We’re always excited for Ramadan because we know we will be indulging in the most delicious dishes when we eat out or are invited to an Iftar or Suhoor. However, when it comes to cooking at home we’re often short on time and energy to whip up a proper spread for ourselves. Which is why this year we are better prepared and have planned ahead bypurchasing time and effort-saving tools from X-cite to help us along the way.
We’ve come up with a basic menu that can be tweaked based on your preferences but the structure is always the same. We start with a delicious appetizer followed by a hearty bowl of soup to ease into the meal. And we end with a dessert smoothie instead of a traditional dessert so we can load up on vitamins and fiber while also hydrating and satisfying our sweet tooth. YUM!
Appetizer: Sambousa
Kitchen Helper: Phillips Air Fryer
We’re air fryer converts. They have added so much convenience into our lives while also removing all the fat because we never deep fry anything anymore.
Normally we make a large batch of sambousa before Ramadan begins and freeze them in individual portions so we can have them ready quickly. Alternatively, you can buy them pre-made in all supermarkets now.
The classic trio of fillings has always been cheese, veggies and meat, but you can also try shredded chicken or lentils for new and exciting flavors. You don’t have to wait for them to thaw out and can put them in the air fryer frozen.
Soup: Lentil Soup
Kitchen Helper: Nutricook and Philips ProMix Hand blender with Chopper and Whisk
After a long day of fasting, a bowl of soup is filling and usually hot enough to slow you down from wolfing down food and shocking your digestive system. We also appreciate how versatile soup can be, but our favorite is the classic lentil soup and making it using a Nutricook has helped us level up our soup game.
You start by sauteing the onions and garlic which you can chop using the Phillips ProMix Chopper and then adding your spices, tomatoes and lentils, topping off with water then letting the Nutricook do its magic. Once it is done you can blend it all in the same pot using the Philips ProMix with the Immersion Blender attachment. You can even get creative by sneaking in different veggies into your lentil soup like carrots or courgettes. Both gadgets are easy to clean, which means less work for us!
Main Course: Machboos Diyay
Kitchen Helper: Sage Rice Cooker and Nutricook Oven
We love our Machboos Diyay, but the way that mom makes it takes too much effort and time. We love using the Sage Rice Cooker to quickly whip up a delicious pot of steaming hot rice. The Nutricook Oven with the Rotisserie option is our new BFF. This gadget combo makes for endless chicken and rice dishes, not just Machboos Diyay. You can even use your chicken for salads, taco filling, chicken, and mayo sandwiches and so much more. Both tools are fool-proof, you just set them up, press a button and go take a nap or watch your favorite Ramadan drama.
Dessert: Date Smoothie
Kitchen Helper: Nutribullet
Yes, we know this is not your conventional Ramadan dessert, and we do love kanafeh, qatayef and all the wonderful goodies that are associated with the Holy month, but we are now older and wiser and want to make sure we’re getting as many nutrients as we can in the short feeding window that we have. Enter the Date Smoothie, it is sweet, filling and can be whipped up in minutes. Chop dates and bananas in the Nutri Bullet. Fill up with milk and add a teaspoon of peanut butter and give it a blend until it is smooth, and you’re done. You can sweeten with honey or add cinnamon for an extra kick. Once you have jumped on the bandwagon you will realize that the options are limitless. You can also have a smoothie for suhoor too!
For a comprehensive list of X-cite’s store locations and to shop online for the latest deals visit www.xcite.com. Download the X-cite app for Android on Google Play or iPhone on the App Store. Follow X-cite social media accounts on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, @xcitealghanim and Facebook XcitebyAlghanim. Call 180 3535 for further Inquiries.
