Today, Muslims mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan with the holiday of Eid al-Fitr. In many homes, a fabulous feast is prepared, celebrating the end of Ramadan’s dawn-to-sunset fasting.
For the previous month, Muslims have abstained from food during the day in order to reflect on self-restraint and generosity, to be mindful of those less fortunate who may not always have food on the table, and to purify their bodies and minds.
The Islamic calendar is based on lunar cycles and the beginning of Eid al-Fitr is signaled by the first sighting of the new moon. During the day, families will celebrate with a special meal—the first they’ve had during daylight hours in a month.
Traditional foods made for Eid vary from country to country: Egyptians may enjoy a holiday treat of kahk—cookies filled with honey and nuts and covered in powdered sugar; Pakistanis shop for vermicelli to make a sweet pudding called seviyan; and Indonesian kitchens are cooking up ketupat—rice dumplings wrapped in palm leaves.
In New York City’s Little Senegal, many plates will likely be piled high with ceebu jen—a traditional recipe of rice, fish, and vegetables that is the national dish of Senegal. To learn more about the food traditions of Eid al-Fitr, watch this video from Our Global Kitchen: Food, Nature, Culture, open at the Museum for only a few more days, through August 11. Don't miss your chance to see the special exhibition before it's gone!
The exclusive corporate sponsor for Our Global Kitchen is J.P. Morgan.
Additional support for Our Global Kitchen and its related educational and online resources has been provided by GRACE Communications Foundation.