The New Nation - Internet Edition

Iftar items of Dhaka dwellers

Farizaa Sabreen

From last few years city dwellers like to experiment both traditional and diverse iftar. They like to try new recipe for iftar. For this, they tend to buy some items from iftar stalls along with making various items in home.

The aroma of iftar items is on the air. Pass by any stall of iftar meal and let the aroma of different delicious items drive you to the wonderful experience and delicacies of Ramzan.

The iftar bazar of Dhaka starts from 1:00 pm and finishes at 4:30 pm. From noon people gather iftar spots and starts push and pulling to get their favourite item quickly from old Dhaka, baily Road, Dhanmondi, Gulshan and other areas of the city.

For appetizer rojadar starts iftar by lemon juice, rooh afja, tang or any other seasonal fruit juice. For a change, try isabgul, jeera pani, milkshake or tamarind juice. Then comes main dishes, like piaju, chola bhuna, beguni, gosht bhuna, parata, etc. Satisfy your sweet tooth cravings with desserts like faluda, firnee, jilapi, etc.

Don't eat fried and spicy food during iftar. Don't keep roja if you are sick. The menu of iftar should not only be tasty but also nutritious.

Old Dhaka:

Nurani's lassi and lemon juice and Beauty's(nazirabazar and Johnson Road) lassi, lemon juice and faluda pacify many rojadar's thirst during these hot days.

Traditional Boro baper polara khay (Tk.260 per kg) and shuti kebab(Tk.260)

Take your pick from Anando Bakery's shahi paratha(Tk.200-500), haleem(Tk. 300-600), keema paratha, shuti kebab, chicken roast are must have items for city dweller's.

Descent's kashmiri sherbet(Tk.150), shahi haleem(Tk.250), labang(Tk.120), nimak para(Tk.10), cheese tana paratha(Tk. 15) and turk cow(Tk.100)

Alauddin Sweetmeat has some special features for the Ramazan. The most popular items are jail kebab, keema samosa, cheese samosa, jhal kachuri and dahi vara.

Manchuri, cheese samosa, coconut samosa and singara are noteworthy items of Bombay Sweets.

Pizza Hut (Gulshan and Dhanmondi outlets) gives an special iftar offer at Tk. 349. You can eat as much as you can and bottomless pepsi at Tk. 75. These prices are inclusive of 15% vat.

Khazana(Gulshan-2) arranges a variety of iftar items, like murg musallam, chicken chap, kesharia firnee, gosht dum biriyani, shahi chicken and mutton haleem, reshmi paratha, chicken lollipop, special jilapi, chicken kathi rustom, hariyali shahi tikka, kalmi kebab, chana chatpat, dahi vara, murg shahjahani and sikandari naan. Different types of desserts are also available there.

Casablanka(Gulshan Avenue) offers mouth-watering sumptious iftar dishes for Ramzan. Their special items are dahi vara, kebaba, jilapi, pati shapta, tehari, lassi and Pakistani style special mutton and chicken haleem.

Kasturi's (Gulshan-1) iftar menu features Indian beef, mutton and chicken chap (Tk.150-160) and Pakistani khatakhat(Tk.150). Other menu's are fish finger (Tk.20), chicken tandoori(Tk.325), tandoori pomfret(Tk.400), butter naan(Tk.65), mutton biriyani(Tk.160), bundia(Tk.275), cramb fried prawn(Tk.350), chapali kebab(Tk.95), rumali roti(Tk.20), many other delightful treats.

If you want to enjoy a buffet iftar refreshingly relaxed and comfy environment, go to Baton Rouge (Gulshan-2). They have 101 dishes for iftar cum dinner menu. They offer iftar party facility and iftar takeaway services and outdoor catering with ifatr cum dinner menu. They provide group menu for 50 persons (Tk.375-475+) which includes items like lemon juice, lassi(sweet/salted), fruits, jilapi, chana bhuna, mini chicken cutlet, mini chicken shaslik, fish finger, spring roll, shami kebab, special shahi haleem, beef bhuna, special paratha, tehari etc.

Don't forget to taste special jilapi, bong and fried chicken of EFES(Gulshan-1).

Dhanmondi

Lailaty(Satmasjid Road) iftar selection consist of 22 types of yummy iftar items. Among them dahi bara, mini kebab, beef kopta, faluda, liver samosa, dahi bundia are noteworthy.

Star kebab(Satmasjid Road)Try their mutton leg, kebab karai, chicken roast and haleem.

Bamboo Castle, Euro Hut, Domino's Pizza, Helvetia, Fakhruddin's are some shops of Baily Road, where people gather for buying yummy iftar items.

The prices of commodity increase during Ramzan. Because, shopkeepers know people spend lots of money for iftar purpose. Massive price hike troubles people. Beware of the original price of the market, so that salesmen cannot make you fool. Here are the prices of some essential food items.

Brinjal(Tk.60), green chilli(Tk.100), small local onion(Tk.32-34),ginger(Tk.80-90), garlic(Tk.35), cucumber(Tk.20-25), lemon(Tk.8-20), potato(Tk.15), date(Tk.80-300 per kg), papaya(Tk.60-80), apple(Tk.120-150 per kg), red lentil(Tk.70-80 per kg), sugar(Tk.35-37 per kg), beef(Tk.190-210 per kg), mutton(Tk.330-350 per kg), local chicken(Tk.220-240), farm chicken(Tk.130-140), hilsha fish(Tk.250-600 per kg), ruhi fish(Tk. 180-350 per kg), prawn(Tk. 180-350 per kg).

Photos: Sharif Khan

Nourishing Iftar delights at Westin

WP Reporter

To get into the spirit of renewal, the all day dining restaurant of the Westin Dhaka "Taste" offers nourishing Iftar buffet from the first day of the holy Ramadan with a wide selection of nourishing dishes.

What could be the better way to break your fast in this holly month with rejuvenating fresh juices from the range of papaya, pineapple, or energizing selections of sharbats and lassi, or Kamaruddin (one type of Sharbat made from Mango bar)!

Enjoy an array of revitalizing seasonal fresh fruits, fresh fruit cocktail, dates, plain & fruit yoghurt, poached prunes, apricots & figs, pear & peach halves in syrup.

Feed the body with chefs' exquisite Iftar special from the range of renewal salads and could kitchen delicacies that includes cucumber, tomato, aloo chaat, chick peas chaat, golden chicken chaat, kachumber salad, mixed salad. Nourish the soul with sushi, sashimi, maki roll, tandoori chicken, chicken teriyaki terrine sesame dressing and many more.

Take a new course in Iftar with potato cakes, sweet soy roasted chicken fried noodle, fried rice, birayni, spicy chicken cutlet, chicken and coriander corn fritters, breaded fish cake, fish balls, shami kebab, oak fried vegetable, in addition to traditional haleem with all condiments piazo, beguni, vegetable pakoora , fried chick peas, chicken cutlet and tehari.

Elevate your senses with the sweet items. Try our reshmi jalabi, rosh malai, sweet curd, fruit rosh malai, and fresh dates.

Alternatively take away traditional Iftar Box is also available. Or you may additionally take away traditional Iftar item such as Halim, Zeelapi, and other delicious items which are available at Treats.

Should you prefer to break your fast in the privacy of your circle or loved ones, friends, colleagues, or business partners, ask about our special Ramadan banquet set menu's tailored to meet your individual needs.

So come and enter an atmosphere that recharges and invigorate, and rejuvenate in the Iftar at The Westin Dhaka and replenish mind, body and soul during the holy Ramadan.

New boutique Bokul’s

WP Reporter

According to the Wikipedia definition, a boutique, from the French word for 'shop,’ is a small shop outlet, especially one that specialises in elite and fashionable items such as clothing and jewellery.

The term entered into everyday English use in the late 1960’s when, for a brief period, London, UK was the centre of the fashion trade. Carnaby Street and the Kings Road were the focus of much media attention as home to the most fashionable boutiques of the era.

In the strictest sense of the word, boutiques would be one-of-a-kind but more generally speaking, some chains can be referred to as boutiques if they specialise in particularly stylish offerings.

Recently, the term 'boutique’ has started being applied to the normally-mass-market items that are either niche or produced in intentionally small numbers at very high prices.

Although some boutiques specialise in hand-made items and other truly one-of-a-kind items, others simply produce T-shirts, stickers, and other fashion accessories and sell them at unusually high prices.

At present, specialised boutique shops are a relatively new phenomenon in Dhaka. However the sector is growing fast. As a part of the fastest growing boutique, a new boutique outlet named “Bokul’s” started its journey in the city recently.

Inauguration of the new outlet of 'Bokul’s’ was held at the ground floor of Aziz Cooperative Super Market in the city on September 1.

Sculptors Ferdousi Priyobhashini, Hamiduzzaman Khan and Ivy Zaman, poet Asad Chowdhury, photographer Nasir Ali Mamun, dramatist Ahmed Shahabuddin, poet Zakir Abu Jafar, fashion designer Pamir, among others, were present at the inauguration of the boutique outlet.

Various types of local sari, three-piece, gents and ladies fatua, shirt, panjabi, T-Shirt and children wears are available in Bokul’s.

Fatal thalassaemia needs to be prevented

Syed Deedar Bakht

New modern technology have made inroad to help solve many complicated problems including health problems in the word. Intensive research for invention of appropriate medicine for complicated disease is a continuous process. No doubt researcher have achieved a lot of success for curing and preventing complicated diseases. Efforts are also being carried out for curing complicated fetal diseases like cancer and diabetic etc. But unfortunately not much concentration has given for curing and preventing very complicated and fetal disease "Thalassaemia."

Thalassaemia is a blood related genetic disorder inherited from parents. The main source of the disease generates from detective gene of the body. The disease cannot be caught from any other sources, only the parents in "Thalassaemia trait" put their beloved children life through a futile exercise for a normal life and half defeated a battle. Till now the disease cannot be prevented and cure is beyond the reach at almost all people in Developing countries like Bangladesh.

Thalassaemia patients need life long regular blood transfusion along with other medication to lead a normal life. Regular transfusion of only RBC component of blood help keep the patients average haemoglobin level normal. The patients should be transfused when haemoglobin level comes down below normal level. This is such a fetal disease that kills the RBC so quickly for a requirement of blood transfusion within about 4 weeks to maintain haemoglobin level normal.

Till now there is no other means for permanent cure of the disease, inadequate blood transfusion and absence of essential medication leads to obvious inevitable death of the patients within 5-15 years of age. With proper and timely blood transfusion and medication patients can lead near a normal life for about 50 years.

Thalassaemia can be classified as thalassaemia minor and thalassaemia major.

Thalassaemia minor means the subject is a genetic carrier of the disease but does not show any symptom of the disease. The patients may occasionally experience mild anaemia which can be cured with normal treatment for anaemia. Only special blood screening can detect a person as a carrier of Thalassaemia.

Thalassaemia major means, the patients has inherited the disease. In such case both the father and the mother must be carrier of Thalassaemia. If only one of the couple is a carrier, offspring may at best became a carrier but cannot be a diseased one. When a child is born with Thalassaemia major, it is obvious the parent of the patient are carriers and as such the offspring has inherited the genetic disorder contributed by both father and mother where by his bone marrow produces RBC with defected haemoglobin. This haemoglobin are too short lived and defective, and incapable of generating sufficient oxygen carrying capacity. As a result the subject becomes acute anaemia and in absence of proper diagnosis and treatment the patient is destined to die within 3 to 5 years of birth.

It is extremely interesting to note that till today thalassaemia is not found all over the world for the reasons not clearly understood. The main concentration of the disease is in the countries around Mediterranean ie, Greece, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Maldives, Srilanka, etc and some other countries in the region.

In Bangladesh, till recently people were not at all aware of this fetal killer disease.

With the advancement of technology, Bangladesh Doctors also felt the necessity for introduction of modern process of diagnosis of the disease including application of modern technology. Very recently Bangladesh Thalassaemia Society (BTS) carried out "Thalassaemia carrier detection survey" among the marriageable boys and girls. The sample survey reveals that near about 10% of the population is Thalassaemia carrier. Considering above percentage of carrier and current population of Bangladesh, about leone) crore 40 lac people are carrier and 8 to 10 thousand children are estimated to born every year and all most all of them slowly pass away within 3-5 years without any diagnosis and proper treatment or maltreatment particularly in the rural areas where treatment facilities are not adequately available to combat this fetal disease. The diseased children also fell victim in the rural areas due to ignorance particularly in the poorer section of the population, who hardly any means to treat their wards. It is yet be estimated how many diseased children are dying every year due to this incurable fetal disease. It is also estimated that about 20000 children are counting their last days every year amidst anguish and horror.

This fetal disease was almost unknown in our country. Very recently Bangladesh Thalassaemia Society (BTS) and some other organisation have made mass awareness campaign through symposium and seminar to help people know about this killer disease and its treatment regimen. Imbued with social responsibility many philanthropist and volu it is very scanty and meagre.

Without regular blood transfusion, the Thalassaemia patients cannot lead normal life. The inevitable consequence of repeated blood transfusion, Iron contents of the blood forms deposition in the heart, lunge and kidney and due to iron overload, the patients suffers from many other complicated diseases and develop hepatocellular damage, skin pigmentation and growth retardation followed by pubertal failure, insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, cardiac failure, and infections in some other organs in the body. Iron chelation therapy throughout lifelime is only way out to lead normal life. But it is too costly to bear by the low income group patients. Till now the disease cannot be prevented and cure is beyond the reach of almost all people in developing countries like Bangladesh. It deserves mention this hereditary disorder can only be cured by having very very costly and risky bone marrow transplantation which is yet to be available in Bangladesh .

In absence of regular treatment in the state run hospitals and private clinics, the BTS which is formed with the parents of the Thalassaemia Patients they through it the obligatory to shoulder the responsibility to provide treatment to patients suffering from Thalassaemia, particularly to those who belong to poorer section of the people. The BTS also felt the need to run the hospital with an objective to provide facilities like, Blood transfusion service, iron chelation therapy service, Blood bank for Carrier and disease detection services, Vaccination services, Educate people to be aware of high incidence of the disease, Motivate people to donate blood voluntarily.

Thalassaemia is such a complicated and fetal disease, that it needs to be explained and outlined before the people who are yet to know much about the massive disastrous effect of the disease. For that matter massive mass awareness campaign is needed to be launched throughout the country.

People are to be educated about the disease and its effects on a family, and crippled. The family virtually becomes economically/financially ruined for the treatment of their disease d child. Following steps can help contain the disease and further spread of the Thalassaemia.

(a) Message to reach to all the marriageable boys and girls to screen their blood before marriage so that their future offspring is out of possible allack of the disease.

(b) Guardians of the marriageable boys and girls are to be motivated to screen the bloods of their words before settlement of marriage.

(c) Government to instruct the marriage registrar to see blood screening report from doctors to ensure that either at the boy or the girl is free from Thalassaemia trait.

(d) Campaigning to reach at all Upazila level.

(e) Blood screening facilities are to be available at all Upazila level.

(f) Blood transfusion facilities are to be provide at all Upazila level Hospitals.

Massive mass awareness campaign is only way out to educate the people about disastrous effect of the disease. Such campaign will also educate the people to create social movement to help prevent the disease and make Bangladesh free from Thalassaemia.

(The writer is not a doctor. Inaverdent error is regretted)

Tips for Ramadan

During the holy month of Ramadan, our diet should not differ very much from our normal diet and should be as simple as possible. The diet should be such that we maintain our normal weight, neither losing nor gaining. However, if one is over-weight, Ramadan is an ideal time to normalise one's weight.

Consume Slow Digesting Foods

In view of the long hours of fasting, we should consume slow digesting foods including fibre containing-foods rather than fast- digesting foods. Slow digesting foods last up to 8 hours, while fast- digesting foods last for only 3 to 4 hours.

Slow-digesting foods are foods that contain grains and seeds like barley, wheat, oats, millet, semolina, beans, lentils, wholemeal flour, unpolished rice, etc. (called complex carbohydrates). Fast- burning foods are foods that contain sugar, white flour, etc. (called refined carbohydrates). Fibre-containing foods are bran-containing foods, whole wheat, grains and seeds, vegetables like green beans, peas, sem (papry), marrow, mealies, spinach, and other herbs like methie, the leaves of beetroot (iron-rich), fruit with skin, dried fruit especially dried apricots, figs and prunes, almonds, etc.

The foods eaten should be well balanced, containing foods from each food group, i.e. fruits, vegetables, meat/chicken/fish, bread/cereals and dairy products. Fried foods are unhealthy and should be limited. They cause indigestion, heartburn, and weight problems.

Avoid

*Fried and fatty foods.

*Foods containing too much sugar.

*Over-eating especially at suhoor.

*Too much tea at suhoor. Tea makes you pass more urine taking with it valuable mineral salts that your body would need during the day.

*Smoking cigarettes. Smoking is unhealthy and one should stop completely.

Eat

Eat complex carbohydrates at suhoor so that the food lasts longer making you less hungry. Haleem is an excellent source of protein and is a slow-burning food. Dates are excellent source of sugar, fibre, carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium. Almonds are rich in protein and fibre with less fat. Bananas are a good source of potassium, magnesium and carbohydrates.

Drink

As much water or fruit juices as possible between iftar and bedtime so that your body may adjust fluid levels in time.

Constipation

Constipation can cause piles (haemorroids), fissures and indigestion with a bloated feeling.

Causes: Too much refined foods, too little water and not enough fibre in the diet.

Remedy: Avoid excessive refined foods, increase water intake, and use bran in baking, brown flour when making roti.

Lethargy ('low blood pressure')

Excessive sweating, weakness, tiredness, lack of energy, dizziness, especially on getting up from sitting position, pale appearance and feeling faint are symptoms associated with "low blood pressure". This tends to occur towards the afternoon.

Causes: Too little fluid intake, decreased salt intake.

Remedy: Keep cool, increase fluid and salt intake.

Caution: Low blood pressure should be confirmed by taking a blood pressure reading when symptoms are present. Persons with high blood pressure may need their medication adjusted during Ramadan. They should consult their doctor.

Headache

Causes: Caffeine and tobacco-withdrawal, doing too much in one day, lack of sleep, hunger usually occurs as the day goes by and worsens at the end of the day. When associated with "low blood pressure", the headache can be quite severe and can also cause nausea before Iftar.

Remedy: Cut down caffeine and tobacco slowly starting a week or two before Ramadan. Herbal and caffeine-free teas may be substituted. Reorganise your schedule during the Ramadan so as to have adequate sleep.

Low blood sugar

Weakness, dizziness, tiredness, poor concentration, perspiring easily, feeling shaky (tremor), unable to perform physical activities, headache, palpitations are symptoms of low blood sugar.

Causes in non-diabetics: Having too much sugar (i.e. refined carbohydrates especially at suhur (suhoor)). The body produces too much insulin causing the blood glucose to drop.

Remedy: Eat something at suhoor and limit sugar-containing foods and drinks.

Caution: Diabetics may need to adjust their medication in Ramadan, consult your doctor.

Muscle cramps

Causes: Inadequate intakeof calcium, magnesium and potassium foods.

Remedy: Eat foods rich in the above minerals (e.g. vegetables, fruit, dairy products, meat and dates).

Caution: Those on high blood pressure medication and with kidney stone problems should consult their doctor.

Peptic ulcers, heart burn, gastritis and hiatus hernia

Increased acid levels in the empty stomach in Ramadan aggravate the above conditions. It presents itself as a burning feeling in the stomach area under the ribs and can extend up to the throat. Spicy foods, coffee, and Cola drinks worsen these conditions. Medications are available to control acid levels in the stomach. People with proven peptic ulcers and hiatus hernia should consult their doctor well before Ramadan.

Kidney stones

Kidney stones may occur in people who have less liquid to drink. Therefore, it is essential to drink extra liquids so as to prevent stone formation.

Joint pains

Causes: During Ramadan, when extra salah are performed the pressure on the knee joints increases. In the elderly and those with arthritis this may result in pain, stiffness, swelling and discomfort.

Remedy: Lose weight so that the knees do not have to carry any extra load. Exercise the lower limbs before Ramadan so that they can be prepared for the additional strain. Being physically fit allows greater fulfillment, thus enabling one to be able to perform salah with ease.

You should always consult with your own personal doctor or healthcare provider for appropriate advice concerning your specific health needs and care during Ramadan.

Seven strategies to train kids this Ramadan

The many aspects of Ramadan-fasting, prayers, moral values, charity, Qur'an, family, `Eid-provide a valuable opportunity to train kids. Whether they are your own kids or kids you teach, education or training isn't an automatic or easy process. Children don't bring empty minds and fill them with what we say. Training requires effort, energy, and a few techniques to take off.

Here are some training tips and techniques to transform your children's minds and memories this Ramadan:

1. Let them get their Hands Dirty

"The great aim of education is not knowledge, but action." Herbert Spencer

Children learn by "doing." On average, students retain 75% of a lesson when they learn through hands-on activities compared to 5% through a lecture or 10% through reading.

If, for example, you want to teach your kids the concept of zakah, get them to help you calculate your zakah, decide where to send the money, and mail the envelopes. Action and implementation can occur while children learn, not necessarily after!

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to bring his grandchildren Hassan and Hussein to the mosque as toddlers before they knew how to pray.

A concept becomes real and important to children when they experience it rather than simply read about it. They'll remember how to do it years later when you may catch them telling their friends "I've been calculating zakah since I was a kid!"

2. Involve their Emotions

When children get emotionally involved in an activity, they rarely want to leave it. Video games and TV shows target children's emotions. As parents and educators, we can use the same technique for training.

Stories, songs, skits, crafts, and games grab children's emotions. Once a child is interested and excited, they're more likely to stay attentive till the end and get the message you want to give. Just as we remember events in our lives that were emotionally significant, children remember concepts learned through activities that were "fun," "funny," "exciting," or "different."

Don't be afraid to stir some fun into your training-you don't have to lose any content. Write a song about `Eid, create a Hadith treasure box, organize a Ramadan trivia night, or read a story about Ramadan in Madinah. If the kids enjoy it, they'll come back for more!

3. Reveal the Purpose

We often hear students complain, "why do we have to do this?" or "this math exercise is pointless." Unfortunately, we often hear responses like "because I'm telling you to," or "because you have to," or worse, "you'll get a new CD player if you finish the book."

Like us, if children don't see the purpose or importance of an action, they won't have the motivation to complete it. To avoid getting similar comments from your kids about prayer or fasting, make sure they understand the purpose. Before you begin any lesson, whether it's a story about the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)

or an `Eid craft, explain exactly why you are the doing the activity and what benefits the children will gain from it.

Remind your children that they are doing acts of worship to please Allah, not you. Explain why we need to please Allah and how every action, including washing dishes or math homework, will help us achieve that goal. If children are praying only to please you, when you leave, their motivation and prayers will disappear.

If children are motivated to fast Ramadan or complete the Qur'an for a material incentive (like a CD player), they may never develop a love of Allah or an intrinsic desire to perform the action. They may, instead, learn to value material rewards and when the rewards disappear, the actions may disappear with them.

Help your children understand that for Muslims, rewards don't necessarily always come in this life. They may have to wait for the bigger and better rewards of the hereafter.

4. Highlight the Big Ideas

"Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school."

Albert Einstein

Ask yourself how many equations or formulas you remember from your Grade 12 math textbook. It may be five, two, or none. Let's be honest-most of us retained very little of the details we learned.

Children will not retain all the fiqh rulings of zakah, wudu', or Salah, and they won't need to! Make sure the little that they retain is exactly what you want them to remember. Focus on the big ideas, such as the awareness that Allah is watching us, that we get our rulings from the Qur'an and the Sunnah, that Prayer is a means of self-purification, etc. Repeat these ideas every day in different ways. While your children instil these principles in their minds, show them how to learn the rest on their own when they need it.

Help your kids learn "how to learn." Teach them where to find the fiqh information they need or how to research a topic and who to ask for information. They will be better prepared if they master the basics and know how to get the specifics. Memorizing every ruling will be a waste of their time and yours.

5. Let them Lead!

Children often take responsibilities more seriously than adults. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) appointed Usamah ibn Zaid who was a young boy at the time, as commander of the Muslim army although many older and more experienced companions were present. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) trusted Usamah's capability for the position.

Give children leadership over important tasks and step out of the picture. Assign one child to wake up all his siblings for suhur. Let someone else be in charge of updating the iftar time every evening. Allow the children to plan, budget, and buy `Eid gifts for all the relatives. Let them choose which task they want to be in charge of.

Allow children to make mistakes and realize on their own what they should have done. Experience often trains better than instruction. Once a child goes out into the cold without a jacket, he'll remember, before you can remind him, to put on his jacket next time.

Train kids to be responsible for their own learning. If a child asks, "Does brushing teeth break my fast?" a simple "yes" or "no" may give them the answer, but it won't provide any long-term training. Ask them instead, "Where can you look to find that answer? Let's do some research."

Begin the month of Ramadan by asking your children to do a research project on what breaks the fast and what does not. If they find the information themselves, they are likely to remember it and know exactly where to get it again next year.

"The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change." Carl Rogers

6. Get Excited!

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." W. B. Yeats

Kids catch on to your enthusiasm. Show some excitement and passion about the topic you're teaching. Show your kids that you can't wait for Ramadan to begin. Be cheerful at Prayer times. Decorate the house in anticipation of `Eid.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught by example. His character and actions motivated people to love and emulate him. Be the example you want your kids to be. Make a genuine effort to love the activities you want your kids to love.

7. Combine Love with Learning

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would greet children warmly by hugging them, kissing them and picking them up.

Abu Huraira reported that al-Aqra' b. Habis saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) kissing Hasan. He said "I have ten children, but I have never kissed any one of them," whereupon Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: He who does not show mercy (towards his children), no mercy would be shown to him. (Muslim)

Show children that you love them, regardless of how they perform. Allow each child to progress at their own pace. Saying, "look at your cousin Aminah! She's already finished the 15th Juz," will only lower your child's self-esteem and discourage what she's already accomplishing.

Excessive competition and comparison can often result in helplessness and lack of motivation for children who learn in different ways or at a slower pace. Allow children to judge their own progress and compare themselves to their former level rather than that of others.

Make this Ramadan the beginning of a memorable and long-lasting training experience for you and your children!

Recipes for iftar

Chikkar Cholay

Ingredients

Cholay 1 lb

Baking soda 4Tsp

Zeera 3tsp

Onions 2 med

Tomatoes 2small

Oil 5Tsp

Chaat masala 3tsp full

Coriander 2tsp (finely chopped)

Green chilies 2 small (finely cut)

Method:

Soak cholay in water for about 34 hours along with baking soda. After that thoroughly wash them with baking soda and then with water. Put chana in pressure cooker with lots of water, zeera and salt. Give pressure until they are tendered and a little bit of water is left. Roughly about 20 min. or more because really want chana to be tendered. Heat oil

In another pan and add onions in them and fry them. When they are golden brown add tomatoes, bit salt and chaatmasala in it. And cook this until oil leaves the masala after that add chana in the masala along with the water that is left and cover it with lid. Let it cook for about 1520 min. until the gravy is thickened and chana is so tender that they start to break. When it is ready sprinkle coriander and green chilies on it. Serve with naan and enjoy.

Ghugni

Ingredients

2 Cups soaked white Peas

1/2 Cup chopped onion

1 Tomato (chopped)

1 tsp Garlic (crushed)

1 tsp Ginger (grated)

1/2 tsp Cumin seed powder

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Garam masala

1/2 Cup oil

Salt to taste

Method

Boil the soaked white peas till it turns soft.

Heat the oil.

Fry onion, ginger and garlic.

Fry it till onion gets brown.

Add tomatoes and stir it properly.

Now mix this with cooked peas.

Add cumin seed powder and coriander powder.

Allow it to boil.

Add garam masala.

Adorn with coriander and chopped onion.

Moong Dal Panki

Ingredients

50 gms Moong dal

1 tbsp Chopped coriander

1/2 tsp Lemon juice

1 tbsp Fresh curds

1 tsp Gram flour

2 Green chilies

A pinch asafoetida

A pinch sugar

Salt to taste

Method:

Soak moong dal in water for about two hours and drain.

Grind the mixture after adding green chilies and fresh curds.

Add gram flour and asafoetida.

Lightly grease the balana leaves.

Put and spread 1 tbsp of the mixture on one leaf and cover it with another leaf.

Heat a tawa and roast the panki until brown spots appear on both sides.

Moong Dal Panki is ready. Serve it with green chutney.

Chicken Pasta Soup

Ingredients

4 cups of chicken stock

¼ cup of pasta (or vermicelli)

2 tablespoon of vegetable oil

1 well beaten egg

salt and pepper.

Method

1. Heat the oil in a soup pan. Add the pasta and stir continuously till it turns dark brown. This will happen very quickly so be careful that it does not burn.

2. Very gradually, and carefully, add the stock and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and leave to simmer for around 20 minutes. Season it to taste.

3. Add the beaten egg to the soup in a slow stream while continuously whisking the soup.

4. Serve hot with lemons or lime.

Shahi Tukre

Ingredients

Slices of bread - 4 no's

Condensed milk - 6 tbs

Milk - 1/2 litre

Ground cardamom seeds - 1/2 tsp

Nutmeg - 1/4 tsp

Almonds, pistachios, walnuts, cashew-nuts, raisins - 15 gms each

Method

Trim and cut each slice of bread into four pieces and deep fry to a golden brown colour. Drain thoroughly and keep aside. Fry all the nuts and pound coarsely. Also fry the raisins. Take a wide pan and put in milk, condensed milk, 2 tablespoon sugar, cardamoms and nutmeg. Cook on a low fire till the mixture turns a little thick, then put the fried bread side by side in the pan. Let it cook till all the moisture is absorbed by the bread. Serve cold garnished with nuts and raisins and covered with foil.

Fruit Lassi

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk yogurt

1 cup ice water

1 cup cold milk

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 tablespoon rose water

2 mangoes, peeled, cut from pit and cubed or 5 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced

toasted sliced almonds, for serving

Method

1Put all ingredients, except almonds, in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

2Serve with ice cubes and sprinkle with almonds.