubbling away in the frying pan, Hena's hospitable nature came to the fore.

"Pakistanis love their pakoras. I want you to experience some real tradition as well as our modern healthy take on Pakistani cuisine, so we're making these especially for you," she said.

From dahi bara chaat (a yoghurt, potato, cilantro, and onion salad), to bihari kebab, and channa chaat (a chickpea salad) to one of Hena's favourites, a chilli-infused mint chutney, she said she usually prepares around eight separate dishes for Iftar - with the fruit chaat considered a "must".

"We can do without everything else, but we need the fruit chaat and milk soda. That's a really famous drink in Pakistan and my girls love it."

But aside from food bringing the family together as one during the holy month, Ramadan is a time for observance and reflection.

"Most importantly it's about following what our Prophet (peace be upon him) did, following the book," Hena said.

A healthy family Iftar

As she flitted from simmering pan to kitchen worktop - where she continued to chop and mix an abundance of fresh ingredients - at one point Hena stopped herself in her tracks and paused.

"I was just about to taste that, but luckily I didn't. I don't want to break my fast!"

And when asked if tasting was allowed during Iftar preparation, she said it was "down to each household".

"You're allowed to taste it if your husband is strict and wants everything to be perfect. I don't taste it because mine is not so fussy, but if you do taste there is a certain technique to use."

As the air fryer buzzed out in the corner signalling the end of its frying cycle, 20-year-old Hiba began removing the samosas and springs rolls from inside, until the final count hit about 20. And as each dish began to take shape, everywhere my eyes rested there was food. When I asked if they distribute their leftovers to neighbours or the needy, Hena's response was again, humbling.

"For us, it is not considered polite to give leftovers to people. You should share food with others while cooking it, or before Iftar, so that's what we do. We do not want to give them the food we simply don't eat," she said.

A family gathers

As the food preparation came to a close, and the dishes started to make their way to the table, Hiba said the spread started to resemble that of a "house Iftar in Pakistan". And with the azaan (call to prayer) marking the end of fast, each family member quietly made a dua (prayer), before passing around dates and water.

Aside from the religious enlightenment Ramadan brings, Hiba said this was the moment she looked forward to most.

"Ramadan is the only time we sit down as a family to eat, every day. We look forward to that time together because usually we only eat as a family once a week."

As each began spooning food onto the other's plate, one thing was clear to me. My third experience at ending a fast with a Muslim family was every bit as humbling as my first and second, and the experience left me wanting to dig deeper into the culture and customs of the Pakistani people.

Source: Khaleej Times