As Ramadan approaches, which will start from Feb 18, the rhythm of the household begins to change. Nights grow more significant, mornings start early, and the kitchen quietly changes the essence of the whole. But as the fasting days during Ramadan feel too long, cooking complicated meals every evening is not always practical. That is when a little smart prep can make all the difference. Instead of thinking about what to make every day, prepping small things in advance, such as chopping, soaking, and storing smartly, can turn a stressful cooking process into a calm, nearly effortless one.
You are not running ahead of time; you are creating space to focus on what Ramadan truly asks for: meditation, connection, and balance. With a well-prepped kitchen, iftar can be enjoyed in a smoother way, and you can spend less time standing in the kitchen and more time being present in the moment.
Make A Roza Pantry, Not Just A Regular Grocery Refill
Instead of heading out for last-minute roza shopping, make a dedicated shelf or pantry for iftari and suhoor meals with pre-measured staples such as roasted seviyan, soaked-and-dried sabudana, chopped nuts, spices and portioned lentils. Store them in jars while labelling them so you can cook on autopilot mode when energy level dips and it's time for iftari. Also, add quick-cook ingredients such as poha, dates, makhana, and coconut milk to the pantry. When everything is visible and is stored well, preparing sehri and iftari like wise becomes much easier and less chaotic.
(image credit: Freepik)
Pre-Chop, Portion And Freeze The Base Masalas
The real effort during Ramadan cooking is not in the recipes, but in the endless chopping that follows. Spend a weekend making onion-tomato base, ginger-garlic paste, and green chutney in large quantities. Freeze these bases in ice cube trays so that you can simply pop them out just when you need. These frozen cubes will turn into instant gravies, and you can use them for curries, pulao, or chana without having to spend long hours in the kitchen. You will still have a fresh taste, but minus the chopping session and half the work already done.
Marinate Proteins And Freeze Them
Whether you use paneer, chicken, or legumes, try to marinate them ahead of time with some basic spices, yoghurt, and lemon, then freeze them in zip-lock bags. As you thaw them, they will absorb flavour intensely, and you do not have to follow the marination process over and over again. During iftar meal preparation, these can go straight to the pan or oven, easing the chaos. This trick is particularly helpful on days when you are extremely low on energy and when even small meal prep feels exhausting, but still, the iftari meal has to be prepared.
(image credit: Freepik)
Prep Smart Sehri Ingredients
Sehri should nourish you and not slow you down or make you feel stuffed. Dry-roast some oats, make multigrain atta mixes, or prepare overnight chia or soaked almonds in advance. Store these in grab-and-go boxes so that you can just assemble a nourishing meal in just minutes. Having these just ready stops you from reaching out for overly salty or fried foods. A little prep makes mornings feel a bit gentler and perfectly balanced.
Create A Weekly Iftar Menu
Instead of choosing dishes every evening, make “elements” that can mix and match: such as boiled chickpeas, sprouted moong, cut fruits, yoghurt dip, and par-cooked kebab mixtures. They can be made into chaat one day, filling for wraps the next day, or as a light salad alongside the soup. This easy prep will rescue you from the monotony while lowering the daily cooking pressure. If prepared like this, Ramadan meals feel purposeful and effortless, letting you focus more on praying and togetherness rather than just being in the kitchen.
(image credit: Freepik)