Peace, one and all…
Following on from sister Aaminah’s Grateful to Allah Blog Carnival, here are a few things I am sincerely grateful to God for. As you will soon notice, given that Ramadan is fast approaching, this particular list consists of all my favourite foods! Allah!
- Clean, cold water on a hot day
- Milk
- Lassi/Laban: produced in many parts of the world, this is a drink made from milk and yoghurt. Sometimes with sugar (yum), sometimes with salt (yuck) and often with fruit (double yum)!
- Olives and olive oil: I truly, madly, deeply love olives and olive oil. Olives come in all shapes and sizes, and all of them are lovely!
- Cherries, apples and grapes: these are 3 of my favourite fruits. We don’t get cherries all of the time and so when we do, they don’t last long! My children love apples, as do I. I grew up in London with a small apple tree in the garden. My in-laws have a huge apple tree in their garden. Grapes are delicious and the occasion for much humour in our house: both of my daughters enjoy biting them, sucking the juice out of them and passing me the remnants!
- Mangos: my wife’s family say that Pakistani mangos are the best in the world, ever! Based on my own experience, I would probably agree (though I’ve not had many from elsewhere). Mango eating is a delicately crafted ritual in my in-laws home: my wife and mother-in-law sit down, out comes a wickedly sharp knife and before you can say ‘bismillah’, a plate of neatly sliced mango pieces are produced. I like to eat the skin – though my wife says that it’s disgusting.
- Humous and taramasalata: I love both and so does my wife. Fortunately, neither seem to be very popular in Merthyr and so there’s often lots of it in the reduced section of Tescos.
- Freshly cooked, warm crusty bread: Allah! What can I say!
- A traditional sunday roast dinner: a childhood favourite and great on any day of the week!
- Cawl: a traditional Welsh soup/stew (often made with lamb). My beloved wife makes a really lovely cawl.
- Achar Gosht (Pickled Meat, approximately): fiery, spicy and the cause of much chili-induced pain/pleasure
- My mother-in-law’s chicken curry
- Porridge
- Supermalt: a malt-based, alcohol-free drink. I really do love supermalt (and I can now buy it in Merthyr Tydfil). Not loved by everyone (and loathed by my wife and sister). But, hey! I like it.
- Coffee: I drink too much coffee, but there’s nothing quite like it.
- Tea: I love all kinds of tea – although I especially love Earl Grey and Mint Tea.
- Family barbecues: another much-loved family ritual, also involving much care, effort and attention to detail; my wife’s family tell me that Pakistani barbecues are the best in the world.
- Eating food (of any kind) with my wife and three children
Sometimes, we spend so much time thinking about other things that we forget to thank God for the simple things – for the food we eat, and the water we drink. Allah! I have so much to be grateful for.
Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman
August 22, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Peace, Abdur.
I’m definitely going to read any blog post called “My favourite foods”, a subject close to my heart (and my waistline unfortunately!).
I think I’d have to agree with most everything on your list, although I’ve never had cawl or supermalt. And I have to say I agree with your wife on the subject of eating mango skins – ew!
I think I’d add soft cheeses to your list, especially really good runny brie or camembert, especially with that crusty bread and some big black olives. (And a glass of red wine, but then I’m not Muslim!)
There is indeed so much to be thankful for.
August 22, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Peace Tess,
LOL!
I do like cheese, and probably should’ve put it on my list. But, that said, I really don’t like brie or camembert – I don’t like the taste, smell or texture!
In the days before Islam, red wine was a favourite of mine (along with Guiness) but nowadays the only wine I drink is metaphorical!
Abdur Rahman
August 22, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Asalaamu alaikum.
So… are you planning to submit this for the carnival in October? Or would you be willing to have it reposted or linked to on the Grateful to Allah blog?
August 22, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Sallam Abdur Rahman bhai.
I pray yourself and family are well
Now I just saw this post on the DeenPort blogtracker. As soon as I saw the subject heading, I had to read! LOL
A good list there masha’Allah.
I’ve never had olives before until recently when my local masjid hosted Shaykh Ba’Bikr. Alhamdulillah the green ones were tasty. I haven’t black ones yet. I hear they are better.
Your wife and her mum are right. Pakistani mangoes are the best in the world! Well so says my mum and aunty
Yep, it’s a real art to slice a mango. I still don’t know how to do it.
Never had supermalt, but the advert really annoys me!
Aah coffee, the drink of the sufis. To help them stay awake during the night to perform dhikr
I would add ajwa dates and lychees to your list
Out of interest, what do you like eating before you begin your fast, and when you break it during Ramadhan?
Take care.
Adnan
August 22, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Salaams Aaminah,
I’d thought to submit it for the carnival, but I really don’t mind. To be honest, I’m happy with whatever you think best.
What are your favourite foods?
Abdur Rahman
August 22, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Salaams Adnan,
I hope the exam results were good, insha Allah.
Even my mild-mannered father-in-law insists that Pakistani mangos are the best in the world. I haven’t really tried many other kinds – but they are lovely. Ma sha Allah.
Coffee!!! Drink of champions!
I do like dates and given it’s nearly ramadan, I can’t think why I didn’t include them! I like all different kinds.
I’m not a fan of lychees. For some reason, they just look odd to me!
As for suhoor, well…it usually depends on whose turn it is to make it. When my wife does it, we usually have seveniya (vermicelli with milk – I can’t spell the word I mean). When I do it, a piece of dry toast and some water!!
Seriously though, porridge is nice and a nice hot cup of milky tea.
For iftar, dates and milk or dates and faluda (is that rooh afzah and milk?) After salah, something mellow and not too heavy. Eating something too heavy makes me feel very sleepy during Tarawih.
What about your good self?
Abdur Rahman
August 22, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Asalaamu alaikum.
How about this… I will re-post it on the blog, inshaAllah. Then we can add it to the carnival later too, inshaAllah.
Hmm… my faves… that’s a list… avocados, bing cherries, eggplant, mango juice, guanabana (though I’m terribly allergic to it! It affects my breathing, so I can’t have it, but oh, it was so yummy!), tea, dark chocolate, organic blackberry ice cream, dates (esp these fabulous fancy ones that Izzy Mo sent me), baklava in all forms…
August 23, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Ma’shallah, a interesting post to put in to your ramadan diary 2008
August 24, 2008 at 11:13 am
Salaam Abdur Rahman
I would like to add Iranian Chelo Kabab to the discussion. Kabab of most varieties is high on my list of favourites. Particularly if homemade on the barbie…yum yum
August 26, 2008 at 10:11 am
Salaams Aaminah,
Sounds good to me.
Guanabana
Eggplant’s nice (though we call it aubergine here). My wife loves dark chocolate – I mean, LOVES it. Not too keen on avocados myself!
Abdur Rahman
August 26, 2008 at 10:12 am
Salaam Karl,
I’ve not had the Iranian version, but kebabs of any kind are delicious – home cooked ones most of all. But, given the weather here this year, we’ve not had a single barbecue!
Abdur Rahman