As the holy month of Ramadhan is upon us once more, I would like to take a moment to wish all of those who are observing this religious month a blessed month. I would also like to take a moment to appreciate all the homemakers out there who do not let it be known just how hard it is to get the table set in the evening.
As a recent homemaker myself, I have been thrust into the responsibility of making nutritious and delicious meals for my family as we make 15-hour daytime fasts. More so, I have commandeered the household ship by undertaking the impossible task of making decadent Ramadhan meals on a budget.
In my last article, I detailed the current economic crisis and the high rates of inflation the world over. This has led to difficult decisions being made by those of us who manage household expenses. We have been forced to substitute, eliminate and make do without certain things that we would otherwise consider necessary.
The high inflation rates have contributed to the dramatic increase in prices of household goods, especially food items. A Sh3,000 shopping trip at Naivas will hardly fill one sisal bag.
Perishables, in my opinion, are a homemaker’s worst nightmare. Bell peppers have become a luxury, lemons have been replaced with the artificial stuff in bottles and onions are used sparingly. Which is a much bigger deal in Swahili households because we are known to cook everything with onions!
Back to the point, while Ramadhan is a time of reflection and spiritual growth, the breaking time or iftar has always served as a bonding moment for families as they congregate to eat together after a long day of fasting.
As such, over the years, many cultures have not only created but perfected ‘Ramadhan-only recipes’. These are delicacies that are only made and enjoyed during the fasting period.
One might ask why we Muslims all over the world are obsessed with food during this season of appreciating hunger and abstinence, it is probably because of these Ramadhan-only recipes. The aromas that fill the homes and streets take us back to our childhood days of eating the same foods every year only during the holy month. These foods are our expression of culture and love.
Not only are these meals nourishing to the body as they are filled with nutritious grains, meats and vegetables, but they also take a long time to prepare which is doable during the fasting period as the kitchen is not as busy as it would be on the normal days where one prepares three meals a day. Even though these meals are made one month in the year, in the current economy it’s starting to look like an impossible task.
We want to feed our families with bulging meat samosas and hearty soups but a visit to the butcher stops us fast in our tracks. We want to lade our tables with an assortment of dishes to everyone’s liking but the grocery bills are way too high.
Many of us have to make difficult decisions to simply feed our families in these hard times but what we will never lack is the essence of the holy month. The camaraderie, the unbreakable spirit and the outpour of love keep us going through the hard times.