A TikTok food maker puts a delicious spin on a popular dish eaten for the Ramadan fast or go to an Eid party.
Hajar Larbah, a Moroccan and Libyan food blogger, shares recipes on her TikTok account, @moribyanwith her 13.9 million followers, and is the person behind the viral array of recipes to make during Ramadan.
During the month of Ramadan, many Muslims fast during the day, but they feast at sunset. The first meal after the fast is traditionally interrupted by eating dates and water, followed by dinner.
“We often like to spend time at home with family and friends and there is a lot of cooking and sometimes you run out of ideas about what to make,” Larbah said. “It doesn’t always have to be complicated.”
In a viral TikTok video with 30.8 million views, Larbah shows you how to transform Medjool dates into a delicious dessert that she says tastes like a Snickers bar and is perfect for breaking your fast or taking it on the go to an Eid festival.
The dates are filled with peanut butter, dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with peanuts for an easy, unbake, bite-sized dessert.
“I wanted this cooking series to be very easy, approachable recipes that you can still make even when you’re tired of the fast,” Larbah said. “When I was a kid I volunteered at the mosque and that’s where I first learned how to make them, but they’re very popular all over the Middle East.”
Larbah shared her recipes for her “Snickers stuffed” dates and her “Good Morning America” saffron kebab dish.
Keep scrolling for the full recipes.
Dates filled with Snickers
ingredients
Medjool dates
peanut butter
Roasted peanuts chopped
Chocolate – dark, milk or semisweet will work
Directions
Cut open each date and remove the seed/pit. You can skip this step if you bought pitted dates.
Place the peanut butter in a piping bag or ziplock bag. You can also use a spoon for this step. Fill each date with peanut butter and sprinkle chopped peanuts on top. Close the dates by pressing at the top.
Press a toothpick into each date to aid dipping later. Alternatively, you can use a fork to dip them in, but toothpicks make it easier.
If your dates are very soft and won’t hold their shape well, put them in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes. Otherwise, skip this step.
Melt the chocolate of your choice in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between until completely melted.
Dip each date in the melted chocolate, let the excess drip off and place on a parchment-lined baking tray or plate. Sprinkle the top with chopped peanuts for an extra crunch.
Place in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes until the chocolate feels firm.
Remove the toothpicks and enjoy.
Persian chicken kabob
ingredients
2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, diced
saffron water:
1 teaspoon saffron
1/4 cup warm water
Chicken marinade:
2 tablespoons of saffron water
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 yellow onion grated
stringing:
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon saffron water
pinch of black pepper
Optional:
lavash bread
Sumac or Aleppo bread
Lemon wedges to serve with it
Directions
Make the saffron water:
Crush a pinch of saffron with a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a bowl and add warm water. Leave on for 15 to 20 minutes until it is a rich yellow/orange color.
The chicken and the coating:
In a bowl, add the diced chicken along with 2 tablespoons of the saffron water, black pepper, smoked paprika, salt, lemon juice, yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic and grated yellow onion. Mix together and if you have time let it marinate for 30 minutes to overnight.
Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers after marinating. If using wooden skewers, make sure to soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning. I like adding about five to six pieces to each skewer.
Also make the basting mix by combining melted butter, lemon juice, saffron water and black pepper. Put aside. While the skewers are cooking in the oven or on the grill, we brush it to give it more flavor and juiciness.
Cook:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. The skewers can be cooked on the BBQ which is preferred for that charred look and taste, but if you don’t have a grill you can make it in the oven like me.
Place the skewers on a baking tray and place in the oven for about 20 minutes or until cooked through in the center. Brush it halfway with the flavored butter we made. I like to baste it again after 20 minutes, then I pop the oven for a few minutes to get that charred barbecue look on top. I baste it again just before serving!
Line a plate with lavash bread. Place the juices from the baking pan on top and place the skewers side down. Sprinkle with sumac or Aleppo pepper and they are ready to enjoy.
Recipes reprinted with permission.
