Savory and Sweet Ramadan Recipes to Break the Fast

Ramadan is a time to examine oneself and be in community with others. It also centers on food, yet calls for fasting from sunrise until sundown. During this holy month for Muslims, families and friends worldwide gather before light and after dark to share sustaining meals.

In Somali homes across the globe, you’ll find cooks following a shared culinary choreography: henna-stained fingers fill and fold sambuus to fry to the same shade of golden brown as the soon-setting sun. Soor iyo dalac bilaash, another beloved Ramadan dish, is a light and comforting option for an iftar meal. The tomato-topped grits feel especially restorative after a day of fasting. So does rooti farmaajo, cheese-filled buns baked into a honeycomb pattern. Sweet and tender, they’re just as welcome at the start of any day.

A Somali relative of Indian samosas, these fried treats filled with spiced ground beef can be served with fiery basbaas or wrapped in malawax, cardamom crepes, for a sweet and savory experience.

Somali cuisine is traditionally not spicy, but this hot sauce definitely is. Fiery with chiles and green with cilantro, it pairs beautifully with meat or roasted vegetables.

Thick and comforting, soor (Somalia’s version of grits) are topped here with dalac bilaash, a robust tomato stew that can be made easily with just a few simple ingredients.

Pillowy and sweet, this bread is drizzled with condensed milk and topped with shredded coconut. It’s a popular treat during Ramadan, but also worth making year-round.