It's Ramadan for Muslims worldwide, and I'm struggling to fast often enough that I don't feel the usual resurgence of inherited guilt. When I was younger and living at home, Ramadan seemed like a boundary encircling our house, separating us from the rest of Smalltown, West Texas. Inside, my mother cooked Bengali food without being able to taste for salt or seasoning, my father read the Qur'an, and I wandered from room to room, trying to find something to fill my hands to pass the time. Outside were children on bikes, families warming up their grill for what I imagined were steaks, and what seemed like an entire world able to eat and drink at whim.
We'd break our fast with dates and glasses of milk swirled with this syrup that tasted like roses and candy. I always made a beeline for the water afterwards; that's always been the hardest part of fasting for me.
I think the notion of imposing rigor on oneself temporarily is an interesting one, so part of me was eager to try to keep as many fasts as I could. Yeah, that ship has sailed. Somehow, it's a lot harder as an adult. I'm so reliant on my daily rituals, as simple as they are: a bowl of cereal or a smoothie in the morning, a cup of coffee at the coffeeshop I go to write sometimes, water all throughout the day from the bottle I carry with me everywhere.
Thankfully, my friend Amira fasted with me yesterday. Solidarity means everything when you can't take even a sip of water from sunrise to sunset.
We agreed to break our fast at my place with a light meal and several huge, ice-laden glasses of water. I wanted to make something filling and healthy; heavy food is the worse thing you can do to an entirely empty stomach.
It must be an Elise kind of week, because her Greek meatballs were easy to make, flavorful, and satisfying. And the seasoning is minimal enough that I didn't feel like I needed to taste while I was making them. I served them with a dipping sauce made from Greek yogurt mixed with sour cream and dill and alongside the following orzo:
Orzo with Spinach, Cucumber, and Feta (adapted from my friend Laura)
1. Cook orzo according to the directions on the package. I cooked mine with half chicken stock/half water. Drain.
2. While orzo is draining, slice cucumbers lengthwise, then again into small half-moon shaped slices. Chop a few generous handfuls of spinach.
3. When orzo has cooled, throw it in a bowl and toss with a few glugs of olive oil.
4. Add spinach and cucumber slices, then the feta.
5. Toss to mix. Eat. Repeat!
By the way, B's salad dressing inspired me to try some new dressings. I usually just mix lemon juice and olive oil with some salt and pepper, but I'm definitely going to try that.
Continuing with Elise week, Laura and I are actually making the tomato pie tomorrow night! You captured dead on what makes Simply Recipes one of my favorite food blogs: simple, fresh, and thoughtfully made food. I'm terribly excited, even more so after seeing your pictures. I like the idea of a whole wheat crust, but I especially like the prospect of cheesy goodness. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Hope your week has gone well - what are y'all's plans for the weekend?
Much Love,
TF
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