Easy slow cooker vegi meal, a packet of frozen mixed veg, a jar / packet of passatta (you might need 2 of each for a large slow cooker) then add spices / herbs to taste.
Hi all. Not Muslim but I used to teach 'equality and diversity' and I still find different cultures / practices fascinating.
It's also Lent, that started on March 5th this year. I don't know if people know or care but if you want a bit of information it lasts 40 days. If you don't then just skip the following essay.
Not many people do a full fast these days, and the rules are different, so rather than a fast for a certain number of hours eg daylight in Islam and 25 hours for Jews, the rules are different, they are also different Christian denominations that observe it differently.
Roman Catholics fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, RC fasting is one normal meal and two small meals that add up to less than a normal meal. So if you normally have cornflakes for breakfast you might have half a bowl and then for lunch if you normally have a meal deal you might have just the sandwich and then a normal evening meal.
If you saw someone walking around with an ash cross on their forehead last Wednesday then they were observing the start of lent.
Fridays in Lent are also days of 'abstinence' so you cannot consume meat but can eat fish. And what counts as 'fish' is quite interesting.
Many years ago there were very strict rules about fasting which is why pancakes were traditional on the Tuesday before lent - it used up the flour, eggs, milk and sugar that you would not eat in lent.
Lots of people will 'give up something for Lent', this should be something you really enjoy as it is meant to be a sacrifice so if you are like me and need three coffees before getting out of bed, giving up coffee would be the obvious thing. For others it is chocolate or alcohol.
Strangely for RCs Sundays are not a day of fasting so some people don't give up their coffee or chocolate for the full 40 days and allow themselves something on Sundays.
The middle Sunday of lent is the traditional day to eat 'Simnel cake' a fruit and marzipan cake with 12 balls of marzipan on top.
This is the day that traditionally people would return to their 'mother church' which became, "mothering Sunday" and which the country now celebrate as mother's day.
Children under 14 do not need to fast or abstain, children 14+ should abstain and 18 - 59 you are expected to fast and abstain if you are in good health. There is no let up for menstruation but there is for pregnancy and breast feeding.
Coincidentally there are two major Jewish festivals during this period, it doesn't happen every year but this year Purim is on 13-14th march and then Passover April 12th to 20th.
If you made it through that then well done and I hope you don't mind the mini hijack.
Can I ask some questions?
Do families have their own traditions?
Is there a typical Iftar meal or does everyone do what they want (after eating the dates)?
I once asked a Muslim what they did if they were living in the arctic circle what would they do with 24 hour daylight or 24 hour night? I was told that you would use the timings of the nearest city. Which seems sensible. But are there other views?