Breaking the day-long fast through Iftar is vital for religious observance and physical restoration during Ramadan. Bangladesh's traditional Iftar customs feature dates, fried foods, and sweet beverages. These elements provide pleasure but significantly burden your digestive system and lack essential dietary components. As an addition to your meal, coleslaw provides nutritious benefits through its fibre content and vitamin supply. Coleslaw, a simple yet versatile salad, offers hydration, essential nutrients, and a refreshing taste without excessive calories. When prepared with mindful ingredients, it can be a valuable addition to a wholesome Iftar menu.
What is Coleslaw?
The dish coleslaw consists of shredded cabbage with vegetables like carrots and onions, which create its structure while coating it with a dressing with creamy or tangy flavour profiles. This European invention has become globally acclaimed because of its crunchy quality and flexible nature. Traditional coleslaw contains mayonnaise dressing, yet consumers can enjoy different versions of yoghurt, vinegar, or mustard-based dressing for a healthier variation. Notable ingredient modifications enable coleslaw recipes to match Bangladeshi food preferences and dietary requirements during Ramadan.
Coleslaw serves as a nutritious complement to heavier Iftar items. The primary ingredient, cabbage, provides vitamin C for immunity strengthening and vitamin K for bone health maintenance. Beta-carotene from carrots provides essential functions for both eyesight and skin healing. Eating fibre-rich vegetables helps keep your digestive system healthy, which protects you from digestive problems after dinner. Yoghurt and mustard-based dressings serve as healthy substitutes for mayonnaise in coleslaw by maintaining its light texture and delivering beneficial probiotics to support gut health. You can enhance nutrient uptake by adding healthy fats through olive or mustard oil, which provides essential elements necessary for recovery after fasting.
Coleslaw recipes for a balanced Iftar
You can prepare a simple yet tasty coleslaw with your local ingredients. Start by shredding two cups of cabbage into fine pieces while grating one cup of carrots. You can enjoy additional crunch with thinly cut cucumbers or capsicum. Use a mix of plain yoghurt combined with mustard oil, lemon juice, and salt for a smooth dressing that is both slim and rich in probiotics. Toss the vegetables with the dressing and follow it up with a 15-minute refrigeration period before serving. You can make this coleslaw with hydrating and easily digestible ingredients that deliver essential vitamins to restore fasting energy.
For more variety and to cater to your taste preferences, you may try some more delicious and unique coleslaw recipes:
Classic refreshing coleslaw
To make the dish, you will need two cups shredded cabbage and one cup grated carrots, half a cup chopped cucumbers, one-fourth cup plain or Greek yoghurt with a tablespoon olive oil, honey, a teaspoon lemon juice, salt, and black pepper to taste good.
Shredded cabbage, grated carrots, and sliced cucumbers should be mixed in a large bowl. In a separate dish, combine olive oil, yoghurt, honey, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper while whisking thoroughly. The dressing should be applied directly to the vegetables while you combine all the components. Leave this mixture in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavours to mix.
Shorshe zingy coleslaw
To make the dish, you will need two cups of shredded cabbage, one cup of grated carrots with a half cup of sliced green capsicum, a tablespoon of mustard paste (Shorshe bata), and a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar. In addition, half a teaspoon of sugar, half a teaspoon of salt, and half a teaspoon of black pepper must be added to make this dish delicious.
Mix all vegetables in a large bowl, including shredded cabbage, grated carrots, and capsicum. In another small bowl, mix the mustard paste with vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Add the dressing to the vegetables, then blend the ingredients. This coleslaw is best when refrigerated for a cool twist on classic coleslaw.
Tok-jhal spicy coleslaw
with the same quantity of cabbage and carrots, you will need a green chilli (finely chopped, optional) and two tablespoons of homemade sour curd (Tok Doi) to make this dish.
Mix the shredded cabbage, grated carrots, and sliced onions in a bowl. Whisk together our curd, mustard oil, cumin powder, and salt in another bowl. Add the dressing to the vegetables and toss well. Garnish with chopped green chilli for an extra spicy touch (optional). For those who enjoy a bit of heat, this coleslaw adds a tangy and tasty deshi kick to the meal.
Adding colesColeslawnces various Iftar dishes since its fresh flavour complColeslawried and spiced offerings. One can eat this salad with grilled chicken or baked fish and use it to make whole wheat wraps for a balanced conclusion to Iftar. Combining coleslaw with lentil fritters or chickpea-based dishes creates dietaColeslawibrium by delivering protein alongside fibre, which helps stabilise blood sugar levels. Coleslaw's light, tangy nature functions superbly as an appetiser that readies the stomach. Coleslaw also consumes heavier meals while avoiding digestive discomfort.
Introducing coleslaw as part of your Iftar meal remains a simple approach to recColeslawssential nourishment following your fast. The fibre vitamins and hydration trio in coleslaw help digestion and restore vital nutrients, preventing exColeslaw following iftar meals. Local foods combined with mild dressing make coleslaw a nutritious option for the Ramadan diet, which remains suiColeslawross various cultures. A single bowl of refreshing coleslaw offers better nutritional balance than deep-fried snacks orColeslawdrinks because it gives the body essential nutrients to maintain vitality and health throughout the evening.
Email: jarinrafa20@gmail.com
BSc Honors (3rd year), Food and Nutrition, Govt. College of Applied Human Science
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