HOST YOUR OWN IFTAR. Recipe Book

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1 HOST YOUR OWN IFTAR Recipe Book

2 Salam! Ramadan Kareem and thank you for signing up to our Charity Iftar Month. During the holy month of Ramadan, we hope you will arrange an iftar for your friends, family or local community and encourage them to give a little to support Interpal s humanitarian work for Palestinians in need. Interpal has been operating in the occupied Palestinian territories (West Bank and Gaza) as well as the refugee camps of Lebanon and Jordan for over 20 years. Our aim is to provide direct humanitarian assistance and long term development aid to support the most vulnerable and support Palestinian society as a whole. By supporting our work, your act of solidarity and compassion shows how you stand #ForPalestine. To help you in your Iftar, we have compiled some delicious Iftar ideas for you to try out. You can also stand #ForPalestine by buying Palestinian produce and fair trade goods and add that authentic Palestinian flavour to your dishes! The Palestinian ingredients in all recipes can be ordered via Yaffa, Zaytoun, picked up from our office or our e-store. Visit Yaffa website: Visit Zaytoun website: Visit our e-store: Come to our London Head Office: 2

3 Contents 4 Palestinian Flat Bread 6 Musakhan Rolls (Loaded Palestinian Pizza Rolls) 8 Nus wa Nus Manaeesh (Zaatar & Cheese Pizza) 10 Zesty Palestinian Salad 12 Hummous 14 Falafel Burgers 16 Freekeh & Chickpea Salad 18 Chocolate Covered Dates 20 Date Cake 22 Tea with Merimiyeh (Sage)

4 Palestinian Flat Bread Fresh bread is always amazing, and this flatbread is easy to make and can be used in a number of other recipes! What you need 300g of plain flour 1 tsp caster sugar 1 tsp salt 150ml water 1 egg white 30g of melted butter 2 egg white, beaten 2 tsps of sesame seeds (optional) Method 1. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 6 (200C). 2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Add water, 1 egg white and the melted butter and then mix well into a stiff dough. 3. Knead the dough until smooth. 4. Divide the dough evenly into 10 balls and roll each out on a lightly floured surface until paper thin. 5. Place the rolled out circles on an ungreased baking tray, brush with the remaining egg white and sprinkle with the seeds. 6. Bake in a preheated oven for minutes until browned. 4

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6 Musakhan Rolls (Loaded Palestinian Pizza Rolls) Musakhan is a traditional loaded Palestinian pizza and you can make these fun mini musakhan rolls for your iftar. You can use any soft Palestinian flat breads, naan bread or tortillas to make the rolls. What you need 1 kg chicken breast 4 large onions 5 tablespoons of Palestinian sumac Thin bread (as required) Palestinian olive oil (for frying and a little to brush the rolls) 2 tablespoons of pine nuts Salt and pepper (to taste) Cardamom pods (one to two) Method 1. Boil the chicken breast with pepper, salt and the cardamom until well cooked. 2. Tear the cooked chicken into thin strips and mix with a tablespoon of sumac and a pinch of pepper. 3. Add the olive oil to a large saucepan, then add the sliced onions and cook on a medium heat until soft (approx. 8 minutes). Add a pinch of salt and pepper, 2-3 tablespoons of sumac and stir together well. 4. In a smaller pan, brown the pine nuts in olive oil. 5. Add the cooked chicken to the saucepan with the onions, a little more olive and the roasted pine nuts and mix gently together. 6. Cut the bread into 4 pieces, add the chicken mix and wrap into tight rolls. You can use a cocktail tick to hold them in place. 7. Brush with a little olive oil and bake in the oven on Gas mark 6 (200c) for 15 minutes until the rolls are brown. You can also pan fry the rolls if you wish. 6

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8 Nus wa Nus Manaeesh (Zaatar & Cheese Pizza) Manaeesh is delicious fresh out of the oven and it is a popular and delicious starter. You can be brave and make the bread yourself - there are lots of recipes online, or you can do what we do and cheat by buying some soft naan bread and using that as the base! What you need 2 naan/flat breads 225 g of white cheese (grated mozzarella is best) Approx. 150g zaatar 2 tablespoons of sumac Palestinian olive oil Black seeds (optional) Sesame seeds (optional) Method 1. Mix the zaatar and sumac with an equal amount of olive oil so it makes a medium consistency paste. You can add some sesame seeds or black seeds too. 2. Cover half of the naan bread with the zaatar paste and the other half with the white cheese. 3. Bake in the oven on a medium gas mark for approx. 8 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sides of the bread are nicely golden. 8

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10 Zesty Palestinian Salad It is always nice to have a refreshing salad with your meal - and this salad is a great way to increase your intake of fresh produce after a day of fasting. You can use as much or as little of the below ingredients as you need, depending on what you like and how many people you are serving. What you need Large tomatoes, chopped into medium chunks Onion, finely chopped Cucumber, diced Parsley, roughly chopped Pomegranate (approx. 1) Large, crispy lettuce leaves Dressing: Lemon juice (fresh is best!) Olive oil A teaspoon of sumac Method 1. Mix all the chopped vegetables and pomegranate into a bowl. 2. Mix the olive oil, lemon juice and sumac together and then add to the raw ingredients. 3. Spoon the salad into the lettuce leaves, and use them as the serving dish, or you can also chop up the lettuce leaves in the main salad. 10

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12 Hummous Hummous is a staple dish in the Palestinian diet, and it is easy to see why. It is simple and tasty and also healthy! What you need 400g chickpeas (drained) 4 tablespoons of tahini 8 tablespoons of lemon juice (fresh is best!) 1-2 cloves of garlic (paste) 1 teaspoon sea salt 2 tablespoons yogurt (optional) Additional water to thin Method 1. Blend the tahini and lemon juice in a food processor until creamy and pale. 2. Add the garlic and salt to the tahini paste. 3. Mix the chickpeas with the tahini paste and blend until it is all mixed well. Add the yogurt and blend some more and then add water, a little by little, until the hummous is of the desired consistency, and is silky smooth. 4. Refrigerate for a couple of hours for best flavour and serve with a drizzle of olive oil or and garnished with some chickpeas or parsley. 12

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14 Falafel burgers You can t have a Palestinian themed iftar without falafel, and this recipe is a simple way to make delicious, fresh falafel at home. You can also try a more ambitious traditional falafel recipe, and there are plenty of great ones online! You can stuff them in pitta bread, burger buns and serve with a zesty salad! What you need 400g of canned chickpeas (rinsed and drained) 1 garlic clove (finely chopped) A handful or chopped parsley 1 teaspoon of cumin 1 teaspoon of ground coriander ½ teaspoon of chilli powder 2 tablespoons of plain flour 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil 1 small roughly chopped onion Method 1. Rinse and dry the chickpeas with kitchen paper and then add the onion, garlic, parsley, spices and flour (plus salt to taste), Blend these together using a food processer until they reach a smooth malleable consistency. 2. Form the mixture into burgers with your hands- 4 or 6, depending on how big you want them. 3. Heat the oil in a pan, add the falafel burgers and fry on each side until golden brown. 4. Serve in pitta or burger buns with salad, Palestinian pickles and hummous. 14

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16 Freekeh & Chickpea Salad Freekeh is a healthy and delicious alternative to rice. It is a common staple food item for Palestinians and makes a simple salad truly delicious. What you need 150g Palestinian freekeh ½ teaspoon of salt (or to taste) Handful of fresh, chopped parsley Handful or fresh, chopped mint 100g of chopped celery 100g of chopped spring onion 1 can of drained chickpeas 100ml of lemon juice ½ teaspoon cumin powder or sumac 1 crushed garlic clove (optional) 6 tablespoons of Palestinian olive oil Method 1. In a medium saucepan, add the freekeh and toast in the dry pan until the freekeh becomes fragrant (approx. 2-3 minutes). Add water (approx. 450ml) and salt and bring to the boil. 2. Reduce and simmer the freekeh for around minutes or until the water is absorbed. Take off the heat and let the freekeh sit and cool. 3. In a large bowl, combine the chopped herbs, celery, onions and chickpeas and then add the cooled freekeh and toss to mix. 4. In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice, garlic, cumin and oil and then add to the salad. Add extra juice or salt to taste. 5. You can also garnish with fresh yogurt when serving. 16

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18 Chocolate Covered Dates Medjoul dates are sweet and luxurious, and you can give yourself a well deserved treat by covering them in chocolate! What you need medium or jumbo Palestinian Medjoul dates 150g dark, milk or white chocolate Pistachios or almonds (optional) Method 1. Slice across the dates and remove the pits. You can add an almond or pistachio in its place, and then seal up the cut by pressing both sides of the date together. 2. Melt the chocolate by breaking it up and putting it in a glass bowl, over boiling water. Stir frequently. 3. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper, and then dip each date into the melted chocolate and placing it on the tray to dry. 4. Once the chocolate has dried, you can place the dates in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes before serving. 18

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20 Date Cake Cake is great and medjoul dates are great- so why not add them together? This is a simple recipe for a sweet treat and you can eat it with ice cream or whipped cream too! What you need 180g dates, stones removed and chopped 200g dark brown soft sugar 55g butter or margarine 250ml boiling water 220g self-rising flour 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Method 1. Preheat the oven to 200 C / Gas mark 6. Grease and flour a 23x13cm loaf tin. 2. In a large bowl, combine dates, brown sugar, margarine and boiling water. Let stand 15 minutes. Stir in flour, bicarb and vanilla. Pour batter into prepared tin. 3. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Allow to cool. 20

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22 Tea with Merimiyeh (Sage) For all the tea lovers out there, this refreshing and soothing sage tea will be a great way to get your tea fix before beginning your fast. What you need 240ml water Tea bag 1 tablespoon of dried Palestinian merimiyeh Lemon wedge Honey or sugar to taste Method 1. Bring your water to the boil and add your tea bag. 2. Remove from the boil and add the merimiyeh to the tea and let it steep for a couple of minutes. 3. Drain the tea and add the lemon or honey to taste. 22

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24 ENJOY YOUR RAMADAN! Interpal.org Interpal is a charity registered in England & Wales: