Ramadan Food Rituals Suhoor: Predawn Meal Before Commencing to Fast

with Yvonne Maffei
Author and Publisher of MyHalalKitchen.com

The Qu’ran defines the moment of daybreak, when the faithful must begin to fast during Ramadan, as when the ‘white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread.’ We will gather 90 minutes before daybreak to experience Suhoor, a meal taken before commencing fasting at daybreak and attending prayers. Many people present will not eat again after daybreak at 3:33 am until they break the fast at iftaar at 8:30 pm.

Daata Darbar offers a Suhoor buffet during Ramadan.  Based on limited experience, the composition of this buffet varies nightly. This is a restaurant whose clients are Indian-Pakistani taxi drivers.

Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting for Muslims around the globe. Contrary to popular belief, there is so much wonderful food to enjoy between sunset and sunrise. As varied as the Muslims themselves, so is their food.

Yvonne Maffei, MA is a graduate of International Studies & Spanish from Ohio University. She has grown up with a real passion for cooking and writing, setting out to make a career out of combining the two. After years of being a language teacher she moved her teaching platform from the classroom to the internet by writing about halal food and cooking for a global audience. Today Yvonne publishes MyHalalKitchen.com, gives cooking classes, lectures about halal cooking and healthy eating, and consults schools on how to source healthy, halal ingredients and prepare fresh new ideas for school lunches. She has written the cookbook, Summer Ramadan Cooking to teach about the food rituals of the holy month as well as the global diversity of halal recipes. Yvonne’s second cookbook, My Halal Kitchen: Global Recipes, Cooking Tips, Lifestyle Inspiration, will be published in July 2016.  It aims to teach the basics of halal cooking and baking, and showcase classic American, French, Italian and Latin recipes made with all natural halal substitutes.

Saturday, June 18, 2016 at 1:15 AM, Buffet: 1:45 AM or earlier
Daata Darbar
2306 West Devon Avenue, Chicago, IL  60645
daatadarbarchicagoil.com
(East of Western Avenue, cross street Oakley)
Free Street Parking (due to the time)
Your cost approximately $15 (food, tax & tip) without beverages

This program is hosted by the Chicago Foodways Roundtable. Reserve to allow us to alert the restaurant how many may attend. We expect a few will wake-up and decide to stay in bed, it’s understandable.  Meanwhile, please reserve to e-mail: ChicagoFoodwaysRoundtable@gmail.com