Saturday marked the start of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of reflection, prayer and fasting from sunrise to sunset. During daylight hours, many Muslims refrain from eating, drinking (including water), smoking and sex.
To prepare for the daylong fast, some Muslims — such as Lila Amen, 54, of Dearborn, Mich. — prefer breakfast, called suhoor, to be something light.
"Being a working mom, I prefer getting up before dawn and having something light or sweet that keeps me going throughout the day," Amen said. "I have tea or coffee along with labne, a thick yogurt spread, with pita or with kaak, a sweet bread."
Others need more to tide them over until sunset.
Halla Jomaa, 26, says some people will eat a bigger breakfast that includes eggs, vegetables, fruit and ful, a mashed fava bean spread with garlic and lemon juice, or a course of olives and black tea.
"Ful is a high-protein dish and holds you over for a long time," Jomaa said.
Whether they eat more or less, observants try to limit the amount of salt and sugar they consume to avoid getting thirsty.
To break their fast when the sun sets, many Muslims first eat a date because that is what Islam’s founder, Muhammad, is believed to have eaten to break his fast. Afterward, observants often ease into a multicourse meal with a small bowl of lentil soup and fattoush salad.
"To end the fast, it’s a huge meal with family members," Jomaa said. "It’s almost like having a Thanksgiving meal every night of Ramadan."
Here are more foods that are often eaten during Ramadan:
Labne: This thick spread is made from plain nonfat yogurt that has been strained of whey.
To make it, line a colander with several coffee filters and place over a bowl. Place about 2 cups of the yogurt on the coffee filters and refrigerate at least six hours. The whey will drain out, and the yogurt will become very thick. You can add a bit of salt to it for some flavor. Spread it on a pita or eat it with a date.
Fava bean spread (ful): This spread is made from mashed fava beans and boiled with garlic, lemon and other ingredients. It is also sold in Arab grocery stores.
Lentil soup: There are many versions of this classic soup. It’s a hearty dish that, served in small amounts, is satisfying and filling.
Fattoush: This salad can be a meal in itself. The flavors of fresh herbs and garden-fresh vegetables are mixed with a citrusy dressing. Toasted pita chips also make it filling. Ground sumac is the main ingredient in the dressing that gives it a fruity flavor.
Fava bean spread
Serves: 6
1 (15-ounce) can fava beans
1 large onion, peeled, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Ground red pepper, to taste
Grilled pita for serving
1. Pour the beans into a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Mix well and add onion, tomato, olive oil, cumin, parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper and red pepper. Bring the mixture back to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Let the mixture cook 5 minutes. Serve warm with grilled pita.