To mark Ramadan, Yasma restaurant offers authentic iftar meals to go
Several culturally significant dishes are available to break the fast
Yasma is offering set menus for Ramadan. Photo by Leila Kwok
AS OF SUNSET on April 13, Muslims in British Columbia and around the globe will mark the beginning of Ramadan, a holy month of fasting, prayer, and spiritual reflection.
Throughout Ramadan, Muslims fast during daylight hours to devote themselves to attaining greater taqwa, a state of reflection that leads to a deeper consciousness and connection with God. It’s a time when Muslims are especially mindful of giving back.
Each day after the sun sets, people typically consume dates to break the daily fast then take part in prayer. A meal called iftar follows.
Traditionally, this meal would be shared with family and friends; things look very different this year with mosques holding prayers online and people gathering virtually.
To share some of the traditions associated with Ramadan, Yasma—a Kitsilano restaurant specializing in cuisine of the Levant, notably that of Syria and Lebanon—has created authentic iftar meals for at-home dining.
Photo by Leila Kwok.
Four set menus are available, each with a culturally significant main course and side dishes that are customary on the iftar table.
Kebab Karaz, or cherry kebab, is dish that originated in Aleppo. Charcoaled lamb meatballs are smothered in black sour cherry sauce atop pita bread and garnished with parsley and pine nuts. The sour cherries, called washneh, can only be found in Aleppo in summertime.'
Kibbeh Labanieh consists of lamb kibbeh. The quintessential Syrian dish, the lamb is cooked in hot yogurt with a hint of garlic and mint and fried golden.
Finally, the Mini Mashawi platter consists of two chicken skewers, two Aleppo lamb kebabs, grilled vegetables, and Lebanese mezze dips with bread.
All of the means come with vegetable lentil soup topped with sesame seeds and crispy bread strips, a dish commonly found on the iftar table. Fattoush, pickled vegetables, and an appetizer platter of freshly made savoury pastries also accompany the meal. For dessert, there’s qatayef, a folded pancake filled with fried cheese and walnut.
It’s all to bring a sense of familiarity and home for those who follow Ramadan traditions and to share culture through a culinary experience with others. Yasma’s overarching goal is to instill in people fernweh, a longing for a far-away place and a desire to immerse oneself in a time that perhaps never was.
The iftar meals, $89, feed two to three people and are available until May 15. (They can be pre-ordered on Yasma’s website via Tock.)
Based out of Dark Table Restaurant (2611 West 4th Avenue), Yasma is open for takeout from Tuesdays to Saturday, from 5 to 10 pm.
For more information, visit Yasma.
Photo by Leila Kwok
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