If you’ve ever wondered what Ramadan is like or what some of the foods are that are used to break the fast, Ramadan on Rahma Road: A Recipe Storybook is a great resource. The book, with story by Razeena Omar Gutta, recipes by Faaiza Osman and illustrations by Atieh Sohrabi, explores different culinary traditions around iftar, the celebration at the end of the fast.
All the families are making something traditional for the feast, and what’s especially fun about this story is that you can just read it as a story, but there are 25 recipes included as well. So if you’re in the classroom you can talk about what goes into the different foods and if children have tried them.
If you’re reading at home you can pick a few recipes to try in your own kitchen. Some of these recipes might be familiar to you, either as things you make yourself or have eaten before, but others may be new to you. A sampling:
- Chicken Tikka from Pakistan
- Jollof Rice from Nigeria
- Traditional Uyghur Laghman Noodles
- Koshari, an Egyptian dish with lentils, rice, macaroni and onions in tomato sauce
- Strawberry Pavlova from Austrialia
The recipes are meant to show that there are people who honor Ramadan around the world, and even the people in one neighborhood might come from different traditions.
After everyone has made their food they gather together and wait for the sun to set. Then everyone has a date and some water and the feast can begin.
The end of the book covers what Ramadan is (a month of fasting, prayer and good works) and includes even more recipes for drinks, toppings and yet more main dishes and sweets, like Nigerian fried dough called puff puff and sweet potato pie from the African American tradition.
This book is fun as a story book, a cookbook or both to learn more about the people who mark Ramadan and the food that brings them together.
About the book: 40 pages, paperback. Published 2026 by Barefoot Books. Suggested retail price $9.99.
Leave a Reply