Limit fried dishes this Ramadan

Dubai-based food blogger Hiba Basheer shares her regular dishes for Iftar and Suhoor as well as advice on what to stay away from

My childhood Ramadan memories. are plenty! Competing with my sister to be the imam for Taraweeh prayers would be the first. We made an effort to memorise all the shorter chapters of the Quran so we could recite them during the prayers. 
My mum's buttery toasted chicken sandwich with a slice of boiled egg in the center (that sliced egg was to die for!) was something she made all the days of Ramadan and a portion was shared with our building watchman and maintenance guys. 
For Iftar. I usually make one kind of savoury snack that is served with dates and other fruits and juice. We don't have a regular item on the menu. We tend to eat well during Iftar and avoid dinner. For Suhoor, we regularly eat curd rice which is very cooling on the tummy and keeps us energised the whole day.
My advice for those wanting to remain healthy during Ramadan. would be to break the fast with dates and a glass of water, and then eat food in a balanced way and not over-indulge. That would be the ideal way to enjoy Ramadan. Keep a limit on the number of fried foods, include more variety of fruits, bake instead of frying, reduce the amount of sugar we add to our juice, avoid a buffet and opt for a la carte meals at restaurants.
During Iftar and Suhoor stay away from. food rich in oil and sugar. Also, food that contain high amounts of salt like pickles and crisps. Limiting the amount of caffeine would be the healthy way to go this Ramadan.
In an age where eating out is a 'thing'... we celebrate the joy of home cooked meals at every Crumbs and Chatters bake-alongs that are not limited to traditional food and bring a world of flavours to our table. I lovehostingbakingworkshopswith ladies, teens and kids in my kitchen during which we bake something savory and sweet. My bake-alongs are designed to create a genuine interest in the value of food and what goes into it, especially in young minds. Kids are more likely to appreciate nutritious ingredients, and realise the effort it takes in food preparation and hopefully take home some life skills which are taught in a supervised environment with a hands-on approach that makes for a fun and delicious event.
Hiba Basheer, born and raised in Dubai, is a home baker and blogger at www.crumbsandchatters.com. 
As told to Neha Mahamood
 

• Food and Dining
• Ramadan 2021
• Ramadan Health
• Food Tips
• Dubai