Food log: The first 24 hours after Ramadan
Stardate 62106.2
Made possible by popular demand. Well, sort of…
Men meeting and greeting after Eid Prayers
Ramadan officially ended last night and today was the first day of the month of Shawaal. It is called Eid-ul-Fitr (Festival to break the fast) and it is the most celebrated day of the Islamic year.
The other festival in the Islamic calendar is Eid-ul-Ad’ha (Festival of Sacrifice) and it will come around in the first week of December this year.
Both Eids are marked by a special prayer followed by a sermon after sunrise. One also recommended to recite the Takbir (testify God’s Greatness) throughout the day whenever possible. Fasting on both Eids is forbidden !
Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated in countless ways by different cultures. But for most North American Muslims, besides the morning, the rest of the day goes by uneventfully.
Sidetrack: I had a great time on Twitter tonight. First, Kathy kept me company talking of various things - especially about the Wall Street Bull and his balls. Then later, Drowsey Monkey and I were chatting away about the election during the live debate of the party leaders in French (read her post here), which only ended a short while ago.
Thank you both for such a lively evening.
Some curious minds have asked me to write about how I’d feast after 29 days of fasting. But I was skeptical because, almost every dinner in Ramadan is a feast. So I really wouldn’t be looking forward another feast after 29 evenings of feasting.
But I forgot that I had neighbours who were going all out with the celebrations. So it’s not hard to guess that I was invited too. These very nice folks come from my home state of Gujarat in India. So all the foods I got to bite into were typically Indian.
Below is the list of foods I’ve had from morning until now as of this writing. I have to tell you that I cannot name every one of them because I simply do not know what they are called !
Breakfast
I don’t have the same things for breakfast everyday. But these days I feel like starting my day with a bowl of Vector cereal. In case you didn’t know, Vector is a brand made by Kellogg Canada. It is advertised as a meal replacement - claiming to provide proteins, carbs and 22 vitamins and minerals.
It contains rolled oats, granola clusters and honey - so it’s heavy compared to other breakfast cereals.
Mid-Morning
Shirkhurma and Poori
This is a very traditional dish served especially on Eid-ul-Fitr in India right after the Eid prayers. Shirkhurma is made by boiling milk along with prepared vermicelli, dry-fruit and a lot of sugar. It is always served warm with Pooris on the side - which are also fondly eaten by dipping them in the milk.
The big orange ball on the top is called a Laddu and it’s found all over India. To it’s right are Namak Para which are crunchy savories lightly seasoned with cumin. Pooris are on the bottom. Then there are two types of sweet-meats that are made using milk as a base. Then finally the two big pastries on the top called ghooghra that are filled with coconut, sugar and dry fruit.
Lunch
A double-double and a garden vegetable sandwich
After having a heavy bowl of milk, I had no desire for a full meal. This is one of my favourite combinations when ever I go to a Tim Horton’s. A medium coffee with two cream and two sugar and a garden vegetable sandwich - white bread toasted with plain cream cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.
Late afternoon
Sides with afternoon tea
We’ve got pooris and googhras on the top. The big yellow snack in the front is called papri. It’s seasoned with fenugreek and is deep fired to crunch and it is almost always had with tea.
The orange sweet is called Jalebi and it is found all over India. It’s deep fried and then dipped in syrup. I think Jalebi the main cause of dental problems among Indians.
Dinner
You can see there’s rice and the bowl in the front is beef curry. It was quite modest actually - not very rich and not spicy at all.
Late evening
Of Course after consuming all that food I need something to aid in digestion. Earl Grey anyone ?
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Do I need a Blokester invitation??? 
There are 28 comments
I enjoyed the twittering too and also mentioned you in my post today, lol.
I admire your devotion and dedication. I’m not good at either of those things.
The food looks amazing. The Tim’s meal is a favourite of mine! They don’t make the garden veggie here anymore, not sure why but that was my favourite too (except I have 1 cream/no sugar).
DrowseyMonkeys last blog post..The Canadianization of Olga
Eid Mubarak, Jaffer!
Ironically, the calendars line up in such a way that we just finished feasting and today (October 2) is a fast day for us.
I’m curious about the milk-based “sweet meats” in the third photograph. How are they made? (I assume recipes are unavailable.)
Your whole-day food log looks like a lot of fun, but only if once a year, to be kind to your arteries!
Juggling Frogss last blog post..Oven Scheduler (free download form to keep track during cooking marathons)
@DrowseyMonkey - I’m devoted but staying dedicated is my problem ! LOL !
It’s too bad they’ve stopped making garden veggies. Here at my Tims they don’t do tuna salad anymore !
@Juggling Frogs - Shana Tova ! (Or is it too late). I mentioned to a friend only the other day that our version of Yom Kippur will be arriving soon - but I also think it’s more closely related to Pesach. You’ll need to shed light on Yom Kippur in the future (blog post ?)
The sweet-meats are usually made from condensed-milk and semolina. I don’t know how it’s made. Almost everybody prefers to buy it from the store !
It’s never to late to be wished a Happy New Year! Thank you, Jaffer.
Yom Kippur focuses on prayer and repentance. It’s an introspective and difficult full-day (sunset until dark the next day) fast.
Passover celebrates G-d’s freeing the Jewish people from slavery in ancient Egypt, in preparation that we could choose to accept the Torah. We had to be free in order to make the choice to accept the Law.
The preparations for Passover are arduous and elaborate, but the holiday itself is festive and full of guests and symbolic foods at highly structured meals. There is a small (dawn-dark) fast just for first-borns on the day before Passover, but eating, rather than fasting, is the cornerstone of Passover!
Something Yom Kippur and Passover have in common, however: Those yummy-looking sweet meats would be forbidden at both holidays! (YK is a fast day, and semolina pastries are most likely not kosher for passover!)
One thing Ramadan, Yom Kippur, and Passover share, I’ll bet, is the renewed appreciation after they’re over, of being able to eat “normally” once again.
Have a great celebration, Jaffer!
Juggling Frogs´s last blog post..Oven Scheduler (free download form to keep track during cooking marathons)
Assalamu alaikum wrwb and belated Eid Mubarak to you!
It is very interesting to see the shape of Pooris. The poori that I know looks a little different.
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Wow! That is a lot of food to eat in one day - but then I’m not a man. It all looks very delicious to me, and has made me hungry :O)
Babs - beetle´s last blog post..A double boost award!
@Juggling Frogs - Thank you very much. I can safely conclude that we don’t really have a day similar to Yom Kippur.
As always thank you for the details and comparision.
@Faiza - Walaykum Salaam ! There are two types of pooris in the Shirkhurma picture I think the one you are takking about is on the farther side. Eid Mubarak !
@Babs - beetle -
If you must know, I didn’t forget to share 
And I still have a lot of left-overs in the fridge ! It’ll take me a couple more days !
Yay! Thanks for listening to your minions. Everything sounds delicious!I think that I would enjoy what you had for the mid-morning snack, especially the ghooghra! Who doesn’t love pastries filled with coconut-ty goodness?
Thank you, Jaffer! I loved reading about your feast. I was disappointed that I was unable to view the pictures (I don’t know why), but your descriptions were more than ample. Thanks so much for sharing that. Now I’m hungry!
JD at I Do Things´s last blog post..I’m a Carnivore so you don’t have to be
Oh, my!!!! The pics are marvelous. Deep-fried snacks are the perfect antidote to a fast. Finger-lickin good. I need to locate a bakery that specializes in Indian pastries.
That cereal box cracks me up. Can you leap tall buildings in a single bound after eating a bowl?
Thanks, Jaffer!
Ah! I have had both jalebi and pooris and I didn’t know their names. My coworkers would bring these foods in to share– always a wonderful time getting to try things. I loved it. Between those and samosas, I was terribly happy.
Jenn´s last blog post..Maybe It’s a New Game Show?
I’m always intrigued by the similarities between religions and their traditions. As a Roman Catholic, there are many facets of our faith that are founded in Jewish tradition. The weekly celebration of Eucharist (or the Mass), arose from the Jewish Seder meal. In fact, there are elements of the Seder prayers in the liturgy.
The importance of fasting is also a shared tradition. During Lent, fasting is encouraged and should be accompanied by a reflection on sins that have been committed and a willingness to perform acts of penance. The primary goal during Lent is to prepare for the celebration of Easter and the idea of Resurrection.
Thanks again, Jaffer, for sharing your traditions and helping us discover not only the differences between us all, but those things that bring us together.
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Wow, you are making me drool. I love coconut, so I would love to try that ghooghra!
I was hoping you didn’t down some Pepto after all that food (but Earl Grey is a much more refined choice….)
Thanks for the lesson!
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Salam Jaffer,
It’s amazing how Ramadan came to envolve into not merely the spiritual values but mainly impact of implementing such values in our mundane life.
It’s also amazing how Muslims celebrate it in different cultures so Eid Mubarak for you.
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I’m with Ann. I love the cereal! I’m amazed at this food selection. It looks and sounds delicious. Believe it or not, it didn’t make me hungry. But that’s only because I’ve been eating all day since I went to a garlic festival. Facing two dozen food kiosks in a small area is a dangerous way to start the day.
Thanks for the culinary tour!
Kathy´s last blog post..My Typical Blogging Day
@ann of the many monikers - We like to add coconuts in our cookies and desserts. But cannot come at par with South Indians in the amount of coconut and rice consumption.
After having seen me, can you ever imagine me in a spidey-suit ?
@JD at I Do Things - Thank you for insisting me to do this post. I think I should be glad for giving my readers their appetite back !
@Jenn - Oh believe me even I do not know the names for many Indian foods ! Now I think I want tea and samosas for breakfast tomorrow !
@Lee - I would not have learned about other cultures and religions had I never moved away from my cloistered world in the Middle East. In fact, I only discovered the true essence of my own religion last year ! And blogging truly has been a blessing !
@Maureen - SURPRISE ! Happy Birthday !
The only pill I would take is for a headache. I always have coffee or tea when I need some relief.
@Hicham - Welcome to ManiaRavings and thank you for leaving your comment ! Yes indeed it is takes stepping out an looking at the big picture ! Eid Mubarak !
@Kathy - Vector has become my favourite cereal ! I used to have raisin bran before but I got tired of chewing hard raisins in the morning. Your mentioning the garlic festival got me to have extra garlic in my sausage sandwich this evening.
Mmmmmm! I wish I could nom, nom, nom some of that!
Daisy the Curly Cat´s last blog post..Sunday Comics with Daisy!
Woah!!!
Looks like someone had a huge day.
Belated Eid Mubarak..
As for me, I just had the typical day you mentioned earlier in the post…its not just North America you know.
Noor´s last blog post..Online Living
Eid Mubarak (even a little bit late), I just discovered your blog. I like it, you have very interesting posts.
Keep it up
@Daisy the Curly Cat -
I think I’ll allow you that !
@Noor - Yes, maybe I should’ve also added small German towns in that list ! You know it’s all about living in the right neighbourhood and having the right neighbours. Otherwise I too would have the day to myself !
@Cidahmed - Welcome to ManiaRavings ! Eid Mubarak to you as well ! Thank you !
The food looks amazing. I have truly enjoyed getting to know you lately and your culture.
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@meleah rebeccah - Thank you ! It’s been my pleasure to share !
just popping over in hopes of a new post….
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I admire your dedication to your faith and found the Ramadan information was really enlightening. I really enjoyed reading this post and want to thank your for including the photographs of the food you feasted on following Ramadan. It all looks so appealing that I’m probably going to be cruising the net looking for recipes.
Best wishes for a great new year.
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You have been tagged!
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@timethief - Thank you very much for the nice words ! Although I have to thank some of my other blogging friends for giving me the inclination to writing this post.
Asalaam
Masha-Allah a nice post.
Keep up the good blog and do check mine sometime when your free !
Smile*
w.s
@Believer1984 - Thank you ! I’ll be sure to check you out.