Today we travelling to the lands of Arabia, to a small country Kuwait located on the tip of persian gulf . Our guest Fatimah Alhusaini from the blog Saffronpudding is sharing with us about this pious month along with a traditional recipe Rangeenak specially made during ramadan. Over to you Fatima. But before going further just to remind u all , last week I had done a guest post for her too.You can check the post here
A new Ramadan. A new beginning. A new chance to make amends. It’s the time for deep thinking. Of going back to the roots; of why we exist, what purpose do we serve here on earth and what truly matters in life.
It’s the time for spiritually and self decline . For breaking away from the things that pulls us down to the earth so our spirits can fly up high to the sky.
It’s the time for true appreciation for everything we have and enjoy. The big comfy homes, the food filled fridge , the tiniest water drop.
It’s the time for taking a break, stepping back and enjoying our families, our traditions and our culture and everything around us.
And for me that means spending time with the elderlies in my family. Knowing more about my past. And making traditional dishes like the one I am sharing with you today.
Rangeenak (رنگینک) is a dish that is popular in Kuwait amongst the Iranian descents families.Iam not sure exactly what the name means and why it called that. I know رنگ in farsi means‘color’ but I am not sure if it derived from that name or not. It is made with fresh sweet dates and caramelized flour and oil. The ingredients sound a bit bland for someone who haven’t tried the dish. But the overly sweet flavor of the fresh dates paired with the nutty earthy flavor of the caramelized flour topped with cinnamon and walnuts is divine, and especially full filing and satisfying after a day long fast. !
Rangeenak (رنگینک) Recipe
Fresh dates enough to fill two plates ( about 2 kg)
1/2 cup vegetable oil!
1/4 cup butter ( half a stick)
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
pinch of salt
ground cinnamon for sprinkling at the end
1/4 cup walnuts ( small pieces for garnishing)
– with a toothpick carefully pierce the dates to remove the seed. Arrange dates on plates starting
from the outer circle going inward. Set a side.
– In a medium sauce pan or regular pan heat oil and butter over medium- high heat. Add flour,
cardamom and salt. Whisk vigorously until all flour is incorporated and there are no lumps.
– Continue to cook over medium-high until mixture resembles the color of caramel ( golden
brown) . Stir occasionally.
– Carefully pour the oil and flour mixture over dates. Sprinkle with cinnamon and garnish with