Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

British restaurants changing their menus to break traditional fast

by NADEEM BADSHAH

THE days of eating meals to break the fast – consisting of a plate crammed with samosas, pakoras and ketchup topped off with a glass of Coke – are changing.


There is a Ramadan revolution of sorts when it comes to the iftar evening meal with more diners this year choosing lighter and healthier options, according to chefs.

And restaurants are catering to the trend with specialist Iftar offerings or small plates menus for sharing during the holy month, which takes place from the first week of May until early June.

Renowned Islamic teacher Nouman Ali Khan has joked that some Muslims previously put on weight during Ramadan because of the amount they eat to break the fast and the choice of foods.

Experts say there is less of an appetite for fried and fatty foods and a shift towards grilled meats, salads and sharing desserts, particularly among young Muslims after 19 hours each day of going without food and drink.

Volcanic Restaurant in Aldgate, east London, is launching a new iftar menu “with a lot more healthy options”, according to co-partner Belal Bakht.

It has a unique concept of meat which is served on a slab heated to around 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Diners can slice their sizzling steak and turn it around on the rock depending on how they like their meat cooked.

Bakht told Eastern Eye: “Five years ago Muslims saw Ramadan as a time to feast and overeat. “When I was young, we bought and wasted so much food – so much ghee, curry, biryani which has high fat content.

“We’re moving away from a stack of pakoras, samosas, then haleem, biryani, something heavy. We have zucchini aubergine rolls, a Mediterranean salad, fresh salmon, seabass, tuna steak.”

Volcanic is introducing a soft play area for kids while their parents break their fast along with an area for yoga and a healthy breakfast menu.

The restaurant is also unveiling “crowdfeeding” – where budding chefs can use its kitchen to make a three-course meal for their friends and family.

Summery foods are expected to be a big trend during Ramadan with the weather in June forecast to reach a high of 20 degrees Celsius.

The InterContinental London Hotel in plush Park Lane has three different iftar menus which includes a soup with white beans, braised beef strips and chilli oil along with mezzes including marinated olives and tahini hummus.

The main courses include chicken and beef shish, lamb tagine, chilli garlic king prawns, falafel and Basmati rice. And for dessert, there is a fruit platter, baklava and pistachio maamoul pastry.

There is an option for adapted portions to share the courses among fasting friends and family. Speaking at the hotel’s Wellington Lounge, sous chef Syed Naqvi told Eastern Eye: “When I eat something, I like it to boost the tastebuds, something spicy or tangy with a kick. It gives us more energy and a thirst for the food.

“People originally from Asia and Middle East like their food a bit spicy. The mezes and soup are more healthy, with nutritious values. For energy after fasting, you have the rice and meats.”

The hotel’s executive chef, Ashley Wells, added: “It is generally for an iftar of two-three hours, guests graze through each course.

“We try to move away from deep fried and have more grilled elements.”

Experts say there is more choice for iftars in the UK, which will take place around 9pm each day, enabling a culinary adventure across the globe.

At Mamounia Lounge Knightsbridge in west London, the sweet aroma of shisha from the hookah pipes outside and opulent surroundings feels like Dubai or downtown Marrakesh.

The restaurant’s iftar offerings have a healthy theme with lentil soup, Moroccan vegetable soup, hummus and bread, minced lamb meatballs with poached egg, milk pudding and baklava.

Head chef Thamer Darwish said: “It’s important to give healthy food, everything home-made and fresh, for digestion after fasting.

“In Ramadan we make the soup lighter, if it’s thicker it might be difficult to eat the main course or have suhoor [breakfast] the next morning.

“The minced lamb kofta comes with a sauce, which is light like a soup. We want it to be watery and it has egg for protein.”

Cafe Spice Namaste, run by top Indian chef Cyrus Todiwala, has a small plates menu including butter chicken and Goan prawn curry with portion sizes and ingredients suited to Iftar time.

Head chef Manpreet Singh Ahuja said more diners are watching their waistlines as well as their wallets.

“More people have become health conscious and concerned a lot with portion sizes,” he said.

“We stayed away from greasy, heavy food which results in wastage. The new wave of restaurants overall have a trend towards small plates.

“For the Ramadan period, it is an excellent option. Previously it was part of the culture, they didn’t realise that after fasting for 17-18 hours, breaking with samosas and bhajis is more harmful to the internal system. The key is education.”

Other restaurants which have unveiled Iftar menus include Harlem Soul in east London, which has a three-course menu which includes a chicken sandwich, chorizo bites and buttered seasonal corn from May 5 until June 4.

In Birmingham, there is a street itar on May 11 at Sparkbrook Mosque and Islamic Centre, while there is a Manchester Cathedral Interfaith Iftar on May 13.

Chef Darwish added: “The best thing is a family breaking the fast together, the atmosphere it brings in a large group.”

DISHES FOR IFTAR
Crunchy bhel puri, baby squid and lean Goan prawn curry, which is ideal for sharing.
- Cafe Spice
Saucy and tender minced lamb meatballs with a poached egg, flavoursome lentil soup and a frothy malabi milk pudding.
- Mamounia Lounge
Spicy chilli garlic king prawns, white bean and tender beef strip soup and mix of melon slices with baklava pastries.
- InterContinental, Park Lane
Lean rump steak with sweet potato fries, Mediterranean salad and a creamy vanilla cheesecake with crumbly biscuit base to share.
- Volcanic restaurant, Aldgate East

More For You

JLR-Tata-Getty

JLR had initially planned to manufacture more than 70,000 electric vehicles at the facility. (Photo: Getty Images)

JLR halts plan to build EVs at Tata’s India plant: Report

JAGUAR LAND ROVER (JLR) has put on hold plans to manufacture electric vehicles at Tata Motors’ upcoming £775 million factory in southern India, according to a news report.

The decision was influenced by challenges in balancing price and quality for locally sourced EV components, three of the sources said. They added that slowing demand for electric vehicles was also a factor.

Keep ReadingShow less
Leicester drug supplier Sarju Khushal jailed for 11 years over £2m operation

Sarju Khushal

Leicester drug supplier Sarju Khushal jailed for 11 years over £2m operation

A MAN who supplied controlled drugs on a ‘wholesale’ scale across Leicestershire has been sentenced to 11 years in prison. Sarju Khushal, 30, was arrested in 2022 after investigations revealed he had been transporting drugs from Lancashire into the area.

Khushal, formerly of Hazeldene Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to several charges, including the supply and conspiracy to supply class A drugs. He was sentenced at Leicester crown court last Thursday (6).

Keep ReadingShow less
Tamil Nadu Education

Tamil, one of the oldest living languages in the world, is a source of pride for the state’s people

Getty images

Education or imposition? Tamil Nadu battles India government over Hindi in schools

A war of words has erupted between Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister MK Stalin and the federal government over the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which recommends a three-language formula in schools, with two of the three being native to India. Stalin has voiced strong objections, claiming that the policy could lead to the imposition of Hindi, a northern Indian language, in non-Hindi-speaking states like Tamil Nadu. The issue has reignited old tensions between southern states and the central government over the privileging of Hindi.

Historical resistance to Hindi

Tamil Nadu has a deep-rooted history of opposing the promotion of Hindi, dating back to the 1960s. Protests broke out in the state when the federal government attempted to make Hindi the sole official language, leading to a compromise that allowed the continued use of English. Language in Tamil Nadu is not merely a means of communication but a powerful symbol of cultural identity. Tamil, one of the oldest living languages in the world, is a source of pride for the state’s people. As a result, any perceived threat to its prominence is met with strong resistance.

Keep ReadingShow less
Former Bristol MP Thangam Debbonaire enters House of Lords as Baroness

Thangam Debbonaire

Former Bristol MP Thangam Debbonaire enters House of Lords as Baroness

FORMER Bristol MP Thangam Debbonaire has taken her seat in the House of Lords after being awarded a life peerage last month.

The 58-year-old, who represented Bristol West for Labour from 2015 until July’s general election, wore the traditional scarlet robes during her introductory ceremony. She will now be known as Baroness Debbonaire of De Beauvoir Town in the London Borough of Hackney.

Keep ReadingShow less