A Day in My Ramadan Routine: Cooking, Praying, and Family Moments

The month of Ramadan is always a unique and cherished time of year, where routines shift to accommodate fasting, extra prayers, and more time spent with family. It’s a month of reflection, spiritual growth, and a deep sense of peace. However, Ramadan also brings an increase in cooking and preparing meals, especially as we come together for an iftar each evening to break our fast. In this video, I’ll walk you through a day in my life during Ramadan, from suhoor to iftar, and how I balance cooking with family moments.

Starting the Day: Suhoor and Fasting

The day begins early, just before dawn, as we wake up for suhoor. Suhoor is the pre-dawn meal that is eaten before the fast begins at sunrise. I always try to keep this meal light and nutritious, as it helps us stay energized for the day ahead. On most days, my suhoor consists of egg whites on toast, a simple and healthy choice to start the day. On this particular day, I was preparing three egg-white toasts for my husband, myself, and my son, who was fasting that day. I need to make sure everyone has enough to eat before the fast begins.

I had also prepared some almond paste the previous night, which I stored in the fridge. In the morning, I used it to make almond milk, a nice, refreshing beverage to accompany our suhoor. Once breakfast was done, it was time to pray and recite the Quran. I find that there’s a special tranquility in these early hours, which makes it the perfect time for prayer and reflection. I’m following a schedule to finish reciting the Quran within 30 days, which has been incredibly helpful in ensuring I complete my recitations during this blessed month. If you're finding it difficult to finish the Quran, I highly recommend following a 15-day schedule—it’s a manageable way to achieve your goal, Insha’Allah.

Getting Ready for the Day

After suhoor and prayer, the kids get ready for school, and I take a short nap before starting my day. By around 7:00 AM, I’m up again to prepare the kids’ lunchboxes. The morning was bright and sunny, and as I packed their lunches, I remembered that it was Gerghan Day, a special day celebrated in Kuwait to mark the middle of Ramadan. This tradition involves children dressing in traditional Kuwaiti clothing, and I bought beautiful dresses for my daughters and outfits for my son to wear for the occasion.

Gerghan is a celebration of the children who have been fasting, and it encourages them to continue fasting in the future. The kids dress up and go door to door singing songs and collecting candies and nuts from neighbors. I think it’s a lovely tradition and a fun way to get the children excited about fasting and the spirit of Ramadan.

Cooking for Iftar

Once the kids were off to school, I headed straight into the kitchen to get a head start on the day’s cooking. I usually try to do as much of the cooking in the morning as possible, so I have more time for prayers and family activities in the evening.

One of the first dishes I prepared was Airfryer Cornflakes Chicken Bites, a healthier alternative to regular chicken nuggets or strips. I’ve shared the recipe on my YouTube channel before, and it’s always a hit with the kids. Since I didn’t have cornflakes on hand, I ordered them through Talabat (a food delivery service here). I crushed the cornflakes, dipped the chicken in flour and egg, then coated it in the crushed cornflakes. I kept it in the fridge to air fry just before iftar.

While the chicken bites were resting in the fridge, I made French Toast for my son, who had just woken up. After he had his meal, I quickly got back to the kitchen to prepare the next dish: Chipotle-style Chicken Crepes. For the filling, I sautéed onions, garlic, and green chilies in coconut oil, then added boiled chicken mixed with cumin, turmeric, garam masala, and black pepper. I finished it off with fresh coriander leaves. I used the leftover chicken stock to make lentil rice for the kids.

Dinner Preparation: Iskander Kebab

In the afternoon, I started preparing for dinner by making Iskander Kebab. This dish is a new favorite, and I’m so grateful to my best friend Nimina for sharing the recipe. The mutton was marinated with yogurt, spices, and nuts, then pressure-cooked and shallow-fried to get a nice crust. I made a homemade tomato sauce with strained tomatoes, tomato paste, red chili flakes, paprika, and some oregano and thyme.

To assemble the kebabs, I air-fried bread to use as the base, then added layers of mutton, tomato sauce, yogurt, and fried almonds on top. I garnished it with fresh parsley, and the kebabs were ready for iftar.

Family Time and Iftar

As the day drew to a close, it was time for iftar, the meal to break the fast. Around 5:00 PM, I started to fry the chicken crepes that I had prepared earlier, in a little ghee for added flavor. This dish is one of my husband’s favorites, and it’s always a hit at Iftar. I also made a Chilled Cream Fruit Salad for dessert. The creamy mixture of sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese, and fresh or canned fruits is one of my sister-in-law’s recipes, and it’s always a crowd-pleaser. It’s like a dessert and a refreshing treat at the same time.

After all the food was ready, we gathered for iftar. We broke our fast with dates, water, and prayer before enjoying the delicious spread I had prepared. After the iftar, we cleaned up the table and prayed Maghrib together as a family. I cherish these moments when we come together to pray and reflect as a family.

Ending the Day with Tea and Lectures

After dinner, my husband and I enjoyed a cup of black tea while watching the Jannah Series by Sheikh Omar Suleiman. The series is incredibly moving and inspirational, and I highly recommend it if you haven’t seen it yet.