Feasting and fasting

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With the holy month of Ramzan going on, one has to eat judiciously, planning the total calories needed in the morning to get through the day. Equally important is not going overboard while breaking one’s fast and it’s always better to have a light meal in the evenings.

This week we look at a few recipes that we can make before and after the day’s fast.

Moroccan lemon chicken kebabs
In Italy small hot chillies are coarsely chopped and preserved in jars with olive oil. The paste is very spicy. The Indian variety works well too.

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, cut into
1” cubes
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 tsp red chilli paste
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Lemon wedges to serve
Bamboo skewers
Method
Marinate the chicken for half an hour with the fresh herbs, garlic, pepper, lemon juice and zest and red chilli paste along with 2 tbsp of the oil.
Soak the bamboo skewers in cold water for 30 minutes.
Preheat the grill pan or barbeque on high. Thread the chicken cubes onto the skewers and grill. Turn and brush often with the remaining oil, until tender and golden, about 10 minutes.
Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Melon and rocket salad

Ingredients
350 gm melon, cut into cubes
150 gm rocket leaves
3 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp basil leaves, torn
60 gm Parmesan cheese, shaved

Method
Mix the melon, rocket leaves, vinegar and oil in a large bowl. Season with pepper and toss well.
Arrange on individual serving plates and sprinkle with the basil and Parmesan shavings.
Serve at once.

Mozzarella with olives and caper berries
A fresh and light salad is ideal for breaking fast, especially given the fact that the days are still hot and humid.

Ingredients
500 gm fresh mozzarella
8 caper berries or 1 tbsp salt cured capers, rinsed
24 black olives
1 small bunch fresh oregano
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
60 ml extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 sprigs oregano, leaves removed and chopped
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method
For the salad, cut the mozzarella into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange on a serving dish with the caper berries, olives and oregano.
For the dressing, whisk the garlic, oil, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper in a small bowl until well combined. Drizzle the dressing over the sliced mozzarella. Serve at once.