There is Ramadan, there is iftar and then there is chat masala- a spicy, tangy concoction of household spices that is used mainly for garnishing and adding in more flavor or spice.
A staple of the iftar feast, no traditional savory is complete without this pinch of color and flavor, be it chana chat (traditional chickpea salad), fruit chat (traditional fruit salad), dahi baray (fried lentil dumplings in a sweet and savory yogurt base) or even pakora (gram flour fritatas).
I grew up seeing my father sprinkle chat masala on everything in his plate.
As passionate as my mother was, the earliest memory of chat masala is home made.
Though I never got a chance to learn from her, because by the time I actually started cooking, she was gone.
This recipe I learnt this from my MIL and it tastes just like the one my mother used to make.
It is made of simple household spices from the pantry, roasted and then ground to your liking.
Making a fresh jar right before Ramadan is just another tradition I follow religiously and so will you when you try it.
Enjoy the spice! (Remember to read the side notes)
Chat masala:
Ingredients:
Whole cumin- 1 cup
Whole round red chilli- 1 cup
Whole coriander seeds- 1 cup
Whole black peppercorn- 1 tsp
Carom seeds(Ajwain)-1 tsp
Himalayan black salt (Kala namak)-1 tsp
Salt- 1 tsp
Citric acid (Tatri) – As per your taste
Directions:
Dry roast the first five ingredients until fragrant.
Pulse the dry-roasted ingredients in a coffee been grinder.
Transfer the grounded mixture in a deep mixing bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients.
Mix well.
Store in an air tight container.
Side notes:
I grind my spices to a medium blend. I like to leave it a little chunky, and it is absolutely your choice if you want to grind it fine or leave it chunkier.
The salt you can add per your liking, reduce or increase the quantity.
The citric acid or amchur powder can also be added per your liking. If you want it tangy, increase, if not then reduce.
Unlike the common media (racist) perception, Masjids aka mosques are not places of extremism. Okay may be some are, but most are not. We talk more about donations, charity, matrimonial issues and “where did you get this dress from?” then about “Lets kill some non Muslim” or “Lets blow ourselves”
I myself try to avoid masjid because of number 3. The unstoppable restless soul that he is, he does not let me pray in peace and I do not want to spoil other’s Salah too. Hence I avoid.
Today is Juma tul Wida, A very special day which means it is the last Friday of Ramadan. Friday being a special day for believers, and then the last Friday of Ramadan, the most special month, and the last 10 days of the blessed month. What more can one ask for.
Like anyone I know, I also wanted to go. But then what about number 3?
Luckily the closest masjid, which has one of the most pleasant and humble persons as Imam, Syeda Khadija Centre, broadcasts live prayers and sermons.
PM Trudeau at Syeda Khadijah Centre during Ramadan 2015
And today’s sermon by this absolutely gracious man, was so so simple, and so close to my heart, I have previously written about it as well, and so I had to share.
I made number 1 and number 2 sit with me and listen to it as well. And when later I asked them to tell me 1 point each out of what they heard, they could just do it like that. I would leave the religious stuff out of it and would only share the one that is general applicable for us all.
Internet is the biggest terror of our times:
I am a social media junkie. With or without intention, I just keep flipping through pages after pages. And I am sure most of us are. Most of the material on internet is not certified, but presented in a way that it looks more like news then unfiltered information. Parents instead of reading books to their kids or singing lullabies, prefer to hand them a smart phone or tablet that the child is then glued to.
Quote “What happened in Turkey is heart wrenching. No Muslim I know, would even think of doing something as horrendous as blowing himself and in turn taking innocent lives. Turkey is one the very few Muslim countries that have managed to keep balance between religion and modernity. And they kill these innocent people. And we all see these videos of mass brutality on our smartphones and then share them. 50 people die and all we care is to share the video of the suicide bomber. One sister texted me to pray for her son, who left home, saying I do not follow this hateful religion any more and I am leaving it. So she asked him, how do you know it is hateful? Where did you learn about it? Did you go to a scholar? And he replied Internet. So I request all you IT people to help our children and find some substitute. We were a generation of inventors and thinkers. And now we are all limited to consumers.”
Donate what you want for yourself:
I personally know that people around usually give old clothes and shoes and stuff in charity. Old, chipped plates, used toys, stained furniture. Unless it is specifically mentioned, no one gives new, packed stuff. And then we brag “Oh I dropped three garbage bags full of goodies at the donation box” or “Oh All my kids old toys go to the refugees” I have witnessed people actually looking for a toonie at the masjid when the donation box comes when their skin is hardly visible out of all the gold that they are wearing.
“Do not give rotten, basement bound stuff in donation. You have forty thousand dollars extra, lying in your account and your brother’s house is being sold on foreclosure because he could not pay will not help you. Do not give away ripped t-shirt and faded trousers in the name of donation. If you buy your suit from Harry Rosen or Gap or whatever, buy a new t-shirt or a pair of shoes and that would be an acceptable donation. If you like biryani for yourself, do not give away rotten, stale rice to a shelter.”
I just read on Facebook: Quote: “It is haraam to fast on Eid, yet half of the Muslims are fasting today. It is a major sin to leave a Farz Roza(fast) and yet half of the Muslims are celebrating Eid. Who is answerable for this?”
Ramadan this year started without much of a confusion. Muslims all over the world generally observed 1st Ramadan on June 17th. Even my neighbours who are from Middle East and usually follow festivals as per back home, were pleasantly surprised that Pakistanis, Indians, Arabs and Muslims in general in the neighbourhood were celebrating Ramadan together which is very rare.
Last night was the 29th of Ramadan and about 80% people were sure that 1st Shawwal would fall on Friday July 17th and Eid ul Fitr would be celebrated.
However, about 15 minutes after Iftaar, Hilal Committee of Toronto announced that there was no sighting of moon and hence we shall have 30 blessed days of Ramadan and Eid would be on Saturday July 18th.
I was surprised, yet happy and satisfied. There is no point in celebrating Eid or any festival just because people back home are celebrating it. Called a couple of relatives, informed them and the feeling was mutual.
And there was this chaos on Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp. Women telling each other on groups that they are wrong. Endless fights. Then someone tweeted from Hilal Committee’s Twitter handle after midnight that they are reverting their decision and Eid shall be Friday July 17th.
Few minutes later they tweeted that the account was hacked by someone and the tweet was falsely sent. and that there is no change in decision. While Social Media was abuzz with people posting news of moon sightings in Edmonton and California and hence emphasizing that Eid should be on Friday, some parts of USA including Houston, Miami, Newyork, Philadelphia were already preparing for Eid on Friday as for them it was decided from about a month before.
I wonder why there has to be so much division on such a small issue. Isn’t Eid supposed to be a blessing from Allah SWT for the faithful after fasting for 30 days. Why can’t here be unity? Why can’t ISNA and HSCNA and all the big wigs get together and find a solution for this?
And imagine the sorry state of affairs when I visited ISNA website just moments earlier, the main banner wished Eid Mubarak, while the date mentioned it was still 30th Ramadan. Sigh!
I am no scholar; just an ordinary Muslim who does not want to be divided in two parts because half of the family is celebrating Eid one day and the other half on the other. I do not have the knowledge to decide which Masjid is right and which distance parameters does my residence fall in. I, as a Muslim follower, do put my faith in these scholars and they can’t just get away with decisions just so it is easy to book the halls for Eid prayers in advance or because the other group follows some other school of thought.
Time has moved, advanced. Let us not give others any chance to ridicule us. Eid is Allah’s blessing. Let it be that!
I live in Canada. And the moment I say “Canada”, snow and cold is the first word that comes to mind. We have extreme temperatures here about 9 months a year and even in those three months that we call summer, weather is never reliable. We dance when the weather hits double digits, and 16 degrees is like Ooo La La!
July 1st evening has never been the same; I remember going to see fireworks with n extra hoodie on because the weather is chilly. Yes on July 1st!
During winter, temperatures in my region reach to -30 and -40. And this is nothing compared to further northern provinces where these are not extreme but regular temperatures. Yet life goes on!
As soon as the weather is forecasted, city governments announce Extreme Cold Weather alerts which means that shelters and warm centres are open and accessible for the homeless and the poor.
The communities help each other. even my lovely neighbours offer to blow our snow when there is a snow storm and its impossible for one person to clean the drive way.
Yes we pay taxes, and then those taxes are spent on situations like these to help keep things running. Its not an ideal world, it has its own flaws and corruption and politics and what not.
Yet when I saw the picture above, I was short of words…..
I am a Karachiite, and I love Karachi. This is the city that feeds millions all over the country, regardless of their ethnicity, culture, religion or race. The resilient people living here have seen things like street crimes, gang wars, political fights, load-shedding and what not. We are the people, who when hear that a storm is about to hit our coast, run to Clifton to see where the storm is coming from and how. We get married and bury our loved ones in the shade of gunfire, explosives and curfew. Everyone who wants power claims he loves Karachi.
Yet when it comes to situations like this heat wave that has swallowed about 700 plus lives in 3 days and that even the local media here in Toronto and global media is giving full coverage in prime time, Karachi is no body’s business. Everyone tries to push Karachi in someone else’s court and everyone runs away. Karachi becomes a prostitute for these shameless creatures called our rulers who want to have all the fun with her, but do not want to own her! If it were not for the brave and courageous people of Karachi, who are always all by themselves when it comes to situations like these, Karachi would not be the same!
I have also spent few years in Dubai and I know what and how 47-48 degrees feel like. But I guess even the Arabs that we always so keenly make fun of, have some respite and humanity. They work evening or night hours, when the mercury goes down a bit. Air conditioners and cold water is everybody’s basic right. Well kind of as I have also seen poor expats working with charcoal and cement in that scorching sun.
And then to top it off the holy month of Ramadan. Where the ordinary people do not know that Islam is not asking you to kill yourself in the name of pleasing Allah. If you’re sick or fear of being sick (Read heat stroke) do not fast.
Plus in Ramadan, everything, i.e., milk, yogurt, ice, fruits, electricity and hence water either disappear from the markets or are out of reach of the common people. So imagine fasting while living on the Sun!
I had been reading so many Do’s and Dont’s about this heatwave, so I thought its going to be a good idea if I sum those up in here. I googled couple of these and found some on Twitter.
Stop/break fast. Allah is the ever merciful; He knows!
Heat stroke is the most serious form of heat injury and is considered a medical emergency.
People over 50 are most at risk, although anyone can be affected because of improper ventilation, dehydration or chronic ailments.
Throbbing headache, dizziness, lack of sweating despite the heat, nausea and vomiting, rapid heartbeat & breathing, behavioral changes such as confusion, disorientation and unconsciousness are but some symptoms of Heat stroke. DO NOT IGNORE!
If some one or yourself have any of these, fan air while wetting skin with water.
Apply ice packs to armpits, groin, neck, and back. Because these areas are rich with blood vessels close to the skin, cooling them may reduce body temperature.
RUSH to the hospital. And try not to take the entire family as the Emergency rooms are already crowded.
Keep an eye on elderly neighbours and try to check about their well being.
House maids, servants and drivers are humans too. Try to schedule them during late or early hours of the day, hand them some water bottles before they leave and let them use that air conditioner that is otherwise not allowed!
There are many people who are doing volunteer work on their own. Find someone and if nothing then at least get some cold water bottles to the nearest local hospital. It doesn’t have to be mineral water. Even clean, boiled tap water would do. Remember every good deed is multiplied many times in this holy month!
I called my father as he is old and alone and I am concerned about his well being. And he goes, ” I am okay, you people stay indoors, its hot over there I’ve learned so take care of my babies!”
So basically he was telling me not to worry for him in 47 degrees without water and electricity while I should watch for myself and children as it was 25 degrees in GTA today. Parents are always parents!
My own sister had some serious diarrhoea and nausea last night. After I finish these lines, I am going to call her.
