From ketupat to Shahi tukra, here's a look at the different dishes and sweet treats that Muslims around the world savour come Hard Raya Aidilfitri.
Hari Raya Aidilfitri is fast approaching and many home cooks will already have their festive menus planned and laid out. But what is being prepared will differ vastly based on where people are based around the world.
Here’s a look at what Muslims across the globe look forward to come Aidilfitri.
Across Malaysia and Indonesia, there is one immutable certainty: rendang is always on the table come Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
There are many variations of rendang but beef rendang is often the most popular, followed closely by chicken rendang as well as other permutations that make use of animal entrails (lungs, heart, etc) as well as duck, seafood and even vegetarian options as typified by the copious renditions of rendang daun.
Rendang typically features meat, spices and coconut milk and involves laborious slow-cooking, which is why it is typically served for festive occasions like Hari Raya Aidilfitri in Malaysia and Indonesia. — Filepic
Rendang is thought to have originated from Indonesia and was originally a verb that meant ‘slow stir-fry’ or ‘simmer stir-fry’ in Malay. The Minangkabau who are from Indonesia are thought to have introduced the dish to Malaysia. The Minangkabau actually have an ‘adat merendang’ which is where the women in the family gather together to make rendang.
In a rendang, there will be fresh herbs and aromatics like onions, garlic, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, chillies as well as an array of spices like coriander seeds, cardamom, star anise, cumin, aniseed, cinnamon sticks, turmeric, black pepper and other spices, the balance and number of which is largely predicated on individual preference.
Additionally, rendang will typically also include the addition of copious amounts of coconut milk as well as kerisik (toasted, pounded grated coconut) which gives it that deliciously nutty aftertaste. Other variable ingredients can include palm sugar, tamarind skin (asam keping) and turmeric leaves, among many others.
Rendang is often time-consuming to prepare as it requires tedious preparation and hours labouring over the stove, cooking the meat, spices and coconut milk slowly before the final result – often a thick, dry, coconut-laced affair can be elicited.
The painstaking effort behind it is also the reason why most Malaysian Muslims save it for special occasions like Hari Raya when it is a treasured part of the festive table.
Probably the most recognisable culinary delight to emerge out of Turkey is the ubiquitous Turkish Delight, otherwise known in Turkey as ‘lokum’.
This sweet confection has its origins in 1777 when confectioner Haci Bekir Effendi opened his sweet shop in Istanbul, Turkey. The shop still stands to this day and is recognised as Turkey’s oldest business.
Bekir’s original recipe used flour but in the 19th century, he altered it to incorporate corn starch, which is what gives lokum its distinctive chewiness. Modern recipes for lokum now typically use starch, sugar and flavourings such as rose water.
Tales of the deliciousness of Bekir’s lokum spread far and wide and eventually he was appointed chief confectioner to the palace, a role that he and his family held until the fall of the Ottoman empire in 1920.
Turkish Delight or ‘lokum’ as it is called in Turkey is a popular sweet treat for Aidilfitri in Turkey. — ENGIN AKYURT/Unsplash
Lokum became hugely popular in Europe after it was mentioned in C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia and introduced in Europe by an Englishman who dubbed it ‘Turkish Delight’.
In Turkey, lokum is a mainstay on the first day of Aidilfitri (known as Ramazan Beyrami in Turkey) and is often a huge part of the sweet component of the meal, typically enjoyed by all generations of Turkish Muslims.
Throughout the Levant and the Arab world, Aidilfitri would be entirely incomplete without the buttery, bewitching goodness of maasoul, a shortbread cookie. In southern Turkey, this sweet confection is called ‘kohmbe’ and in Egypt, it is called ‘kahk’.
The sweet, buttery delights of maamoul have made it a staple sweet treat in the Arab world. — COOKINWITHNIMA/Instagram
Maasoul is made using wheat flour and semolina and stuffed with date paste or pistachio or chopped walnuts as well as rose water and sometimes orange blossom, then pressed into traditional wooden moulds.
In Middle Eastern countries, maasoul is typically made a few days before Eid and served alongside Arabic coffee to guests or exchanged with neighbours as a gesture of goodwill.
In Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, a typical Aidilfitri breakfast begins with L’Assida, a sweetened porridge made up of couscous and enlivened with honey, spices and butter, often alongside dates, pistachios and other additions.
The dish is a must-have in these countries because it is believed to have been one of Prophet Muhammad’s favourite meals. It is typically served hot and is the first meal eaten to celebrate Aidilfitri.
This golden, roasted bread is ubiquitous in homes throughout Afghanistan come Aidilfitri. It is typically served to guests who come a-visiting.
The traditional components in Bolani include wheat flour, onions, mung beans, chives and red chilli powder.
Bolani is a stuffed flatbread that is an Aidilfitri staple in Afghanistan. — ASHPAZI_AFGHANI/Instagram
The flatbread is typically stuffed with anything from mung beans to minced meat, leeks or pumpkin and then is either fried or baked till golden.
In most Afghan families, it is the women who lead the charge in terms of making Bolani and most families have their own heirloom recipes that are tried-and-trusted and have been utilised for years.
Although tufahije is thought to have originated in Persia, it has evolved into a Bosnian must-have come Aidilfitri.
The seemingly simple dish is made up of poached apples stuffed with walnuts or almonds with whipped cream drizzled atop and a cherry as a finishing touch.
The Bosnian tufahije is a sweet and simple dish of poached apples. —FOOD.BY.ELMA/Instagram
The sweet concoction is thought to have its roots in the Turkish word ‘tuffahiye’ meaning ‘apple’ and was purportedly introduced to Bosnia during the Ottoman conquest.
Believed to have originated during the Moghul empire, shahi tukra translates to ‘royal pieces’.
It is though to have been a favourite of Moghul emperors, especially when they were breaking their fast during Ramadan.
Shahi tukra is a dish that is thought to have originated from the Mughal empire in India. — NAZMIN BUDDIN/Instagram
The structure of the dish is fairly simple. Essentially, white bread is fried in oil or ghee, after which milk and sugar are added.
Spices like cloves and cardamom are also added, giving this sweet concoction a spice-riddled undercurrent.
Tagine is thought to have originated during the reign of Harun al Rashid, an eighth century ruler.
The word ‘tagine’ itself first appeared in The Thousand and One Nights, an Arabic story collection which came out in the ninth century.
Tagine is said to have its roots in north Africa when nomads used it for making food over fire.
So what is tagine? Essentially a slow-cooked braised meat and vegetable dish, combinations can include lamb and prunes or chicken and lemon or even fish and tomatoes. Spices like cumin, cinnamon and saffron are typically also included to the dish.
Tagine refers to both the vessel that the dish is cooked in as well as the dish itself which can include vegetables and different kinds of meat. — NAIMBIC/Pexels
A tagine also refers to the vessel in which the meal is cooked – a classic tagine claypot has a conical shaped cover and a shallow based bottom.
The tagine is also functional in that the conical top traps heat and reroutes the moisture back into the vessel, which is why less water is required in the cooking of the dish.
In Morocco, it is a popular festive dish during Aidilfitri.
In Turkey, the advent of Aidilfitri often means families whip out their own tried-and-tested recipes for baklava or head to centuries-old shops that specialise in them.
Baklava is an ancient sweet treat that is said to have its roots in eight century BCE and the people in the Assyrian empire who arranged unleavened flatbread in layers with chopped nuts sandwiched in between.
This treat was meant to be enjoyed during festivals and celebrations.
Sweet and decadent Baklava will leave one on a sugar high.
The more modern iteration of baklava is said to have evolved during the Ottoman empire about 500 years ago.
The treat was often only whipped up for special occasions like Aidilfitri because of the skill required to make it and the expense associated with the ingredients. In Ottoman times, the sultan famously gifted it to his most treasured soldiers.
In its current form, baklava features thin layers of pastry dough filled with nuts and sweetened syrup or honey. Typically 10 or 11 layers of the incredibly thin pastry dough are layered over each other by hand, which is why it is not easy to make it, hence the reason it is saved for big celebrations like Aidilfitri.
Thought to have originated in the Palestinian city of Nablus, kanafeh is a sweet-savoury treat that is made up of ooey-gooey cheese, shredded pastry and syrup. According to an article in the New Arab, the confection was originally made using a Palestinian white brined cheese called Nabulsi and often marinated with rose water or orange blossom.
The cheesy delights of kanafeh have made it a mainstay on the Palestinian Eid table. — OINKER.EATS/Instagram
Although knafeh is popular throughout the Levant, it is a source of particular pride in Palestine, where it is often served at festive occasions like weddings, celebrations and yes, Aidilfitri.
In Malaysia and Indonesia, ketupat and rendang are often synonymous with each other and many families have traditions of making ketupat before Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Ketupat is thought to have been around since the 15th century and was said to have been introduced by Sultan Kalijaga from the Demak regency in central Java.
Ketupat is very popular during Hari Raya Aidilfitri and is made up of rice that is then wrapped with coconut leaves that are woven around it. — FILEPIC
At the time, leaves were often used to preserve food, including rice. In modern iterations, ketupat is made of plain rice wrapped in coconut leaves which are interwoven around the rice to form a diamond shape.
Ketupat is immersed in boiling water to simmer for a few hours – traditionally, the longer the ketupat has been cooked, the longer it will last.
In Indonesia, ketupat is also part of festivals like Badka Ketupat and Lebaran Ketupat which celebrate the end of the fasting month.
Fatira is a traditional Ethiopian street food item that is commonly consumed for breakfast, consisting of a large, crispy, wheat flour pancake.
A traditional street food from Ethiopia, this large wheat flour pancake is a breakfast staple during Aidilfitri.
According to Taste Atlas, fatira is made using ingredients like wheat flour, eggs, honey, nitter kibbeh (seasoned, clarified butter), vegetable oil and salt.
The dough is stretched thin, fried, then cut into small pieces and topped with honey.
