Iftar sponsoredf by"tsunami of spices"
Ramadan, a Muslim holiday that spans the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, lasted from April 13 to May 12 this year. The month is dedicated to worship, charity and community. It welcomes Muslims to retreat from human and worldly desires and focus on renewing their Iman, or faith. Muslims celebrate by abstaining from food and drink from sunrise to sunset, and typically join in communal prayer and post-sunset feasting.
Every evening around 6:30 pm, the cars drove into the parking lot of our community Mosque during the month of Ramadan. The families inside were Muslims, checking out a fresh Ramadan contribution project driven by the coronavirus: Iftar boxes to-go.
With mosques closed to avoid the spread of COVID-19, the meals traditionally served after Muslims broke their daily fasts during Ramadan, likewise came to an end. These meals, called iftars, are particularly important to families and to community members who work late and have limited time to arrange food.
This year, my family and I had prepared and delivered Iftar boxes to-go. to our community as a way of spreading the Ramadan cheer and spirit.
It was a different experience of presenting food, without knowing your audience. Keeping the hope that it will fulfill their needs and taste. This task was teamwork of my family, my husband and daughters, and we accomplished it really well and on time.
Preperation of 200 boxes
Cooking for a crowd can be one of the most stressful tasks. Not only do you have to worry about the food tasting good, but you also have to maintain your time frame.
Planning was the key to cook for a crowd, which was 200 boxes fully prepared with all the courses on the menu, which included:
- Chicken BBQ with Saffron Rice
- Smoked Ground Beef
- Yogurt with Gramflour Boondi
- Samosas
- Naan
- Date
Keeping all the courses, in mind, the biggest task was how to keep the quantity perfect and to keep the weight of all the boxes equal. I had to focus on the following points to stay on track:
- How long will it take to complete each recipe?
- Can some of the tasks be done in advance?
- Are all the ingredients in hand?
Cooking for a crowd is not as scary as it seems. Unlike home cooking, large gatherings require that you use a feast planner if you are going to be cooking large amounts of food, whether it be a sit-down dinner, a buffet, or even catering in to-go boxes. This must hold all details of the gathering from the very start of the preparation to the presentation of the food.
When it comes to big batch or crowd cooking, it requires planning and learning some cooking tips & tricks that will make the entire process smooth.
TIPS AND TRICKS TO COOK FOR A CROWD:
- If making something new, test the recipe ahead of time.
- Keep the decorations simple.
- Fill the menu with a few easy dishes.
- Use all appliances to execute tasks easily and quickly.
- Use slow cookers, chafing dishes, or warming trays to keep food at the right temperature.
- Choose some recipes that can be made ahead, in full or in part.
- Make large dishes that can easily be doubled.
- Do as much food prep ahead of time as possible.
- Create a menu with one simple main dish.
- Divide the portions in large foil trays to balance the spread.
- Label the to-go boxes with your sponsored name.
