Avoid making big meals for Iftar, Suhoor

Dubai - Chef Assia Othman gave us some valuable tips on proper food handling

Ramadan falls during one of the hottest periods of the year, so we have to take measures to make sure the meals we prepare for Iftar and Suhour do not spoil quickly.
Khaleej Times spoke with chef Assia Othman, De'Longhi (Italian appliance manufacturer) ambassador, and she gave us some valuable tips on proper food handling:
Better to refrigerate fruits to retain freshness
Usually in Ramadan, people have a tendency to consume more apricots, strawberries, melons and bananas. All these fruits need to be refrigerated as to keep them fresh and to keep their waters in. The best trick is to make sure you take the fruits out right before you want to eat them, and put them back in as soon as you are done - you have to avoid having them out unnecessarily.
Don't cook big meals
The easiest way to prevent food from getting spoilt or wasted is by not cooking big quantities of food. This way your you won't have many leftovers or stale food. Also, it is best to cook saucy meals just a few hours before Iftar, as they spoil quickly if they are not refrigerated.
Use separate chopping boards for veggies and meat
It is very important to use separate chopping boards for veggies and meat so we can avoid unintentional cross contamination. We want to make sure that we prevent one food's bad bacteria from affecting the other. This is especially important in cases when you will not be cooking the vegetables much or at all, meaning that there is a higher chance for the bacteria to be retained in the ingredients. An easy trick would be to use different coloured chopping boards for each - this way, you know not to mix the fresh produce and raw meat.
angel@khaleejtimes.com

• Ramadan Health