Beetroot Soup / Stuffed Eggplants with Rice / Fajitas

Make your iftar healthy this Ramadan.

Here is a menu of three vegetable-rich dishes you can prepare for iftar.

Beetroot Soup

Ingredients:

• 6 medium beets
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt

For serving:

• 3 tbsp yogurt
• 2 tbsp labneh cheese
• Black pepper

Preparation:

1. Wash the beets thoroughly without peeling, place them in a pot, cover with water, and boil for about 30 minutes.
2. Drain and let them cool at room temperature, then peel.
3. Roughly chop the beets and place them in a blender. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and gradually pour in water while blending until smooth.
4. For serving, mix yogurt with labneh cheese and top the soup with this mixture.

Serve chilled.

Stuffed Eggplants with Rice

Ingredients:

• 20 dried eggplants
• 1 cup rice
• 2 large onions
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp dried mint
• 1 tsp sumac
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 teacup olive oil

Preparation:

1. Boil the dried eggplants in water for 5 minutes until softened, then drain.
2. Heat olive oil in a pot, add chopped onions and sauté until soft.
3. Add garlic, tomato paste, and continue frying.
4. Add the rice, stir for 2–3 minutes.
5. Season with salt, black pepper, red pepper, sumac, mint, and sugar.
6. Pour in 1.5 cups hot water, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed.
7. Stuff the softened eggplants, leaving 1 cm space at the top.
8. Arrange them in a pot, pour over 1.5 cups water and pomegranate molasses, cover, and cook until boiling.
9. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 40 minutes.

Serve warm.

Fajitas

Ingredients:

• 400 g beef
• 2 bell peppers
• Parsley
• 1 red onion
• 1 green pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tbsp butter
• 4–5 mini tortillas or flatbreads

Preparation:

1. Preheat a pan.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C. Chop peppers and onion into cubes.
3. Heat olive oil in the pan, sauté peppers and onions.
4. Add beef strips, season with salt and pepper, and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes.
5. Transfer everything to an ovenproof dish, add butter on top, and bake for 10–15 minutes.
6. Serve hot with barbecue sauce and tortillas, if desired.