As students prepare for the Islamic month of fasting, distant aromas from their family’s kitchens slip into their senses before iftar, the meal Muslims with which break their fasts. The Daily Texan sat down with Muslim students to talk about their favorite iftar dishes and how they are managing Ramadan while away from family. 

Hya’s Arab Lasagna 

What Hya Mahdy calls an “Arab Lasagna,” macarona béchamel is an Egyptian dish composed of penne pasta, ground beef, tomato sauce, cheese and béchamel sauce. Noting the time commitment in preparing this dish, Mahdy said she admires her mother’s yearly efforts.

“My mom will make it for the first day of Ramadan every year for as long as I’ve remembered,” said Mahdy, a biomedical engineering senior. “It shows (she’s) putting a lot of love and care into it, so I’ve always seen it as a delicacy.” 

Along with a desire to make the dish in her own kitchen, Mahdy said she finds comfort in the communal aspect of experiencing the hurdles of Ramadan in Texas weather alongside her peers. 

“Ramadan isn’t meant to be easy,” Mahdy said. “It’s meant to show discipline, so it’s nice to see 100 other people doing the same thing with you.” 

Mohanad’s Classic Lentil Soup 

For Mohanad Elchouemi, the classic watery lentil soup hits the spot of reminiscence, transporting him to his days in Egypt, where the soup serves as an integral dish to every iftar.

“You’d get your food and then you’d be like ‘Oh wait, I forgot the lentil soup,’” computational biology senior Elchouemi said. “You’d end up balancing this big plate with a little classic bowl of lentil soup on the side.” 

Although he often can’t find lentil soup on campus, Elchouemi said he recreates the sense of community it brings him at the Nueces Mosque, where hundreds of students unite during the month of fasting. 

“Spending Ramadan with other college students is very unique compared to other places where you’re eating with older (relatives),” Elchouemi said. “You’re sitting in the back, squished next to your friend, along with 60 to 70 other people.”

The Hamads’ Orange Soup

This tomato-based soup made with ground beef and rice serves as a speciality in Yasmeen Hamad’s home. Hamad, an international relations and global studies sophomore, said she feels inspired to cook the dish for her friends this Ramadan.

“I’m trying to host my own iftar night someday, sort of like a potluck,” Hamad said. “Maybe (orange soup) will be the star of the show.” 

Along with the soup offering her consistency throughout Ramadan, Hamad said the student-run Nueces Mosque inspires her to continuously connect with her faith even when away from home.

“Having that kind of environment is really different, and, overall, it’s been a really good experience,” said Hamad. “I think the community (at Nueces) allows you to grow in your faith during this time.”

Hafsah’s Fruit Salad and Beguni

Combining sweet with savory, Hafsah Khwaja said she finds herself looking forward to the Bengali dish beguni, which consists of thinly sliced fried eggplant. Khwaja said a large assortment of fruit also makes an appearance at her family’s table. 

“(The food) always brings back nostalgic memories of sitting around the table with my family,” biochemistry junior Khwaja said. “As a kid, I’d try to make a rainbow out of all the food on my plate.” 

Khwaja said most of her excitement for Ramadan stems from how the month fosters an  atmosphere of unity. 

“Everyone’s in this very spiritual mood, and you feel a really big sense of unity,” said Khwaja. “Having Iftar with my family every night was a really big part of it.”