Onceagain,Ramadanishere,atreasuredmonththatmillionsacrosstheglobelookforwardtosoeagerly.Itisnotmerelyamonthaboutabstainingfromfoodanddrink;itisalsomeanttobeatimeoffastingforthesoul,theeyesandears.Itismeanttoteachustobemindfulofallourdifferentsenses–whatweexposethemtoandhowweusethem.Ramadanismeanttoremindusoftheblessingswehaveinorderforustobemoregratefulpeople,aswellastoallowustoempathisewiththosewhoaren’tasfortunate.Itishumblingandteachesustorethinkouractions.ThemonthofRamadanisaboutbeingabletocarryonwithyoureverydaylifewiththeadditionalpressureoffastingsothatyoucanlearntobepatient.ItisnormaltobetiredandevengetirritablewhenyouaredeprivedofsustenanceвыставкатуризмГонконг,buttheaimshouldbetokeepyourcoolandshowrespecttoyourfamily,friendsandco-workers.FastingisnotmeanttobeanexcuseforanyshortcomingsduringtheHolyMonth.Andfastingfor15hoursinthispartoftheworldtofastingfrom17to20hoursinothersisnoeasytask,somehowmiraculouslythedaysseemtojustcruiseby.What’samazingis,notonlytheadultsdothis,butsomeassmallas3&4yearoldscarrythefasts.ThatsthemagicofRamadan,doingwhatotherwiseseemsunfathomabletodonuskin.offasting,whateverideasyouhadofeatinghealthy,eatingsmart,eatinglight…goesrightoutofthewindow,andallyouwantarethelovelysinfulsnacks.Stuffthatyouwouldsteerawayfromineverydaylife,oratleasteatincontrolledportions.AndIthinkthereisabsolutelynothingwrongwiththat!Youdidkindofdeserveit,andthere’snothingwronginindulginginafewgoodthings.I’mnotpromotinggluttonybutaslongasyouknowwhentostop,everthingisgood,andyoucanenjoyitguiltfree.Thefirsttwodaysweusuallystartwithalightclearsoupfollowedwithsomethinggrilledorpanfried,butsoonenoughday3–4onI’musuallyheadingrightforthelittlefrieddelicacies,thatarecrunchyandpackedwithflavour(homepreparedstuffi.e.–theoutsideiswaytoooily)andofcoursethinkingaboutwhatsgoingtofollowfordessert.BythewaydohopovertomydearfriendLubnaKarim’sBlog,shehoststhislovelyeventeveryRamadan,JoyFromFasingtoFeasting,sharessomelovelyrecipesthatmakesthetaskofMenudecidingeasierinthesedaysNeoskinlab.
