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Ramadan arrives this year in February, in the heart of winter. Short days, cold evenings and the pressure of everyday work mean that preparation is no longer about producing abundance, but about reducing effort while maintaining care. For many households balancing jobs, children and long commutes, the question is not what to cook, but how to make the month manageable.
The most effective approach to Ramadan cooking is not variety but repetition. A small set of meals that are easy to digest, quick to prepare and gentle on the body can carry a household through 30 days of fasting with far less stress than daily reinvention. The aim is to do the thinking once, not every day.
At the centre of this approach sits one essential dish: soup.
Across cultures, soup is the quiet constant of Ramadan. In winter, it becomes indispensable. Warm, hydrating and calming, it allows the body to transition gently into eating after a long fast. A split red lentil soup is particularly suited to February fasting. It is affordable, quick to cook and freezes well. One pot prepared at the weekend can last several days, removing the need for daily decisions at sunset.
Served hot at iftar, the evening meal that breaks the daily fast, soup slows the pace of eating and settles the stomach before anything else arrives on the table. This is not about tradition for tradition’s sake but function. In colder weather, digestion naturally slows, and soup prepares the body to eat again.
Fried food often features at iftar and scale matters. One or two small items are enough. Anything more becomes tiring to cook and heavy to eat night after night. Lebanese sambousek – small pastries filled with minced lamb, onions, parsley and pine nuts – work particularly well because they can be prepared in advance and frozen uncooked. The same applies to simple cheese rolls.
Both can be shaped in batches, frozen flat and cooked directly from frozen when needed. The advantage is as much psychological as practical. When the freezer is stocked, there is no sense of last-minute pressure as the fast ends.
Heavier fried dishes, such as fried chicken or fish, are best avoided during the week. They require more effort in the kitchen and tend to increase thirst the following day. Ramadan food works best when it is light and predictable.
A fresh salad is not an optional extra but a structural part of the meal. It brings hydration, texture and acidity, balancing both soup and fried items. Fattoush remains a reliable choice: herbs, vegetables, crisp bread and lemon. Alternatively, a simple salad with chicken, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers can stand alone for smaller households.
The key is to keep ingredients repeatable and easy to assemble. Washing and storing vegetables at the start of the week turns salad into a matter of minutes rather than another task to negotiate at the end of the day.
Rice, if served, should remain uncomplicated. Plain basmati rice, steamed and fluffed, provides comfort without heaviness. Rich, elaborate dishes are better reserved for weekends, when there is more time and less cumulative fatigue.
Suhoor, the pre-dawn meal eaten before the fast begins, presents a quieter challenge in winter. Cold weather can disguise dehydration, yet long fasting hours still demand careful hydration. The most effective suhoor foods are simple. Medjool dates soaked 10-15 minutes in milk offer a practical solution. Soft, nourishing and quick, they require no preparation in the early hours. Limiting intake to two or three dates helps avoid sugar spikes and thirst later in the day.
Much of this approach depends on one small window of preparation. A single Sunday afternoon can remove most of the strain of the week ahead. Cooking a pot of lentil soup, shaping sambousek, rolling cheese pastries and washing vegetables once creates a rhythm that carries through Ramadan with minimal daily effort.
This way of cooking is not about perfection or performance. It is about acknowledging that fasting already demands discipline, and that food should support rather than complicate the month. In winter especially, Ramadan rewards calm repetition. When meals are planned, familiar and gentle, there is more space for rest, reflection and the quieter rhythms that the month invites.
Lebanese lamb sambousek (pictured above)
These sambousek use a soft cream-based dough that is easy to handle and produces a tender, delicate pastry.
Makes 20–24
Prep 40 min
Cook 20 min
For the dough
300g extra-thick double cream
250g – 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
For the lamb filling
2 tbsp neutral oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
300g minced lamb
2 tbsp pine nuts
1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp allspice
Sea salt
To make the dough, add the cream and 250g of the flour to a medium bowl. Mix until a soft dough begins to form, then gradually add the remaining flour, a little at a time, until you have a smooth, supple dough that is soft to the touch but not sticky. You may not need all the flour. Cover and set aside to rest for 15 minutes while you prepare the filling.
Heat the oil in a frying pan on a medium heat, add the onion and cook for 10 minutes until softened and slightly golden. Add the minced lamb and cook for 10-12 minutes until just browned, breaking it up with a spoon. Stir in the pine nuts, parsley, cinnamon, allspice, and salt to taste. Cook for another minute, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough until it’s 1–1.5 cm thick. Cut out small or medium circles. Place a teaspoon of filling in the centre of each, fold into a crescent and seal the edges by pressing, crimping or using a fork.
Freeze in a single layer for up to three months, or fry immediately in hot oil for 3-4 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp (allow an extra 5 minutes if frying from frozen).
Lebanese cheese rolls
These crisp rolls appear across the Middle East in various forms and are a staple of the Ramadan table. This version combines several cheeses for a soft, gooey centre, lifted by nigella seeds and a hint of dried mint.
Makes 15–18
Prep 25 min
Cook 15 min
Packet spring roll sheets
For the filling
100g feta, crumbled
150g halloumi, grated
200g mozzarella block, grated
2 tbsp cream cheese
4 tsp nigella seeds
½ tsp dried mint
Oil, for frying
Place all the filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well until combined. The mixture should be soft but not loose.
Lay a spring roll sheet on a clean surface in a diamond shape. Place 1 tbsp of filling in the centre, slightly towards the top. Fold in the sides, fold down the top, then roll tightly into a cigar shape and seal with a little water to secure. Repeat with the remaining spring roll sheets and filling.
Freeze in a single layer , or fry immediately for 2-3 minutes, turning once or twice, until golden and crisp (allow an extra 5 minutes if frying from frozen). Drain briefly on kitchen paper and serve hot, while the cheese is still molten.
