To serve, divide the bean mixture into four serving bowls, and season. In the first bowl, add the garlic, cumin, olive oil and lemon juice; in the second, add the tomato and cooked onions (if using); add a good dollop of tahini to the third; and cucumber and chilli flakes to the fourth. Taysir Ghazi is a wife, mother to three daughters and a grandmother. Her family call her Leela – she thinks because Taysir was difficult for others to say or write. She has lived in Australia since 1971 and has worked for the Islamic Women’s Association of Australia as an aged care services coordinator

Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morningWhy am I gently sawing this croquette into three parts?” my friend Lucy ranted. Another described it as “the Tinder of eating” – loads of choice, but satisfaction by no means guaranteed. Fasting is one of the greatest ways to reignite our feelings of gratitude, and it’s a powerful part of our faith. But kids are notoriously impatient as they are, and bringing hunger into the equation will really test their willpower (and yours too, probably!). But some people do have a genuine resistance to them. “Some older people don’t understand the concept of small plates,” one server at a small-plates restaurant in Margate told me. “It’s a lot of work telling people that they can’t have what they want, in a way that will still make them want to tip you.”

These Reasons For Fasting Activities are great little reminders of why fasting is so integral to Islam. From decorating worship jars to crafting the five pillars of faith using cardboard tubes, these exercises are fantastic ways to keep little hands and brains busy during fasts. Ayeina.com have created 30 beautiful and vibrant Dua printables that slot perfectly into our Ramadan calendars . Of course, the calendars themselves are not a necessity, but they do add a sense of reward and excitement to each morning’s prayers! The moon and star is actually an ancient symbol that hasn’t always been associated with Islam. It was, however, used to symbolise the rule of the two Islamic empires, the Ottoman Empire and Persian Empire, in the 19th century. Nowadays, this symbol is often used as a representation for Ramadan and Islam.So how can parents encourage and educate their kids about Ramadan in a way that’s entertaining too? There’s something about putting decorations up to mark a special occasion that sparks so much joy! Noor Kids have put together this fabulous crafts recipe for a moon banner - an exciting way to mark the last 10 days of Ramadan. This activity is great for young children who are first learning about Islam, making the teaching both interactive and fun!

We understand that it just isn’t financially viable for everyone to splurge once Ramadan comes around. But you don’t have to spend money to enjoy our blessed days! We’ve had a number of printable designs specially made for Eid and Ramadan this year that the whole family can enjoy. Browse our selection of cards, crosswords, calendars and colouring bunting and get into the spirit of Ramadan with us!One problem is that British culture isn’t very hot on sharing. In a dark, festering corner of our psyche, it’s not OK with us that a dinner consisting of dishes such as, say, three ravioli for a four-person table – might result in someone having a marginally better time for the same portion of the bill. In the 19th century, a lot of dishes would arrive on platters and you would take the bits that you wanted,” says the Observer’s restaurant critic Jay Rayner. “Then we got to this point where the dish was plated, based on the Escoffier system of main dishes which have a piece of animal protein in the middle, and then you build out from that.”